{"id":1575,"date":"2026-06-01T15:31:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T15:31:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/memsnews\/?p=1575"},"modified":"2026-06-01T15:31:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T15:31:22","slug":"memsfest-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/memsnews\/2026\/06\/01\/memsfest-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"MEMSFest 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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For this week\u2019s blog, two History PhD students from the University of Kent share their perspectives on the benefits of attending research conferences and reflect on their expectations for the forthcoming MEMSfest 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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MEMSfest<\/strong> is an annual conference organised by research students to promote the presentation of postgraduate research to the wider academic community. This year\u2019s theme,\u00a0\u2018Storycrafts\u2019<\/strong>, will spotlight the interdisciplinary nature of MEMS while celebrating Canterbury\u2019s rich history of premodern narratives, tales, and storytelling.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The team, led by Emily and Vincent, is currently preparing this year\u2019s conference, which will take place on 19 and 20 June. For more information and to view the two-day programme, please visit\u00a0https:\/\/memsfestival.wordpress.com<\/u><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Below, we discover the expectations of two speakers ahead of the conference:<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Christine Brandl<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Conferences are often described as one of the most important parts of academic life, but until I began attending them myself, I never fully appreciated why. What I discovered was far more rewarding than I had expected. Conferences have become one of the most enjoyable part of my experience as a medieval historian. They are spaces where research comes alive, where ideas are tested, friendships are formed, and history is shared beyond the university.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One event that really demonstrates this to me is the annual Canterbury History Weekend<\/strong>. What makes the weekend so special is the way it brings together different audiences. There are students, established academics, local history enthusiasts, and members of the public all coming together to explore history from a range of different perspectives. The talks are scholarly, but they are also accessible and engaging, showing how historians can communicate complex ideas in ways that reach wider audiences. For me, it highlights the importance of public outreach. Critical engagement with history should not only exist within universities, and events like this help connect research with local communities and with people who are simply curious about the past.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Conferences are also valuable because they allow researchers to hear about the latest work in their field. Reading journal articles and books is essential, of course, but conferences often provide the first glimpse of new research before it is formally published. Attending talks can introduce you to new methods, new questions, and even entirely new areas of study. Some of the most interesting ideas I have encountered have come from conversations over coffee between or after sessions, rather than from publications. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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