Can undergraduates attend workshops?

[space orca]

I'm curious to know if it is generally frowned upon for an undergraduate to attend a very specialized workshop. I'm browsing through a list (http://www.conference-service.com/conferences/gravitation-and-cosmology.html) of workshops and they do seem interesting. For those that have been to such specialized workshops in cosmology, HEP, or astronomy, have you encountered any 3rd/4th year undergrads attending?

 

[Choppy]

I can't say I have any experience on the gravitation or cosmology side of things, but in general yes, undergraduates are welcome to attend. They may even have discounted rates for you.

While much of the material presented may not be easily accessible to an undergraduate student, conferences are a chance to really learn about the cutting edge research that's currently going on, what tools are being used or developed to solve the big problems in the field, and perhaps more importantly to network. You could have a chance to talk to current graduate students, scope out different programs that you might be interested in pursing graduate studies with, meet potential supervisors, etc.

 

[space orca]

Thanks for the input. I see, I'll definitely try to see if I could attend one of these things for sure then in the near future!

 

[Vanadium 50]

That list has almost 200 conferences. Not all conferences are the same. Some are invitation-only. As an undergraduate, it's not likely you can wrangle an invitation. Some are "the more the merrier" where everyone is welcome. Choppy has a good point with accessibility. It's not certain that the material presented will be accessible to undergrads, and everyone in the conference may well be OK with that.

 

[ZapperZ]

Thanks for the input. I see, I'll definitely try to see if I could attend one of these things for sure then in the near future!

Do you have funding to pay for the workshop/conference fees and also for travel and lodging?

Zz.

 

[space orca]

Do you have funding to pay for the workshop/conference fees and also for travel and lodging?

Zz.

No, I would either have to fund it myself somehow or try to get a scholarship of some sort that would fund it.

 

[Choppy]

No, I would either have to fund it myself somehow or try to get a scholarship of some sort that would fund it.

Just FYI, sometimes if you volunteer to help with the conference (doing registration, assisting with AV or prep-room work, social events etc.) they are willing to reduce or waive registration fees.

 

[ZapperZ]

Just FYI, sometimes if you volunteer to help with the conference (doing registration, assisting with AV or prep-room work, social events etc.) they are willing to reduce or waive registration fees.

This is less true than what most people think.

I was an organizer of 3 different workshops, and I paid every single fees for those workshops.

Furthermore, unless this workshop is run at a local venue or one's home institution, there is still travel and lodging expenses. These, and registration fees, are often not inexpensive, especially if it is in major metropolitan cities.

Having said that, many conferences and workshops have special dispensations for students IF they make provisions for them. But in such cases, it requires that the students attending must be an active participants, i.e. have something to contribute such as to the poster session. It can't be a passive attendance.

Zz.

 

[Vanadium 50]

r try to get a scholarship of some sort that would fund it.

There is a difference between "I am less prepared than most participants, but can I come to your conference anyway?" and "I am less prepared than most participants, but can I come to your conference anyway? Oh, and by the way, can you pay for me?"

 

[space orca]

There is a difference between "I am less prepared than most participants, but can I come to your conference anyway?" and "I am less prepared than most participants, but can I come to your conference anyway? Oh, and by the way, can you pay for me?"

Oh I meant a scholarship of some sort from my home institution... I realize asking the hosts for funding when I have nothing to contribute is not a good idea.