Bryan Chambliss Conference Summary

Bryan Chambliss Conference Summary

Bryan Chamblis
Ph.D. Candidate

Cognitive Science GIDP Minor

Conference Summary
American Philosophical Association Meeting
Washington, DC
January 6-9, 2016

With the support of the Herbert E. Carter travel award, I attended the Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association. I gave a talk in which I presented some of my recent work, attended talks on a variety of other topics, and met lots of new people. I received excellent feedback on my project, and established connections with other philosophers who work on topics similar to my own.  But I also had a great deal of fun attending the APA, and learned a lot about the profession.

My talk went well. The session was well attended, my commentator provided useful feedback on my project, and the ensuing question and answer period generated a vigorous discussion. Trying to present and defend my position to a group of people with such heterogeneous interests taught me some important things about the project itself, and audience members gave me some concrete ways to improve my work.  This discussion continued throughout the conference, through meeting people for coffee and dinner, and I got to know other people who work on the topics that I was addressing.

The rest of the conference also went well. I saw some excellent talks, and attended panel sessions about teaching and the job market. Overall, attending the APA was a wonderful experience that both furthered my own research and helped me to gain professional experience. I am thankful for the opportunity to attend.