Help create the new BSP event team & become a conference chair

Are you a member of the BSP? Want to be more involved in the society? Love academic events? Read on…

The British Society for Phenomenology is looking for society members who would like to be part of building a new events team. Our aim is to expand and diversify BSP events into a self-sustaining yearly cycle. We are looking for four people to join our Executive Committee (ExCo) and become chairs of the UK Annual Conference, the International Symposium, the Manchester Winter Public Lecture, and Online Events. The ExCo is a voluntary body within and composed from the society’s membership committed to ensuring the success and growth of the BSP, and key in this going forward will be the events team delivering a range of engaging academic events.

The British Society for Phenomenology and BSP Events

The BSP is a not-for-profit organisation set up with the intention of promoting research and awareness in the field of phenomenology and other cognate arms of philosophical thought. Currently, the society accomplishes these aims through its journal, prize, podcast, impact agenda, and events.

The BSP Annual Conference is a longstanding, respected, and popular feature of the UK academic scene, providing a friendly and supportive forum for inter-disciplinary discussion. The BSP has held this annual UK based conference for around 50 years, as well convening various occasional workshops and symposia. More recently, we have also experimented (successfully!) with online conferences and international collaborations, and going forward we are looking to focus upon, develop, and deliver such events as part of a wider yearly cycle. Accordingly, we are looking for four people to become chairs of each of our proposed major events.

Initially working into the current Head of Engagement and Events during 2022 to deliver the annual UK conference and forge the team, the chairs will go on to take full leadership of their events for the following year. The positions are voluntary, however, the role holders will have the opportunity of free attendance at any BSP events in the UK or abroad where they are part of that organising team, with all travel and accommodation costs covered.

The four roles:

Applicants should preferably be based in a UK institution (although we will consider people based elsewhere for some roles), except for the Chair of Manchester Winter Public Lecture who should be based in the North West of England. For full details of each of the roles see the job descriptions:

> Chair of the UK Annual Conference

> Chair of the International Symposium

> Chair of Manchester Winter Public Lecture

> Chair of Online Events

Applicants can apply for more than one role, but should state the order of preference of the roles they are considering.

Why become a Chair of events for the BSP?
> It is fun to run conferences, and with the support of your colleagues in the events team, communications, systems, and the host institutions you’ll have a lot of help with the organisation.
> You’ll be part of promoting awareness and research in the field of phenomenology, as well as the role the British Society for Phenomenology plays in this.
> You’ll get the opportunity to help select event themes, keynotes, and papers as well as meet and network with these speakers and delegates.
> Organising conferences gives you experience and skills, and can help build careers both inside and outside of academia.
You’ll be able to attend those events you help organise for free!

Application process:
To apply please send an email expressing your interest to the Head of Engagement and Events, Dr David Deamer at [email protected]. Your expression of interest should include the following information on one A4 page of a Word document:
> Name, current position, affiliation;
> The role for which you are applying (and if more than one role, just state your order of preference, do not make two separate applications);
> Your current BSP membership status, including if you have previously served on the ExCo (membership is not necessary to apply);
> A short paragraph by way of academic biography, foregrounding your interests and involvement in the field of phenomenology;
> A brief overview of any current skills in respect to the role/s for which you are applying;
> A short statement as to why you wish to take on the role.

Deadline and selection:
> The deadline for application is Sunday 17 October 2021.
> We will reply to all expressions of interest, and people who are shortlisted will attend a very friendly Zoom interview.
> Interviews will be conducted week commencing Monday 18 October 2021.