Are you a graduate student attending MATC? Is this your first time attending an academic conference? Are you never sure what to do at conferences? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this is the page for you!
Click through the tabs below to learn more about what grad students can expect at MATC, as well as any tips and tricks to make the experience one to remember!
Before you arrive at the conference, there are a few things we suggest doing:
Make sure you're registered! This includes paying the $75 combined registration AND membership fee (MATC is proud to be one of the most affordable conferences for graduate students in the field).
Peruse the conference schedule! Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are filled with things to do. See who's coming, what papers/presentations are being given, what exciting events are planned, etc.
Identify folks to network with ahead of time and maybe send an e-mail! ("Good afternoon Dr. XYZ, I'm excited to attend your paper at MATC!...") This is a great way to make connections and put your name out there.
If you're presenting, make a good faith effort to have your paper done BEFORE you begin your travel. We know as grad students it is not always possible, but you'll be so happy knowing you're ready to go!
The registration table, located in Piedmont, will be your first stop once you arrive at MATC. Here, you can retrieve your nametag, ask any questions, and get a sense of the conference hotel layout. There is no formal “check-in,” just grab your nametag and go!
Registration opens at 9am on Thursday (3/6). (TIP: Some folks like to arrive early, and that’s fine! But know that the conference planning committee will not be ready to start handing out name tags and lanyards until 9am on the dot.)
There is so much to do while at MATC. Here are just a few things to consider:
Utilize MATC social medias! We're on Facebook and Instagram. Use #2025MATC in your posts and be sure to tag us!
Attend sessions!
Attend respondent sessions (most will be held on Saturday).
Make new connections! It's great to be with folks from your home institutions, but conferences are a great place to expand your network.
Take a break! Go outside! Remember to eat and drink water!
All events at MATC are open to graduate students, but we're choosing to highlight a few here that are especially noteworthy!
Hot Topics (Friday, 7:15-8:30 in Peachtree)
Fellows Opening Night Reception (Thursday, 9-12 in Sky Ballroom East)
Committee Meetings (Friday, 2-3 in various)
MATC Coffee House (Friday, 7:30-11:30 in Georgia Ballroom)
Graduate Student Social (Friday, 6-7:30 in Peachtree)
Please fill out this form if you plan on attending so we can get a general idea of person count.
Coffee with Grad Reps Alivia & Frederick (Saturday, 10:30 Location TBD)
Luncheon and Keynote (Saturday, 12-2)
Business Meeting (Saturday, 2-3 in Georgia Ballroom)
Graduate Student Spotlight
We would like to spotlight graduate student work at the conference! If you are presenting, please let us know when, where, and your paper/presentation title by emailing grad_rep@matc.us. This information will be circulated to other graduate students, so we may support our grad colleagues!
Schedule Edits
Reach out to Frederick Miller (fdm14@pitt.edu) with any schedule edits. He's got your back!
Questions, Comments, Opportunities, etc.
If the need arises for clarity and/or feedback before, during, and/or after the conference, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Alivia and/or Frederick (grad_rep@matc.us). Consider us your point of contact during your time at the conference and want to support you in the best way possible.