The ATDS 2026 Graduate Student Postconference Series aims to demystify the journal publication process for graduate students and early career scholars. Through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous panels, events, and mentoring sessions, the postconference addresses questions including: How do you approach transforming a seminar paper into an essay ready for peer-review? How do you figure out what journal to submit your work to? What are the steps of the journal publication process? How might you respond to peer reviews? Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss questions and anxieties about the publication process with editors, faculty mentors, and peers.
The series also includes a roundtable for graduate students to discuss key issues impacting them in the field today.
To attend the postconference, please use this Google Form to sign up by July 28 to receive the Zoom link. The Zoom link will be sent out two days before the event.
Please reach out to Michelle Granshaw (president@atds.org) with any questions.
ATDS 2026 Graduate Postconference Series Committee: Natasha Cole, Michelle Granshaw, Mina Kawahara, and Bess Rowen.
Program
12PM-1:15PM ET – Demystifying the Journal Publication Process Editor Roundtable
(All faculty, students, and independent scholars are welcome to attend)
David Bisaha (Associate Editor, Theatre Annual), Benjamin Gillespie (Editor, Journal of American Drama and Theatre), Bess Rowen (Editor, Journal of American Drama and Theatre), and Jonathan Shandell (Editor, Theatre Annual)
1:30PM-2:45PM ET – Navigating Graduate School Today: A Roundtable
(All faculty, students, and independent scholars are welcome to attend)
What are the central issues facing graduate students now? What do you want to see changed? How might the field meet this moment? This roundtable will provide a chance to come together to hear directly from graduate students, discuss strategies, and think collectively about how to support graduate students as they navigate the challenges of graduate school today. DEADLINE EXTENDED - Please see the call for graduate student presenters below.
3PM-4PM ET – Graduate Student Mixer
(Graduate Students Only)
An informal mixer for graduate students to meet other grad students, talk about their research interests, discuss journal publication, share success stories and advice, and commiserate about challenges of graduate school.
Journal Article Works-in-Progress Mentoring Sessions
Graduate student authors will be matched with a faculty mentor who will provide written and/or verbal feedback on a full-length essay. This will be an asynchronous process that is designed to be flexible and low-pressure for all involved. ATDS hopes that this will be an opportunity to not only provide graduate student authors a fresh set of eyes on their writing, but also a look into how editors and peer reviewers might approach their work. Deadline passed.
Call for Participants for Navigating Graduate School: A Roundtable
This roundtable welcomes graduate student participants interested in discussing key challenges and opportunities facing graduate students in the field. What are the central issues you see facing graduate students now? What do you want to see changed? How might the field meet this moment? The roundtable will provide a chance to come together to hear directly from graduate students, discuss strategies, and think collectively about how to support graduate students as they navigate the challenges of graduate school today.
We welcome submissions from graduate students at various points in their careers. We want to hear about what topics matter to you! Graduate student presenters will speak for 5-7 minutes before the conversation is opened up to the group. If you are interested in serving as a roundtable participant, please fill out this Google Form by July 15.