When scheduling confrences gets complicated

Earlier this week, I posted a list of academic goals for the upcoming year. Kind of key, in my mind, was presenting at the upcoming 5th World Environmental Education Congress. Unrelated, I was asked earlier in the year if I would lead the Quest trip to Point Pelee next spring in addition to my regular Yukon gig. I said yes.

Now, my two worlds collide because they’re both scheduled for the same time. Colour me conflicted and disappointed. I was stupid to say yes to Quest without checking the dates for the congress. Now I’m not sure what I should do–do I cancel with Quest (which I should get on right away so they can make arrangements; problematically I think that they’ve sent their brochure to the printer with me listed as the leader) or do I just re-adjust my plan?

I thought that I might re-adjust by submitting a paper to next year’s AERA (the American Educational Research Association), a conference that Leesa keeps saying I should attend, but I just found out this morning that the deadline for the conference in April was in June. Shit. On the whole, it’s not that bad because the AERA conference is in San Diego. West-coast means expensive travel (or, at least more money then I want to spend) and I would rather travel to conferences on this side of the continent for cost-related reasons.

Here’s part of the crux of the decision for me: I can get paid to lead a tour for 8 days (and goodness knows I need the money, so it’s a good decision in the short term) which arguably does little for my academic vitae OR I can try and present a paper at a conference scheduled for the same time, pay for travel, accommodation and get a new entry on the academic vitae, schmooze and perhaps even come out of it with a publication (which I would be doing in the good faith that the extra citation in the vitae would help me get a job in the future). It’s a classic short-term versus long-term conflict and I don’t know what to do.

If I wanted to be a shyster (or at least it feels like a shyster move), I could submit a paper proposal to the congress, see if it gets accepted and then make a decison about the Quest tour. I think I may need to call Quest and at least let them know that its a possibility. They’re not going to be happy, but at least I’ll be transparent.