This weekend Auburn's campus has the honor of being the location for the 40th annual Alabama Political Science Association Meeting.
This meeting is a two-day conference starting at noon Friday and ending Saturday at 2 p.m.
Kathleen Hale and Mitchell Brown are associate professors of political science and co-chairs for organizing the conference.
The conference will consist of several panels each day. A variety of topics will be presented and discussed on each panel.
"The topics range widely across the political science field," Hale said. "We've got American politics, public politics, international relations, teaching political science, public administration and graduate student development."
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear students and faculty from across the Southeast.
"The speakers will mostly be from Alabama, but we have faculty members and graduate students coming from schools all over the Southeast," Brown said. "Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee will all be represented. We have a few of the founders of the association coming as well."
Students, both graduate and undergraduate, as well as faculty from different schools are the make-up of each panel.
"All the panels have faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students presenting papers," Hale said.
The most popular panel at the conference is going to be the Alabama Politics Roundtable.
"This panel is so interesting because it is a combination of politicians, scholars, and practitioners," Hale said. "People look forward to hearing the accomplished political science professors on the Roundtable and former Alabama Secretary of State and State Legislator Glen Browder."
Graduate and undergraduate students are encouraged to attend and hear the research of their peers. There is a discounted student registration fee, which includes meals, and students can still sign up.
"Because the conference is relatively small compared to regional or national conferences, it is a unique opportunity for graduate students to have panel discussions about their research and an opportunity for a one-on-one conversation with people who can critique their work."
The conference can be an educational opportunity as well as an aid in deciding on graduate school.
"Any student who is interested in graduate school for the social sciences, this would be a good opportunity for them," Hale said.
Brown said the conference is a good opportunity to distinguish between law school and graduate school that focuses on policy research.
Regina Moorer, third-year doctoral student in political science, is presenting a paper on the income inequality in the state of Alabama.
"I think this conference is a great opportunity for professors and students to present their research as well as network with other scholars, professors and students who have similar research interests," Moorer said.
"Because it is an election year I believe the panel on campaigns, elections and public opinion will be particularly interesting. Overall the sessions have something that will meet everyone's' political interest."
Jessica Gratz, a third-year doctoral student in public administration, is also presenting her research. Gratz is presenting a paper on collaborative networks.
"I think it's set up well because you can go to the different sessions that interest you and within that you can hear three or four presenters," Gratz said. "It's great to find out what other people in your field are doing. The conference is local so it's convenient."
"You get a lot of good feedback and peer review on your research and that is invaluable for a graduate student," Gratz said. "The feedback that I get will eventually help me shape my dissertation."
Those in attendance will have a chance to question the presenters about their work.
"Within the panels there is usually about 30 or 40 minutes where we can answer questions and that is a great opportunity for other students there to ask questions about the research that we do," Gratz said.
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