The Conference of Interpreter Trainers (CIT) is an annual international conference that brings together interpreter educators, interpreters, and other professionals to discuss topics related to sign language interpretation, translation, and deaf studies. At CIT, there are presentations from both experienced researchers and students. They provide many opportunities for students to present their capstone projects through poster presentations and condensed oral paper presentations. The next CIT conference will be held in October 2023 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Deaf Studies Today Conference is organized by Gallaudet University each year and focuses on research and scholarship related to deaf and hard-of-hearing communities, deaf education, linguistics, culture, and advocacy. Student research and projects are strongly encouraged at this conference. In addition to traditional paper presentations, they also offer things like student roundtables and lightning talks to give more students a chance to present. The 2023 Deaf Studies Today Conference will take place in March at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
The American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) Biennial Conference is a great opportunity for students focusing on ASL instruction and assessment to share their work. At each conference, there is a designated session for student research presentations. The presentations are usually 10 minutes long with additional time for Q&A. Students who present are also welcome to attend educational sessions at the conference to network and learn from professionals in the field. The next ASLTA Conference is scheduled for July 2023 in Orlando, Florida.
The International Signed Language Research Association (ISSLRA) is a global community of researchers studying signed languages and representing many disciplines including linguistics, neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology and education. They hold international conferences every two years where students can submit proposals to present their undergraduate or graduate thesis projects related to signed language research. The 2023 ISSRLA Conference will take place in August in Athens, Georgia.
The Linguistic Society of America (LSA) is the leading professional society for the scientific study of language and sponsors an annual conference with presentation opportunities in all areas of linguistics. At each LSA Conference there is a dedicated session slot for undergraduate and master’s student research presentations. The presentation time is usually around 15 minutes. The next LSA Conference will happen in January 2024 in New Orleans, LA.
The National Debate Tournament (NDT) is the largest and most prestigious collegiate debate tournament attended by debate teams from colleges and universities across North America. While the NDT is a competitive debate tournament, they also provide opportunities for students to present academic research related to communication studies and rhetoric. In recent years they have created a designated session track for empirical student papers and projects. The 78th NDT will take place in April 2023 in Dayton, Ohio.
In addition to these major annual conferences, some regional universities and community colleges also host localized signed language and interpretation symposiums where student contributions are encouraged. For example, Northeastern University in Boston holds an Interpretation Symposium each spring that features short research talks by both graduate and undergraduate students. Attending local events is a more low-cost way for students to gain initial conference presentation experience close to their institution.
Conferences hosted by organizations such as CIT, Gallaudet, ASLTA, ISSLRS, LSA and occasional regional events provide excellent outlets for students to publicly share their sign language capstone work, receive feedback from professionals, and begin networking in their intended careers. Presenting at even one conference can be an impactful capstone experience and help launch students into the field. With thoughtful project selection and preparation, any dedicated student would be well-suited to contribute their work at one of these high-quality annual events.