Population Geography

July 2025

Dr Helen Harrison, University of Gloucestershire

This year was my first participation in the IMigMob conference, having only recently re-entered the academic world and completed my PhD. Indeed it was only my second ever academic conference, so I really was quite the newbie. I therefore arrived with a dose of imposter syndrome coursing through me, and slight apprehension as I was aware that I wouldn’t know anyone there. But my concerns were quickly dispelled by the friendly greeting that was on offer from the organising team, and from the other delegates present, and that warm and welcoming atmosphere pervaded the whole of the conference.

The range of content presented at the conference was very stimulating and thought provoking, and between them, the speakers covered many facets of Migration and Mobility. Through the range of institutes that were represented by the speakers, it was fascinating to get an insight into the wealth of research that is going on, particularly across UK, but it was also good to hear some insights into research taking place further afield. The only challenge, as with all conferences, was deciding which track to attend, as there was always at least one presentation in ‘the other track’ that I would have liked to listen to.

One of the aspects of this conference that I really appreciated was the size – there were enough people there to make for the varied and interesting array of talks, but not so many that it was hard to actually make connections with others. There was also enough time within the programme for networking and connecting to take place, but without it feeling like wasted time.

I loved having the opportunity to share my work with other delegates, and the opportunity for questions afterwards was like a very friendly version of the viva at the end of my PhD (which incidentally I really enjoyed!). It was especially gratifying to realise that I could answer all the questions being asked of me, which for someone who does struggle with imposter syndrome, was definitely a high-point in the conference.

Participating in the conference confirmed for me that I would like to continue to explore opportunities to do further research, and stay engaged in the academic community in some way. I’m not sure exactly what that looks like at the moment, as accessing funds is so hard, but I am confident that something will come up. In the meantime, I extend my thanks to the team at Aberystwyth university for organising and hosting such a good conference, and to the RGS-IBG’s Population Geography Research Group for generously funding some bursaries, of which I was one very grateful recipient.