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Why should I choose to go to the POP rather than the DOP conference?
The Postgraduate Occupational Psychology (POP) Conference is held over two days and aims to provide postgraduate students with an insight into Organisational Psychology and related areas through invited presentations by leading academics, practitioners and students in the field of Organisational Psychology. The event is supported by the British Psychological Society’s (BPS) Division of Occupational Psychology (DOP) and closely follows the format of the DOP’s annual event. The conference is tailored specifically to the needs of postgraduates and aims to provide a starting point for the formation of a network of Occupational/Organisational Psychologists for the next generation of academics and practitioners. The event provides a great opportunity for postgrads to experience and get involved with a prestigious conference which is more relevant to their needs and to their budget!
Who is the POP conference for?
The POP conference is for students at the MSc and early PhD levels pursuing a career in Occupational Psychology either in academia or in industry. There will be a limited number of places available later on in the year (after 31st August 2007) for third year undergraduates who are interested in attending the conference. Keep an eye on the website for more information.
Where can I find further information about the conference?
Information about the POP conference will be forwarded to course directors and administrators of all MSc Occupational Psychology Courses in the UK as soon as it becomes available. We encourage the relevant course directors to circulate this information to their students. Further details about the event will be posted on the website www.bps.org.uk/pop2008 as they become available. If you need any further information please get in touch with Marie at marie.petcher@bps.org.uk , who will be happy to assist with your enquiry or put you in touch with the relevant committee member.
What are the benefits of attending POP?
As well as gaining an insight into Occupational/Organisational Psychology you will get the opportunity to meet and network with leading academics, practitioners and your future peers from a large number of institutions and organisations from across the UK. (For a sample of who has attended in the past please refer to ‘Who will I see at POP?’ Q&A)
If you are hoping to present your work at the conference you will get the opportunity to do so in front of a less intimidating audience of academics and peers than you would do at a large conference and they will be able to provide helpful feedback on your research. The event also hosts a number of workshops to give students an insight into current topics in Occupational Psychology such as ‘coaching’ and ‘stress’, which will be lead by experts in the field. Representatives from various related consultancies will also be present at the exhibition area throughout the conference and you will get an opportunity to speak with them and find out about their work and future career opportunities. You will also be able to do this by attending the careers networking session on the second day of the conference (Look at ‘How will the OP help my career? Q&A for more details).
The conference dinner will be a great opportunity for you to wind down after a hard day’s conference with your peers and have some fun! We have also had some of the academics and practitioners joining in for the evening events in the past years!
How will the POP help me with my career?
The POP hosts a Careers networking session attended by employers in Occupational Psychology looking to recruit Postgraduates in Occupational Psychology. This event will be held on the second day of the conference (Wednesday 9th January) and will be a great opportunity for those of you who haven’t managed to locate your preferred careers already. Please refer to programme for exact timing of this event which will be posted on the website as soon as it is confirmed.
Who will I see at the POP?
This year the POP will host keynotes by Professor Jo Silvester from City University, Professor Rob Briner from Birkbeck University of London and Binna Kandola from Pearn Kandola. You will also get the chance to meet and speak with various other academics and practitioners who will be attending the conference. Previous POP events have been attended by representatives from a vast number of institutions and companies. Some of these included:
Aston University; Open University; University of Amsterdam; Birkbeck University; British Airways PLC; City University; Cranfield University; Coventry University; University of Durham; University of East London; University of Gloucestershire; Goldsmiths College; Hertfordshire University; University of Kent; University of Leicester; Liverpool John-Moores; Loughborough University; London Metropolitan University; University of Luton; UMIST, University of Manchester; I-WHO, University of Nottingham; Institute of Work Psychology, University of Sheffield; University of Sunderland; University of Surrey; University of Sussex; University College Worcester; University of Westminster; ASE; Centrex Examinations and Assessments; Cubiks; Department of Work and Pensions; Department of Transport; JCA Occupational Psychologists; Kaisen Consulting; Kenexa; Leadership and Team Development; London Fire Service; Ministry of Transport; Momentum, Glasgow; OPP Ltd; Hammersmith and Fulham PCT; Pearn Kandola; Psychological Consultancy Limited; Patchwork Limited; JCA (Occupational Psychologists) Limited; Organisational Solutions; Pegasus Unlimited; PCL; Rehab UK; Saville Consulting UK Ltd; SHL; Team Focus Ltd; Thurrok Primary Care Trust; Towergate SMG; 5s Consulting Ltd and a number of private consultants.
