Early Career Committee: Dispatches from #SPSP2023

The Early Career Committee is excited to share news about the recent SPSP Annual Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. We are thrilled to report that an impressive 410 Early Career Members (0-6 years post-PhD) attended in person, while an additional 69 joined us virtually.

Early Career (EC) events commenced at the award ceremony on Thursday night, where we celebrated the accomplishments of promising scholars across various fields. Attendees were inspired by the impressive early career scholars who received SAGE Emerging Scholars and SAGE Early Career awards. The ceremony provided a fantastic opportunity to honor and congratulate the recipients. We eagerly anticipate how their work will continue to shape the academic landscape in the future.

Whether joining virtually or in-person, the Early Career Committee found ample opportunities for connection and collaboration during the SPSP 2023 Annual Convention.

 

As delayed flights due to a winter storm began to arrive on Thursday night, we hosted a pop-up "EC social hour" where early career scholars could catch up with each other. We are proud to say that this event was a resounding success, offering a relaxed and engaging atmosphere for attendees to connect, build meaningful professional relationships, and collect some SPSP swag! The event enabled early career researchers to exchange ideas and insights on various topics, with many participants remarking on the value of meeting others at similar stages in their careers.

On Friday afternoon, we held not one, but two early career sessions. The first, a special invited session titled "Hidden Stories of Marginalized Scholars and Scholarship: Reflections and Ways to Move Forward," brought together innovative and insightful voices in the field to discuss challenges and opportunities in the publication process faced by marginalized scholars and their scholarship. The panelists shared their experiences and suggested important recommendations for better supporting and amplifying marginalized voices in academic spaces. We extend our gratitude to panelists Valerie Jones Taylor, Olivia Atherton, Kathleen Bogart, and moderators Alison Ledgerwood and Franki Kung.

Simultaneously, the professional development workshop, "Building Professional and Scholarly Communities," provided invaluable insights and tools for establishing and maintaining effective professional networks and fostering a supportive academic culture. We thank our panelists Lara Aknin, Angela C. Bell, Sapna Cheryan, and Margaret Echelbarger, as well as our moderator Sarah Huff.

Later that day, the popular Early Career Mentor Tables event returned. This year, the event drew such a large crowd of early career scholars that we needed to move to a bigger room. Mentors from a wide range of disciplines were available to offer advice, answer questions, and provide guidance on everything from publishing to grant writing to succeeding in your first faculty position. Early career scholars left with valuable insights into the world of academia, industry, government, and more.

Finally, the EC events concluded with the BECOME mentoring program reunion. We hope this gathering becomes an annual event, where mentors and mentees from two BECOME cohorts meet in person for the first time. This occasion allowed our first cohort to reunite with familiar faces and welcome the incoming cohort of BECOME mentees and mentors. Participants were able to mingle and connect with peers and more senior scholars who share similar interests and experiences or have tackled comparable issues in their careers. Attendees left feeling empowered and equipped with new skills to succeed within their fields.

We hope you will join us next year for another incredible SPSP Annual Convention!

Warm regards,
SPSP Early Career Committee