First Time Attending the NCFR Annual Conference?

Here's what to expect:

• Several preconference workshops on Tuesday, such as the Theory Construction and Research Methodology Workshop
• Four days packed with research and practice presentations by your colleagues — paper presentations, symposia, lightning papers, and workshops
• Four plenary addresses (the major presenters at the conference)
• Special sessions featuring invited presenters
• Five super-sized poster sessions and a late-breaking poster session on Friday
• Several social receptions
• NCFR member group meetings (e.g. sections, focus groups, committees)

You deserve to have the best conference experience possible, so we've put together some info to help you jump right in to your conference activities:

• Conference Hours
• Resources for Presenters
• Guide to Conference Services
• Conference Pro Tips
• Session Etiquette
• Conference Terminology 
• Registration Info

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Conference Hours

Sessions and meetings are scheduled from about 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Saturday regular sessions wrap up around noon. See the full schedule.

You may have requirements for your job or school program about which or how many sessions you need to attend. Otherwise, it’s up to you to choose how many sessions you'd like to attend. Be sure to plan a schedule according to your needs and include time for breaks!

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Guide to Conference Services

Where can I … Access WiFi? Use a printer? Get food? Find help or ask questions? Check out our on-site amenities for these answers and more ways to navigate NCFR 2019.

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Conference Tips

These tips were suggested by NCFR conference veterans.

1. Go to the Newcomers Welcome event (Wednesday, Nov. 16, 10:15 – 11:30 a.m., session #123). Mix and mingle with other first-time attendees, as well as other family scholars and professionals attending the conference. There are refreshments, prizes, and more information to help make the most of your conference experience and involvement with NCFR. 
2. Attend sessions marked “SNP." That stands for "Students and New Professionals." These sessions are designed for anyone who is currently pursuing a degree or earned their last degree within the last five years, but anyone is welcome! Find a filtered list of SNP sessions in the conference schedule.
3. Connect with presenters. Attend sessions on topics you’re interested in, take notes, and introduce yourself to the presenter(s) after their session. Arrange a time to talk with them later during the conference or ask if you can call or email them. A big part of the conference is networking and making connections, and most presenters are happy to see people take interest in their work and discuss it further.
4. Remember to eat and take breaks. It can be easy to get swept up into the busyness of the conference. There are places within the conference hotel to eat and relax (including grab-and-go and sit-down options), as well as options outside the hotel a short distance away.
5. Download the conference app to create your own schedule. It’s also a quick and easy way to review past or upcoming sessions and get the latest updates when you’re on the go.

Have fun! Tag your social media updates from the conference with the hashtag #ncfr22 and see what else people are posting. You might learn about an upcoming session or make a new connection.

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Conference Session Etiquette

1. Arrive on time to sessions. If you're going to be late, enter quietly and try to find a seat without disrupting the proceedings. If the room is full you can stand in the back.
2. Move in toward the middle of seating rows. This helps make room for more attendees on the outer edges as they enter the room.
3. Remain quiet during the presentation. Silence or turn off personal devices.
4. Leave quietly during sessions. You do not need to stay for the entire duration of a session, but please be polite and exit quietly. Sit near the back if you think you may need to leave early.
5. Ask questions! But do wait for the appropriate time to do so. Any attendee — students and new attendees included — may ask a question of a presenter. Usually there will be an allotted time at the end of a presentation for questions, and the session facilitator should make it clear when that is. Here’s a helpful guide if you’re unsure what to ask.
6. Be mindful when eating. You may bring food and beverages into sessions but please be considerate of your fellow colleagues and keep noise and mess to a minimum. Make sure to clean up and throw away your trash. Another session may be starting soon afterward in the same room.
7. Guest registration is available to allow a friend or family member to attend any of the conference receptions with you. To attend any other conference session, your guest will need to purchase either the one-day or full conference registration. See all registration rates.

Please review our conference code of conduct to ensure a great conference experience for yourself and others.

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