Daniel William Szabo - Educator and Researcher

Congratulations to the Australian Political Studies Association (AusPSA) on the launch of its new website.

The Australian Political Studies Association has worked collaboratively with the European Consortium for Political Research’s website developers to create a refreshed platform with improved member features and functionality.

This is the kind of cross-national collaboration between Australia and Europe that strengthens our academic communities.

The new website brings AusPSA activities, conferences, and opportunities into one place. Take a look, create a member account, and subscribe to the quarterly newsletter while you are there.

https://auspsa.org.au

On Monday, 27 April, the UBC Centre for Migration Studies held its 2026 CMS Migration & Integration Conference at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

A conference where scholar researchers at all stages come together to share their work on migration and integration. An encouraging place to develop ideas and test theories. A space to strengthen confidence through receiving feedback as a presenter, yet also a safe place to practice our skills in giving feedback.

This was my second year attending the CMS Migration & Integration Conference, and my appreciation and respect for the organising team continues to grow—an excellent way to kick off the 2026 academic conference season.

Uniquely Canadian. Uniquely Vancouver.

Behind the Research: PhD Candidates in the Final Stretch.

One of my unofficial jobs as an alumnus of Griffith University is to be on the cheering squad for the current cohort of PhD candidates. In this edition of Behind the Research, I'm featuring two scholars who are nearing completion of their doctoral journeys:

• Mariel Verroya — The Politics of Expertise during COVID-19, examining how expertise was constructed and contested during a global crisis. Follow Mariel on LinkedIn.

• Ibrahim Genc — Research on how political leaders construct and frame crises in ways that advance strategic political agendas. Follow Ibrahim on LinkedIn and X

I know all too well what's involved and the effort required in this final phase before submission. You both have tremendous support in Griffith and your supervisors. Go, Go, Go!

Behind the Research is dedicated to supporting the impact and visibility of PhD candidates and Early Career Researchers.

Follow the series:

Griffith Business School, Griffith University - International

The UBC Centre for Migration Studies invites UBC Vancouver scholars to submit abstracts for the 2026 CMS Migration & Integration Conference, taking place on 27 April 2026, at The University of British Columbia, Vancouver.

Supported by funding from the Migrant Integration in the Mid-21st Century: Bridging Divides research program, this conference brings together researchers from across disciplines to share new work on migration and integration.

Concurrent panels will explore four thematic areas, alongside a dedicated panel on communicating migration research for impact. A semi-structured networking session will provide graduate students and early-career scholars with opportunities to connect with peers in their fields.

The CMS Migration & Integration Conference is how I started last year's conference season. It's a winner, full of encouragement and support. A one-day conference to refresh the collaborative spirit. Uniquely Canadian. Uniquely Vancouver! Submission deadline: Friday, 30 January 2026, 11:59 PM (PST).

▶️ https://migration.ubc.ca/news/call-for-abstracts-2026-cms-migration-integration-conference/

Another academic conference favourite of mine is the European Consortium for Political Research General Conference. Here are some highlights from my 2025 experience, which took place from 25 to 29 August in Thessaloniki, Greece

There are so many opportunities to take part in, from discussions with The Loop and exhibitors such as the Council of Europe to informative briefing sessions on methods courses such as MAXQDA. Through supportive conversations with ecpr leadership, the entire environment is a safe and encouraging place to try new ideas, test concepts and share research.

There are two days left to submit your Panel or Paper to the 2026 General Conference, which takes place from 8 to 11 September at Jagiellonian University, Kraków. The last opportunity to submit is Friday, 9 January, at midnight UK time.

For more information on : https://ecpr.eu/GeneralConference

In 2025, Rob Goddard launched his book 'Behind The Smile' with Dean Publishing. I have my copy, Rob. I’ll keep it close for you to autograph one day.

As I read through, it is an open sharing of Rob's life and his decisions for resilience. By sharing his experience, he offers insights to encourage and support others in living authentically. I love it.

It is no small thing to author a book. Congratulations on the achievement. Thank you for sharing your story, and all the best for your success. For your copy of ‘Behind The Smile’ and more on Rob's coaching practice, visit:

https://liftingstones.com.au/behind-the-smile

📸 Also pictured is Brisbane master stylist Nathan Andrews. Find him on Instagram:
Globe Creative

An excellent time supporting Team Australia at the Fencing World Cup, which took place 4 to 7 December in Vancouver. Thanks Coach Paul at The Fencing Club for the invite 🤺🇦🇺

The Australian Fencing Federation

My favourite conference this year, once again, is the Australian Political Studies Association Conference 2025, which took place at The University of Melbourne, from 24 to 27 November. From the organisers, participants, and volunteers, I have added new colleagues and friends to the ranks. It's also one of the most encouraging and supportive environments for testing ideas and piloting new approaches. For me, the mark of a successful event.

And yes, I remain firmly in the camp of feeling optimistic about the future of political science as a discipline. Whether it's research or teaching and learning, this is a consequential time for us to be in academia. It's a time for action, innovation and creating new possibilities. Our circle is expanding, not diminishing—networks are growing and strengthening. There is no better time for us to be in this game.

My most recent data are the seminar experiences at this conference. I witnessed colleagues operating at the top of their game, and early-career researchers like me pursuing mastery. In this environment, the top feeling I walk away with is determination. Thank you, APSA (Aus). See you in 2026 🇦🇺

Youth For Excellence Association

For me, this 2025 academic conference season continues to be remarkable. With one more to go, I wanted to catch up on my conference highlights postings. I have three to recap. I'll start with the most recent, the 121st American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Meeting & Exhibition, which took place in Vancouver, Canada, from September 11 to 14.

There were 1,400 panels and 5,640 attendees. Making it the largest and most reverent in terms of sharing a legacy of political science scholarship that I have attended so far. I represented both Griffith University and Youth For Excellence Association. The energy was off-the-charts.

I also had the opportunity to present my research as an interactive 'iPoster'. The digital, multimedia iPoster platform used for designing and displaying, published by Amuze Interactive, was a first for me. I found it a unique way to engage with participants, and the feedback received was supportive and thoughtful. The interactive iPoster is on display here: https://bit.ly/DWS-iPoster-APSA2025

The next APSA Annual Meeting & Exhibition will take place from September 3 to 6, 2026, in Boston, Massachusetts. I encourage researchers to experience one. It's a vibrant event filled with academic inspiration and camaraderie.

A special shoutout to Yosef at the end of the video clip. Thanks for your cameo appearance. Oh, and it's called a doughnut wall, not a doughnut bar, as I refer to it. 🍩 😊

AmeriSpeak, CloudResearch, NORC at the University of Chicago, University of Notre Dame Press, YouGov

update: It's day three of the European Consortium for Political Research General Conference. There are so many high-value events and panels taking place. The conversations we are having at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) here in Greece are fantastic! I feel inspired.

Today, I'm chairing and presenting at the Migration and Integration Panel, alongside Corina Snitar and Stella Louise Wolter, with Ildiko Otova as Discussant. We have hot-button topics in our session, including: With the Yugoslav political emigrants in Romania against Tito—an intersectional perspective on migrant children's integration in Austrian Schools—and progress towards a more inclusive integration experience and understanding in the European Union.

Advancing scholarship and strengthening our ground in front of the room at the same time. Conference participants, join us this morning on campus in the New Philosophy Building, Room 1, from 10:45 to 12:30.

➡ Panel details and presenter abstracts: https://bit.ly/ecprgc25-P292

Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλονίκης, Thessaloniki Travel, Coalition Project