Conference Blogging

I am at big important meeting in my field right now and every year it gets better. Basically, this meeting is a lot about networking and a little bit about science. I organized a young women faculty (~1-4 year) networking event where we all met for drinks after talks yesterday. It was really fantastic and also amazing how the word started to spread. I only knew a few of the new faculty primarily in my field, but word just kept getting passed along and along until we probably had 15 people. When you think about it, 15 young 1-4 year female faculty is a pretty big number.

This is also the first year that I have felt like a "real" faculty member. Last year, even though I had started my position, I hadn't taught yet, I hadn't had a grant rejected yet, and I was really just settling in. This year I have been around the block a little and can talk about more of these issues.

I've had a full lunch and dinner card, with many events being impromptu get togethers with people in my field and I am starting to make connections with more senior faculty that may be important later in the tenure process. It has been great. My DH even sent me a package of brownies. Aside from the fact that DH is now interviewing somewhere and my nanny is with the kids tonight, and my daughter has bronchitis, a good trip.