Will there be opportunities for group discussion and participation?
The programme includes a number of interactive workshops and networking opportunities in which you are encouraged to participate! In addition, all academics and practitioners involved with the POP event actively support the development of Occupational Psychologists of the future and encourage a friendly and open environment in which everyone will get the opportunity to contribute to the conference.
What did people think of POP last year?
Some quotes from last years delegates
"I think I got more from the conference than expected. It definitely informed some of my thought processes around my dissertation preparation plus it was useful to see how other MSc/PhD students delivered/presented their research. The opening session was a great warm up and rapport building session by John Cooper. The interactive workshops were good for professional development. Cathy Cassell was hilarously funny and brought to life a potentially dry subject area. I would like to express my thanks to the BPS POP team for organising and delivering an excellent conference, superb glass boat dinner and working so hard to ensure all delegates were comfortable and intellectually stimulated".
"I got more than I expected, I was impressed by the friendliness and the professionalism. I thought the first session, where we had the opportunity to get to know each other using structured exercises, was particularly good. Overall, I thought it was excellent, thank you".
"Helped with future decisions regarding likely hood of chartership and direction of future career".
"I didn't really have expectations - but I was fairly pleased with what I got".
"Yes, well worth it and more…I thought the BPS staff were particularly excellent and welcoming".
I have never written an abstract for a conference before, where can I find help?
Most people submitting abstracts to the POP conference are first-timers, so you are not alone! Submission guidelines are posted on the website and abstracts are submitted online for which a simple step-by-step guide is provided also on the website.
A number of workshops on ‘How to write an abstract for the POP conference’ will run in July 2007 in various Universities and will be open to anyone interested in submitting a proposal to the conference. A list of these workshops will be posted on the website nearer the time. Keep an eye out for them.
I have never presented before, where can I find help?
Guidelines for submitting are available on the website. Should your paper or poster be accepted you will be sent hints and tips for presenting which we hope will help you prepare.
What if I need more help with abstracts?
If you have exhausted all your options and still need help on submissions please contact Marie at marie.petcher@bps.org.uk, and she will put you in touch with one of the committee members. We will do the best we can to help.
What happens after I submit my abstract?
Your abstract submission will be peer reviewed by a panel constituting of a number of leading academics and experienced Doctoral Candidates in Occupational Psychology, most of whom review papers submitted for the DOP conference. Once your submission has been accepted you will receive a confirmation email from the BPS.
What does the programme look like?
Tuesday 8th January will start with a keynote talk by Professor Jo Silvester from City University. The majority of the day will consist of oral presentations from MSc students presenting their research. There will then be workshops on emotional intelligence and coaching, followed by chartership workshops for beginners and those who have already started the process.
The evening will consist of a poster session and wine reception. This will be followed by the conference dinner which will begin with a keynote talk by Professor Rob Briner from Birkbeck University of London.
Wednesday 9th January will start with a keynote by Binna Kandola from Pearn Kandola, followed by four skills development workshops on: getting published, stress and risk assessment, facilitation skills and ‘A day in the life of..’ involving career experiences of occupational psychologists engaged in different practices. This will be followed by a Careers Networking Session.
An updated programme will be added to the website as it becomes available.
I am not a member of the BPS can I still attend?
Yes, non-members of the BPS are welcome to attend this event. Should you wish to know more about joining the society in the future please refer to the BPS website www.bps.org.uk
Where can I find a list of places to stay during the POP conference?
A list of nearby accommodation, ranging in value, has been included on the website. It is important that you book your accommodation directly with your chosen hotel. Stratford is one of England's most famous and picturesque towns and busy with tourists all year round therefore please book early to avoid disappointment.
What time will the event start and finish?
A full programme will be available on the website soon so please check this for exact times but the event is likely to start at 9.30am on Tuesday 8th January with the first keynote at 10.00am. It will finish at about 6.30pm and be followed by the conference dinner.
Wednesday 9th January will start at about 9am and finish at 01.00pm. There are options on the registration form to stay on for either the first afternoon or the full DOP event.
When can I register and how?
You can register now by filling in the registration form available on the website.
How much will it cost me?
The registration form outlines the packages available:
POP Only £85
POP + first afternoon of DOP £115
POP + full DOP £240
There are also prices for the dinners.
For registrations paid by card before 31st August we will accept payment in two instalments - for details of this and cancellation terms please refer to the form.
Is the cost of lunch and refreshments included in the price?
Details of what is included for each package are detailed on the registration form.
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