Welcome to Growing Up Comm. I'm Sarah Palin-Leiderman, Research Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Today we'll be talking about preparing for the upcoming ICA conference. Topics will focus on the opportunities and highlights for this year's ICA event, how to create connections with people during downtime, and in depth advice on how to navigate the ICA conference. I've invited Laura Sawyer, Jennifer Le, and Noshir Contractor to join me in this discussion. All this, and so much more!
Welcome to Growing Up Comm, a production of the ICA Podcast Network. I'm Sarah Pila-Leiderman, Research Assistant Professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. I'm joined today by three special guests for an exciting episode about the upcoming ICA Conference. I'd like to open the floor to my esteemed guests to introduce themselves.
Hi, my name is Laura Sawyer. I am the Executive Director of the International Communication Association. We're headquartered in Washington, DC, but we have members in 87 countries all over the world, and just went over 5000 in our membership count. It's great to be here!
Hi, I'm Jennifer Le, and I'm the Senior Manager of Conferences, Conference Services here at ICA.
Hi there. My name is Noshir Contractor, and I'm a faculty member here at Northwestern University in Evanston in the United States. I am the president elect of the International Communication Association.
Great, thank you everyone. I'd like to start off with my first question of what do you think are some of the highlights that participants can look forward to at this year's conference?
There's so much going on this year. I think we have this pent up energy from two years of being only online, so I feel like this year we're just throwing everything in, and doing a lot of new ideas. Nosh has created multiple Presidential Sessions. In addition, we have themed sessions, we have Interdivisional Sessions. For the first time, that was a separate track in the conference where divisions could collaborate on sessions together. We have a bunch of Blue Sky Workshops, which are more collaborative, and Fishbowl sessions. What's interesting is a lot of our 33 divisions and interest groups have always had like a PhD colloquium. This year, I'm really noticing more of them are doing early career in students specific programming, which is just great. The Global Comm and Social Change, they're doing a Student Early Career Advice Session, which is really great. I think that's actually probably applicable to students in any division, because a lot of that is going to be broader com advice. Of course, there's the Student Early Career Scholars Reception, which is always a lot of fun. That's actually on site this year, cause they wanted to use their resources to provide more food and atmosphere, and not have everybody have to go somewhere and spend all their money on a room rental outside. They really wanted to use all those resources for the benefit of the students in early careers. We've got a New Member Meeting and Student Early Career Orientation, and that's usually pretty small. It's not a large business meeting where 3000 people gather and vote on things. We do all of our votes online so that everyone has representation because, of course, not every member can be in the same place at the same time. We use this slot to really orient people who are new to ICA, whether those are early career folks, or people who just happen to have come from another field and are new to our association. We have the entire executive committee, which is collectively like 30 years of ICA experience in the room, especially with Peter Manji there. He always has such interesting insights for where ICA has come, and where we're going, and the difference between how things function 30 years ago and how they function now in the field (and ICA specifically). We'll have the entire executive committee there in that meeting, and they answer questions. It's one of my favorite parts of the conference because it's this really great dialogue between people who are brand new to the field, and people who are really the senior scholars who really have been around. The executive committee is people who are president or have been elected to become president soon or have been president very recently. It's a six year commitment, once you get elected. They really have a very deep knowledge of the way the association works, and the benefits of being an ICA member, and so that's always just a really good conversation. It's called the New Member Meeting and New Members/Student Early Career Orientation. Is a very catchy title, and that's Saturday 28th, May at 930 in the morning, and that'll be in the conference center. You can just look on that on the schedule for that. Right after that in the same room is the Student Early Career Advisory Committee Business meeting, and so you'll get a lot of students specific, early career specific stuff there as well. I also want to point out the Student Early Career Representatives did this amazing tracking list for if you are new, attend these things, and Jennifer did a great design for it. That'll be in all of our materials. So you can just pretty much follow that. You'll be in good stead by the end of the conference, you will know all the things that you need to know.
Jennifer, do you want to go next?
