By Murtaza Ali, HCDE PhD student
This was my first CHI conference–an essential conference in my field. I had an incredible experience, in particular because this was the first conference that felt like a shared experience within the department for me. I have attended two other conferences–ICER 2023 and ICER 2024–but since I am one of the only people in the department working on computing education, I attended those conferences mostly alone (in terms of HCDE colleagues).
However, attending CHI was a great experience because from the airport to the hotel room to the conference dinner, I got to enjoy conversations with other people in HCDE and hear about their research, an opportunity which I don’t always get. It was nice to attend talks for people I know, and to have people I know attend my talks!
From a conference standpoint, this trip was invaluable for my academic journey. I made several connections, in particular with students and professors from other universities who work in similar areas as myself. This has led to potential collaborations, as well as discussions with respected professors in the field regarding where I should apply for jobs in the (hopefully near) future. Had I not gone to CHI, I would have missed out on these incredible connections, which may well lead to future publications and potentially even a job opportunity at a university.
Give to support HCDE student travel
The Mary B. Coney Endowed Fund, named in honor of Emeritus Professor Mary Coney, supports HCDE students by funding costs associated with travel to conferences and international workshops. Your support of this fund enriches the HCDE student experience and enhances HCDE's influence in the field.