This month we’re spotlighting Chantelle Langdon, a first-year PhD candidate at Monash University with the Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre, and a first-time attendee of the ANZSOC Conference.
Drawing on five years of experience as a social worker in the crisis homelessness field, Chantelle’s doctoral research explores how to improve access to long-term housing for victim-survivors of domestic violence.
Chantelle’s supervisor, Dr Kate Burns (Monash University), and I had a chat with her about her hopes, nerves, and strategies for making the most of the experience.
Kate, an experienced ANZSOC participant researching criminal justice policy and elder abuse, also shares her advice for emerging researchers entering this collegial space for the first time.
Chantelle, what made you want to attend ANZSOC for the first time?
I was actually going to attend in 2020, the COVID year. I’d won the Honours Thesis Award and had planned to be there, but obviously restrictions meant it wasn’t possible. I got my plaque in the mail and had a little party to myself instead! So, this year feels like a “do-over” and I’m excited to attend as a PhD student with a fresh perspective.
Kate, what keeps you coming back to ANZSOC?
ANZSOC is such a welcoming conference. You connect with people from all over Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and you often see colleagues you only catch up with at this event. There are always lots of interesting presentations, especially HDR work, but most of all it’s about people. The chance to network, to hear what others are doing, and to stay connected is invaluable.
Chantelle, how are you feeling as you prepare for your first conference?
Probably a mix of nervous and excited! It’s a little daunting to put yourself and your research out there, but I’m really looking forward to meeting new people, hearing different perspectives, and being inspired in my own research. I’m sure the HDR cohort will be welcoming, but I’ll admit I’m still nervous. And honestly, I might have a few fangirl moments meeting people whose papers I’ve read!
What strategies do you both recommend for networking at ANZSOC?
Kate: Presentations are great, but often the most interesting conversations happen informally, over coffee or at the dinner. For HDRs, it can help to email someone you’d like to meet beforehand and set up a chat. That breaks the ice. And as supervisors, we also try to introduce our students to colleagues, to help build their networks.
Chantelle: Since I’m so new to the field, it’s about getting to know people and establishing a base that I can build on as my career progresses.
Kate, if you had one key piece of advice for Chantelle, what would it be?
Talk to as many people as you can, and go to lots of presentations, even outside your immediate field. You’ll find unexpected connections and opportunities for collaboration. But it’s not just about academic networks; it’s also about building friendships. Those relationships make the job a lot more enjoyable.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about ANZSOC?
Kate: I think one of the strengths of ANZSOC is its industry connections. Compared to other conferences, it’s a bit more practical—because practitioners attend as well as academics. They want to hear about research and engage with it, and that makes for really valuable discussions.
Chantelle: I’m really looking forward to that aspect too, especially with my background in social work.
