Professional Development Workshops

Professional Development Workshops (PDWs) include a wide variety of session formats and learning experiences led by experts in the topic with intended takeaways for the participants. They include doctoral consortia and junior faculty consortia that are organized by AOM's Division and Interest Groups and Affiliates who have designated PDW Chairs to manage the session selection procedure. Many of these sessions incorporate the conference theme. PDWs around the All-Academy Theme of "Putting the Worker Front and Center" are especially encouraged. Workshops can take various forms, such as tutorials, town hall meetings, breakout sessions, debates, roundtables, tours or research incubators. All PDWs contain a clear interactive component. Proposals will be evaluated on their ability to draw an audience from the specific discipline or across AOM, as well as its innovativeness and potential impact on the professional success of participants.

Before submitting a PDW proposal, consider the following questions: 

• Does the workshop offer a high quality and high level learning experience that has a significant positive impact on the professional development of the participants?
• Does the workshop provide participants with a clear takeaway? (E.g. learn a new skill; develop a new research plan)
• Does the workshop have a theme and a group of participants that will draw a strong audience regardless of competing sessions or scheduling restrictions?
• Does the workshop encourage multi-way conversation and interaction among participants from multiple divisions, disciplines, regions, career stages, or demographic backgrounds?
• Is the workshop creative and innovative in all of its elements?

William L. Dougan of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has provided an additional resource in the form of A Guide for Creating and Managing a Good Professional Development Workshop.

Important Notes

• Submitters do not need to be members to submit a proposal to the Annual Meeting.
• If a proposal is accepted, participants must register to attend the Annual Meeting.
• All participants attending the Annual Meeting must be AOM Members.