Sure,
I think things that people can look forward to, honestly, is the fact that we've been apart from each other for two years. I can tell by like, you know, social media of emails, everyone's was really excited to get back together, and see everyone, and just collaborate. A lot of these people are actually new to our conference and to ICA, which is even more exciting. Another thing students can look forward to is a lot of them have signed up to be volunteers. I know from past experience that a lot of our volunteers who are new, found that as a great resource to learn a lot more about ICA and actually get involved and help out others. A lot of people I think if you talk to them, they'll be like, "Oh, I started out as a volunteer, like a student volunteer", which is great. I know this year, which we will probably touch on later is that with the New Tech Squad, we're having more volunteers. There's more ways to help out get involved. I think that's something to look forward to, and just the fact that it's in Pairs is exciting. People are excited.
There's not much more that I want to add in terms of substance. I think the ICA headquarters are doing an incredible job of being able to pivot from decades of in-person meetings, to two years of only virtual meeting. Now, for the first time doing such a remarkable job in terms of this new hybrid option that combines both in person with virtual. One of the things that I like to make sure that you underscore is that don't think as a student or early career person, that all the networking that has to happen is with senior scholars. You're building a cohort that you're going to stay with for decades to come. These are valuable relationships. It's just a really gratifying feeling to have that sense of building a community, not just with fellow students who are in your specific area, not in your division necessarily, not in your interest groups, but across these because those are the kinds of bonds that span and unify the International Communication Association to be that umbrella big tent that we have grown to love and glorify in our existence.
Amazing. We're also hosting a Blue Sky Workshop on Open Science, and how it can be feasible for early career scholars. That was also on Saturday, May 28, at 12:30pm in the Convention Center as well. I'm wondering, and sort of circling back to the volunteers. where can folks find help if they need it either on site at the conference or virtually?
It's interesting. We are very accustomed to having a high level of customer service, and responding to everyone. The ICA staff are only six and a half (or seven humans), six full time and one half-time person. It's a lot to help 5000 people with that few people. When we are on site, our workday is usually about 14 hours. When we're doing a virtual conference, were online for about 14 hours, making sure everything's going well. Fortunately, we have an amazing partner in Cadmore Media. If you're attending virtually, you can absolutely use the ICA 22 Hashtag, or you can even tag in @CadmoreMedia. There will also be in the bottom right corner Contact Information, if you need to place a phone call to get somebody's help. They are extremely responsive. They're just awesome to work with. If you're on site, I mean your number one place to go would be the registration desk if you have an issue. If it's something having to do with the room isn't set the right way or there's a piece of equipment missing or something, definitely the registration desk. They can always find me, Jennifer, and Katie, who are the Conference team who can help triage those situations. We'll have a number of volunteers. They'll have buttons that say "I'm a volunteer". We've got the Tech Squad, and so it depends on what kind of help you need. We'll also have AV staff from the Palais and the Hyatt, who are local to those venues, who will be in the hallways for other issues that arise. I would also add that if you have any sort of more sensitive issues. If you have been harassed, or you have a concern about another attendee, definitely email me, my email is everywhere, all over everything. Send me a private email, or email, Julie Arnold, her email is also all over everything. I think she knows every single person in this organization individually, through dealing with them through various things, committees. We have a code of ethics that people signed to attend the conference, and we do make sure that people abide by that. If you have any concerns about that, or you need to know where the gender neutral restrooms are, you want to get into the baby nursing room, you can email me for all of that stuff. Basically, the easy answer is go to the Registration Desk. They will find who you need to talk to, depending on what the issue is.
I guess I can add on to that. If you're not on social media, and you can't tag them or tweet at them. You can also send them an email. They have a specific email for help. It's "Events" with an "s" @Cadmore.media. They're very responsive. We'll actually have two of their representatives on site with us, which is pretty exciting because if you have any issues for virtual, they will be able to fix it in real time. To add on what Laura said, everything kind of is that registration. There's always going to be at least one ICA staff there. If the person they're looking for is not there, we'll find a way to find that person or get you the help you need. All of the resources you might need might already be in the print program, or maybe on any 2x3 foam core poster board that's going to be in your registration. A lot of information will be put out there each day with like highlighting different sessions and different information that you might need. There's going to be a lot of content to help everyone out there, and we'll do our best.
