Cara Mattu, Development and Humanitarianism in an Unequal World, University of Liverpool (2021 Cohort)

As I enter my last month as a funded PhD researcher with the NWSSDTP, I have been reflecting on the opportunities I have been privileged to take advantage of over the last three years. One of the huge perks of being a DTP funded researcher is that each person is allocated a pot of money to attend conferences (and other things, see the guidance here).

Conferences are a fantastic way to meet people with similar interests, be intellectually stimulated, and practice public speaking in high-pressure environments. As a Human Geographer on the ‘development and humanitarianism in an unequal world’ pathway, my research interests are inherently multidisciplinary – situated at the cross section of critical development studies, Indigenous geographies, and emancipatory praxis, to explore alternative ways of knowing and being. I have always found it a bit of a struggle to find ‘my people’ in the academic world, a universal experience for many PGRs. This can be isolating, especially as our projects are very niche. Findings conferences that speak to our interests can be challenging at times, particularly if the disciplinary area that you’re engaged in has faced budget cuts and staff losses. However, attending conferences, even if they are not super subject-specific, can be of great value.

I have been lucky this year to have attended three large conferences: the American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting (hosted in Detroit), the Royal Geographical Society Conference (hosted in Birmingham), and the Society for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Conference (hosted in Bristol). Each conference was vastly different, bringing with that varied invaluable experiences. Here is a short reflection on each:

American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting (AAG) 2025

This was the first conference I presented at outside of the University of Liverpool’s School of Environmental Sciences Annual Conference. Last minute, I saw a ‘call for papers’ on the Critical Geographers Forum (sign up to receive emails here) for abstracts to be submitted to the Participatory Geographies Research Group. The themes aligned with my research, and it would have been a missed opportunity had I not given it a shot. I quickly submitted a ~250-word abstract for a paper called “Research On Their Terms: Lessons Learned from Participatory Action Research with Maya Community Members and Organisers in Southern Belize” which built on reflections from my fieldwork experience of doing community-engaged participatory research. Months after, I received confirmation that my abstract had been accepted and I would be presenting on the ‘Engaged Communities, Equitable Futures? Participatory Methods in Geography Research and Practice’ session.

There were many logistical aspects I had to figure out as this was my first time doing an international conference. As this conference was being hosted in Detroit, the only way my in-person attendance was possible was by using my DTP funds, which allowed me to expense the AAG membership fee and registration fee (~£65 and £153), along with transport (flights and addition transport in Detroit) and accommodation (Airbnb was much cheaper than the AAG’s recommended hotel at $200 a night). It was my first time in the US, so I spent a little extra of my own money to extend the accommodation so I could explore the city. Budgeting effectively for conferences is important, most of the cost was covered by the DTP, but food and extra costs can add up quite quickly depending on where you are – I found the US to be quite expensive, especially once adding 20% tips (the norm).

I was incredibly nervous about presenting, which was why I challenged myself to attend in the first place. I practiced online with my supervisor and my PhD friends. I was attending the conference on my own, which made it more daunting. Thankfully, by the time I presented on the Wednesday, I made two friends who came to support me. As PGRs and Early Career Researchers, conferences are a great way to make connections with people from all over the world. The presentation itself was a breeze. I found that I had way too much to talk about and actually went over the allotted 15-minute time (timekeeping is another skill to be learned at conferences).

Overall, the AAG 2025 was an unforgettable experience that I will always have positive memories about. What stood out to me in particular was the friendly atmosphere, along with the way that Geographers were connected in solidarity with one another. In the context of the Trump administration having a detrimental impact on academia, and the ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, this conference provided a space of conviviality and mutual support where participants remained kind and encouraging towards one another despite the difficult realities being discussed. 

Royal Geographical Society Conference (2025)

The theme this year was ‘Geographies of Creativity’, which spoke deeply to me on an intellectual level. One area of my research interests are creative methods, having employed a series of photovoice and arts-based future-envisioning methods within my methodology. I knew there would be a very wide range of intellectually stimulating presentations, where I could learn a lot. I chose not to present because I was in the depths of my writing-up stage and just returned from an Overseas Institutional Visit to Copenhagen University. However, as I live in Birmingham and spend a lot of my time at the University of Birmingham’s Library, I had to attend. Again, this was only possible via using the RTSG to expense my registration fees.

This was the first conference I attended where I didn’t have the pressure of presenting. It was in some ways refreshing to just focus on the sessions, speaking with people, reconnecting with colleagues, and learning. The RGS is one of the largest of its kind – there were over 2000 delegates from more than 60 countries (someone told me this). It also had really made an effort be more ‘green’ – edible coffee cups, free bus travel, and vegan/vegetarian meals were all included.

One perk is the editors’ stalls, where it is common to find academic books on sale for a very reduced price. I bought two, both heavily discounted.  

Society for Latin American and Caribbean Studies Conference (2025)

The last reflection I wish to make on using conferences as a way to collaborate. For this conference, I connected with Freja, PGR from Aarhus University in Denmark and together we constructed an abstract for a participatory workshop – “Being Intercultural in Decolonial Times”. Though from different disciplines, we connected intellectually on various levels – Freja has been doing interesting and important work on decolonial pedagogy at the Indigenous university, Universidad Amawtay Wasi in Ecuador. As we both were PGRs from the Global North doing our research in Latin American and Caribbean contexts, we wanted to create a space for collective dialogue on the issues, concerns, and successes surrounding doing decolonial intercultural research. Our abstract was accepted, and we created an engaged participatory session that incorporated a creative element were coloured pens, drawings, mind maps, sticky notes, and storytelling, were used to discuss key themes of interculturality and included perspectives from scholars from different disciplines and backgrounds. The resources we used were funded by the RTSG.

A shorter 2-day conference went by really quickly but the knowledge shared, gained, and created in this time was inspiring. Many conference have a conference dinner, the SLAS one this year was centred around celebrating Latin American culture and included artistic performances (50 Ways to Kill a Slug), Latin American music, and salsa dancing.

Attending these conferences has been a key part of my PhD and have provided me with many valuable skills and experiences. I encourage all researchers to take full advantage of what the DTP has to offer. As I finalise my funding period and look at what’s next for me, I realise these experiences have been highly beneficial but also may not come around again.