The 30th Annual International Apra Conference held in Anaheim in July was a fabulous experience. This was my second time attending an Apra International Conference (the last time was in Denver, way back in 2008). This conference was quite different than Denver, partly because I am much more experienced as a researcher, but also because the conference has grown so much in eight years! There were more than 1,000 attendees from around the world.
The Keynotes were an amazing opportunity to gather together with all the attendees and there was a definite hum of excitement; however, the breakout sessions are where it all happens. I think one of the biggest challenges of a large conference is not being able to attend all the sessions. I have learned to attend sessions that answer questions I have now rather than planning for future questions but with five different tracks and up to eight sessions in each time block, there were times when I was making my final decision in the seconds before a session starts.
I was deeply impressed with the number of engaging presenters and the breadth of knowledge that was shared. The session discussions were lively and the varied networking events provided a wonderful opportunity for colleagues to meet, interact and learn more about each others’ experiences. These types of networking opportunities are invaluable and I was excited to see so many Canadians only in attendance – both as speakers and as active participants. Looking forward to the next Apra event.
(recipient has chosen to be anonymous)