Volunteer to help us deliver an engaging interdisciplinary conference

Our conference and the City of Calgary’s proximity to the mountains provides a wealth of opportunities for you to get engaged during your visit. You might volunteer to provide conference support, host, moderate or provide mentorship, sign up to receive mentorship, or organize a trip to Banff with your colleagues.

Conference support

All attendees may volunteer for participation opportunities that will arise, including:

• registering participants on Thursday May 1st from 8:45 to 9:30 am (approximately)
• being the conference photographer
• or assisting with audio visual set-up and troubleshooting.
• performing other duties as needed

Please indicate your volunteer interest on the conference application form.

Panel host

All graduate students may volunteer to host a panel. This task involves briefly introducing the speakers, timekeeping, and moderating the Q & A after the talks.

Roundtable moderator

Upper-level PhD students may volunteer to moderate a roundtable topic for other graduate students. Roundtables are less formal and offer the opportunity for participants to gather feedback on their ideas that may be in the early stages of development. This responsibility includes introducing participants, timekeeping, asking questions of the presenters, and managing the Q&A period.

Mentor undergraduate students

Upper-level PhD students may volunteer to mentor undergraduate students. This task involves reading two to three papers (approximately 10-12 pages long) before the conference, offering editing recommendations and foci tips for a presentation, providing this feedback no later than three days before the conference (by Sunday April 27th), and hosting the small group of students during a roundtable. Moderating the roundtable includes introducing the students to each other, managing time, and posing questions to the students after their presentation.

Sign up to receive mentorship (undergraduate students only)

Undergraduate students with a goal of attending graduate school, or involved in research, can seek mentorship from a PhD student.

If you choose this option, you will be required to submit a paper of 10-12 pages at least ten days before the conference (April 20, 2025). In return, no later than three days prior to the conference you will receive written feedback on your research ideas, and notes on how you might structure a presentation.

At the conference you will present your research to one to two other undergraduate students and your PhD mentor in a roundtable format and be asked questions about your research.

Please indicate your interest in receiving mentorship on the application form.