My first academic conference presentation

I participated in my first academic conference in which I was a presenter. It was a great experience, especially because the individuals in the organization and attending the conference were inspiring. I've been hungry for a multi-disciplinary environment and I inadvertently found one.

The conference was through the Irish Association for American Studies (IAAS) which is affiliated with the European Association for American Studies (EAAS). Somehow it hadn't occurred to me that such an association would exist and I am still processing this revelation. It brings together individuals from a spectrum of fields around this one nation of study and it's really exciting (to me, anyway) for these individuals to be actively working to communicate across boundaries of field of study. For example, English professors who study American Literature talking with Historians who study American History talking with Musicologist who study jazz... it is amazing how the vocabularies shift when talking to someone outside of your immediate one. It is challenging, yet quite gratifying. Part of what is most powerful about this is that each person has an understanding and level of mastery in her/his field.

More and more I feel my theatre training has not prepared me for the kind of work I want to do. I do not have the mastery of a frame for discussing philosophy or history or poetic structures. Yes, I have a foundation of literary analysis and have developed critical thinking skills (Thank you, Mr. Okey!) in order to help me develop other methods of critical thought. This need to develop a stronger method for critical thought is the main reason I am looking to do my PhD back in the US; in a program with two years of courses prior to research I can construct a path of knowledge to prepare me for the kind of thoughts I want to develop in my research.

I learned a great deal from the conference, particularly about specific ways in which I can improve my work. In this way, I feel successful about my participation and feel more prepared for (and excited about) future conferences.