Our annual conference is a primarily student organized and run event, yet undergraduate and masters students don't always realize that they can participate as presenters, not just as conference volunteers or attendees. You needn't already have a published paper to your credit or be a professional archaeologist or historian. What you do need is a five to ten page double-spaced paper that describes the result of research or analysis that you have carried out. You may present those results in a twenty minute talk as part of a regular session, or as a 1.5m by 1m poster in a poster session.

The prospect of presenting in front of professional archaeologists who regularly attend academic conferences can be a daunting one, but presenter's nerves aside, there's no need to feel overwhelmed. You'll be presenting new research just like everyone else, which means you will know your own work best. Better yet, you'll be presenting to a mixed audience - conference attendees include many members of the interested public, and other archaeology and history students, as well as professionals.

Participating in a poster session can be a less intimidating alternative to a regular session talk, and this year's conference committee is working hard to set up at least one such session. If you've participated in a science fair in the course of your high school career, you already have a good sense of what a poster session would be like, except there won't be judges and ribbons.

Chances are you have already heard in class that presenting a paper is good experience. As well, after the conference you may publish your paper as part of the conference proceedings. Whether you come to the conference as a presenter or an attendee, it's far from all work and no play. This year the conference is opening and closing with a reception, and there are many informal opportunities to socialize with other conference participants and see some of the sights in and around Alba Iulia.

Finally, the conference has some of the most affordable registration fees for students.

So maybe we'll see you in April!