Also, I would add to be sure to look at the for everyone, even if you think it doesn't apply to you take a look on our website, go to the 72nd Annual Conference tab, and then there's a drop down. There's a page for "Accessibility", and there's all sorts of information there about where the gender neutral restrooms are, AAA meetings, a quiet room. We've had that for the past several years now, so we've got that room sort of tucked away in the back, and any number of other things. So those are all listed in one place on the Accessibility page. It'd be good to just take a look at that before you show up. That's a good familiarization page to go to.
Definitely agree with that. In that note, are there spaces, the quiet room potentially for folks to get away from sort of the sensory overload as a possibility? Are there other places that are good for those one on one conversations? Are there places that are good for I need to take a call? Are there places that are good for a larger group discussion around the on site conference?
The Conference Center is rather large, and it's attached to the Hyatt. The Hyatt is more of an intimate space, and then there's like the sort of interior bridge slash hallway that connects to the Palis des Congres, and when you first come up the escalators, there's registration right in front of you. To the right of all of that,we'll have our Regional Hubs, the Cinema Region-lle where we'll be playing the uploaded pre-recorded videos from the hub's even though they'll have a lot of live content as well. The pre recorded stuff will be just on a loop playing there. Then there's a ton of very comfy chairs, seating areas in that whole open area in the main lobby, atrium area. Then the posters are right near there as well, and a lot of the food will be served. Sort of a big a commons, like a university commons right area that has sort of a one stop shop for all the things you might need, but lots of seating areas. Also on the other floor of the Palais that we're using, we've put out little sort of bistro tables, two chairs and a table sets like you'd find it a little sidewalk cafe, so that people can hang out there and talk. There's also a ton of restaurants in the area. We have a map Karly Senesac, one of our staff members, has put together will be in the newsletter, and we'll circulate it on social media, and it'll be on the website. All the pharmacies nearby, all of the little restaurants, places that are you know more sit down dinners, little cafes, coffee shops, glossaries and also a print shop, the kinds of things you might need if you want to print your poster. We've got a little coded map for all of that that's been curated that we'll share with everyone. Then directly to the south west of us is a huge park. If you just walk southwest, out of the Palais, there is the Park Dubois, Pavillon Dufour. There's all these outdoor spaces, and the Louis Vuitton Foundation has a sculpture garden, there's a zoo, there's a little carnival type area for kids. There's tons of playgrounds. There's all sorts of outdoor space, if you just want to get out of where all the people are, which is understandable or just have some fresh air, you know.
Great. Any last suggestions for students and early career folks, first time attendees, again on how to make the most of the conference?
Not being shy about reaching out to your mentors, to your seniors, even if they just faculty members in your department, and not directly your mentor, and asking them to introduce you to folks. I think one of the nightmares that can confront a student, who is attending ICA for the first time this year, is to find themselves at these large receptions. And they are sitting at one corner or standing at one corner, not knowing what to do.Trying to decide whether they want to go get a drink, or pick on some appetizer, but feeling very lost. That's a very debilitating feeling. The best way to address those issues is to just reach out to faculty members, those senior people that you know, and say, "You know, this is my first ICA, I would love it. If you introduced me to someone". It doesn't hurt that you reach out to someone in the room who you know, and ask them to help make introductions. Otherwise, that first reception at your first conference can be a very, very lonely experience. And one that might scare you away from coming to future conferences, and that would be a shame.
When you go to the conference, I would just remind everyone that we've all been through a really rough two years, if there's a line to check in, or there's a line for food or coffee to just be kind to other people. I think a lot of us have forgotten how to mingle at parties. Reach out, make a friend invite people to do something with you. My favorite phrases horseshoes are better than circles. Leave space in that circle of people you're talking to, so that someone obnoxious like me can come up and say hi, I'm your new friend so that you just don't look closed off. There's a lot of people who will be looking for new connections this year. Just assume good intent from people and be kind. There's a great quote from a professor. He said, "We're all smart here. Distinguish yourself by being kind", and that's one of my favorite things to think about with ICA.
Amazing! Thank you. Thank you to my guests. Anything else?
Have fun! Make sure that nothing is more important than having fun.
Thank you all again.
This episode of the growing up calm podcast series is presented by the International Communication Association Podcast Network. Our producer is Daniel Christian. Our executive producer is Aldo Diaz Caballero. Our production consultant is Nick Song. The theme music is by will van der Cromer. If you'd like to hear more about the participants on this episode, please check the show notes in the episode description.
