Been a busy month. Several conferences, more traveling than I really like (especially when the department isn’t paying for it) and lots of progress on the dissertation. Also, one of these days, I’m actually going to live tweet/blog one of these conferences like I keep saying I’m going to do. This is relevant because I just got back from DC and the APSA Teaching and Learning Conference, which happened the day after I presented my poster at the Southern Politics and Policy Conference.
Bit of a whirlwind last couple of days, but the TLC was much better than I had expected. Got to meet a lot of really dedicated and energetic folks that were very interested in the state of political science instruction. My presentation on supplemental instruction went pretty well too. I was part of the Community College tract, which happened to be dominated by a load of Texas political science professors. First year for the tract and the attendees were inspiringly committed. Most of them even stayed all the way through the conference to the final meeting on Sunday morning at 8am. Making me rethink my interest in a community college career. I do enjoy teaching and the mobility wouldn’t hurt. Something to think about, and, as I said, the passion of the TLC folks was inspiring. I could probably squeeze a little research in there even with a heavy teaching load.
As for the SPPC, I wish I could have stayed longer. Just got to hang around for the poster presentation and the dinner reception. Even so, lots of good conversations and meeting people. I’ve gone over the program, and there are several folks I need to contact about their research, particularly the immigration stuff. Good to see the issue getting some attention from the subnational folks. Means I gotta move fast if I don’t wanna get scooped though.
That’s about it for the moment. I’m really going to focus on more consistent updating from now on…seriously, this time…I mean it. Anyway, more detail and insight to come, now back to research.