Matthew Schwoebel Conference Summary

Matthew D. Schwoebel 
Ph. D. Student
American Indian Studies GIDP

Conference Summary
Western Social Science Association (WSSA) Conference
Reno, Nevada
April 13-16, 2016

The Herbert E. Carter Travel Award allowed me to attend the Western Social Science Association Conference, on April 13-16, 2016 in Reno, NV. The conference was held at the Grand Sierra Casino and Resort. This interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary conference provided the ideal opportunity to network with others and learn more about innovative research in a variety of disciplines. I presented on my own research written for a future article publication regarding foundational theory in American Indian Studies. The presentation was followed by a discussion with some of the foremost scholars in the discipline, as well as other graduate students from universities in the United States and elsewhere. This was a particularly exciting experience as it represented my first opportunity to present on my own research at an academic conference. I met many scholars in my own field as well as others that provided insights into theory that have since propelled me into new directions of research.  It was truly a worthwhile experience. Most excitedly, I was asked to submit the paper to a journal affiliated with the conference association.

I was also able to sit in on other sessions while attending the conference. These sessions explored new areas of research in fields that pertain to my dissertation research, particularly sociology and political science.  It was another great opportunity to expand my thinking and explore new themes and topics.

I am very grateful for the experiences I gained at the conference. The Herbert E. Carter Travel Award made that possible. WSSA is a flagship conference for interdisciplinary research, and I am very glad to have been apart of those important conversations.