TPRC Graduate Student Workshop- A Student's Perspective

When looking into conferences to present my research, I felt intimidated when my professors at Penn State suggested I submit my paper on children’s video game privacy policy. While digital media is a common topic, video games tend to be left out of the conversation or limited in its scope. It’s also much smaller than other conferences I’ve attended, and I worried over heavy scrutiny towards my academic interests and passions. However, after receiving encouragement from Drs. Krishna Jayakar and Christopher Ali, I decided to take a risk and submit. A few months later, I received a positive email and was accepted to present this paper.

Admittedly, I was intimidated - I had attended much larger conferences, but going to a smaller one with a common focus worried me. Did it make sense to present my paper at TPRC? Would other scholars and researchers discredit my work? A smaller size could mean more eyes on my work, and the risk of overly critical observation of my research. I didn’t want to go in afraid, so I thought about ways to approach it.

When considering options, I looked into attending the graduate student workshop. Aside from a few people from Penn State, I didn’t know anyone who would be attending. I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to meet other students and make early connections to make the transition easier. I also believed the workshop itself would provide good feedback on my presentation.

I am happy to say it was worthwhile.

I attended with a few friends from my cohort who also had presentations. At that first event, we all took turns discussing a paper or presentation we hoped to get feedback on. I had planned a short pitch about my paper. Last year, my paper was about children’s video game privacy policies. I nervously ran through in front of the other students and mentors, unsure if people fully understood my topic. I was grateful that it got the point across, and I received valuable feedback that I took a few days later when I had my actual presentation. Mainly, I was able to restructure my presentation, so it flowed better without taking away from my findings.

I enjoyed my experience that first year and decided to return for this year’s workshop. As a PhD candidate, having passed my comprehensive exams in May, I’ve started working towards my dissertation. I hadn’t submitted to this year’s conference, so I came prepared with a summary of my dissertation proposal. In what may be my life’s largest research project, I plan on conducting a case study and paratextual analysis of video game microtransactions. Following this initial research, consisting of reviewing five video games, Reddit forums, and press outlets, I plan to make policy recommendations that benefit consumers from potential exploitation.

Truthfully, I feel self-conscious at TPRC whenever I talk about some of my research. Video games aren’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when people think of tech policy, and it can be hard to find people who study this niche. Thankfully, people at the graduate student workshop and conference attendees have been open to learning more and providing input where possible. At the workshop, both students and the mentors provided recommendations on other sources I could tap into and the names of other researchers to review for my literature review.

However, the best part of this year’s workshop was the presentation on job applications and tips. I’m in the last year of my program and have begun applying for jobs. As anyone who’s applied to academic jobs knows, the process can be exhausting. It differed from the research-based structure I was used to from the workshop, but it allowed me to think through parts of my applications. In particular, I started thinking about how to personalize all of my statements (such as research, teaching, and diversity) to ensure I am a good fit for any job I apply to.

Something to note is that this year’s workshop was shorter; It was a half day compared to the 9-5 from last year. I believe the half day was more effective than the whole day. By around the 2 p.m. mark, I was starting to feel drained. While all the insight was great, it was hard to stay focused. This year, the half-day felt more manageable and organized, and maybe surprisingly to some, I believe I benefited more from the workshop this year.

One thing I did not expect was connecting with other students. At my first workshop, we immediately clicked and supported each other throughout the conference. We’d attend each other’s presentations and all sat together at the reception. Sometimes, it’s easy to forget the networking done is just as important as the research insight and feedback. However, these connections provide a great incentive to return to TPRC in the future and engage with our colleagues' research.

In both workshops, I found myself in awe of some of the work from other students. There’s much to discuss when we think of emerging communication and Internet issues, so we approach these topics differently. We’re often confined to our research, and sometimes, it can be hard to branch out. Workshops like this help us learn about other corners of the same topic. In some capacity, we’re all looking to answer policy questions and make substantial changes or recommendations. While I still worry at times if my research truly belongs at a conference like TPRC, I still enjoy learning about new topics that I don’t come across in my daily work.

For any student who may be worried about attending TPRC for the first time or those seeking valuable feedback on their research, I’d highly recommend taking the time before the conference and attending the workshop.

Erika Solis is a doctoral candidate at Penn State University and Google Public Policy Fellow at New America’s Open Technology Institute.