Celebrity Becomes Her

I'm still recovering from and catching up after the conference last week. Early morning and overnight flights resulted in sleep deprivation and time away from my email resulted in almost three hours of responding to week-old emails. Despite the recovery and catch-up, though, the conference was wonderful.

I mentioned in earlier posts that I had been nominated to be the student liaison of Small Society. Small Society had its annual business meeting on Day One of the conference, at which time, the new members of the committee would (or would not) be elected.

All of the nominees waited in the hall while the voting took place. (I found this experience of waiting to be almost as uncomfortable and disconcerting as my time in the hallway as my examiners debated whether or not to pass me on my oral exam.)

Small Society usually elects those whom the committee has nominated. Thus, I was not surprised, but glad, nevertheless, that I was elected the student liaison.

My predecessor congratulated me at the ensuing Society Dinner and told me not to hesitate to email him if I had any questions. He is a wonderful person and a friend of a friend. Thus, I was not surprised, but glad, nevertheless, that he was so gracious towards me.

While I waited for an evening session to start on Day Two of the conference (with my nose in a book, what else?), a young woman approached me, introduced herself as a fellow student, and congratulated me on being elected the student liaison. I had neither seen nor spoken to her before. Thus, I was a bit surprised, but glad, nevertheless, that she was so keen to speak with me.

While I waited at the airport for the first portion of my flight home after Day Three of the conference, I was recognized yet again. A professor from Small Society was waiting for her flight as well. I have sat in the same room as this professor several times before, but have never spoken with her and assumed that she didn't know who I was. Thus, I was surprised, but glad, nevertheless, that she recognized me and thanked me as she boarded her plane for making her wait time so pleasant.

While I waited at the connecting airport for the second portion of my flight home, I was recognized yet again. Another professor from Small Society was on the same flight. I have only been in the same room as this professor twice before and was quite sure that he had no clue that I even existed. Thus, I was shocked (in a knock-me-over-with-a-feather way), but glad, nevertheless, that he recognized me and expressed interest in my research.

I had anticipated that being the student liaison would involve responsibilities. But no one told me that I would become the academic version of a celebrity.

But I'm not complaining.