What happens to an idea once the conference is over?

This was the focus of a recent HERDSA workshop, From Conference Presentation to Publication: Turning Ideas into Scholarly Outputs, facilitated by A/Prof Alice Brown and Dr Manisha Thakkar.

Designed for colleagues who had recently presented a showcase, roundtable, poster or other conference contribution, the practical session explored how conference work can become the starting point for a publication or other form of scholarly output.

A key message from the workshop was that turning a conference presentation into a publication is not simply a matter of converting slides into prose. As Alice Brown highlighted, the task is to identify the scholarly contribution within the work and build the story around it.

Participants explored questions such as:

• What is the contribution or insight that others can learn from?
• What matters moving forward?
• What is the scholarly story beyond describing an activity or project?
• What evidence or additional data might strengthen the work?
• Who is the intended audience and readership?
• What publication or dissemination pathway is most appropriate?
• What practical steps, timelines and collaborations are needed to move the work forward?

The discussion highlighted the importance of knowing your “why”, identifying the contribution and considering the audience, before deciding where and how to publish. Participants also reflected on the different pathways available, including journal articles, blogs, and other forms of scholarly dissemination.

The workshop was highly interactive, with participants sharing their own conference work and ideas through discussion activities and a Padlet. Importantly, the session moved beyond thinking about publication in the abstract and towards taking the next step. Participants identified actions including developing a game plan and timeline, identifying potential journals, connecting with co-authors and co-researchers, and progressing new research proposals and ethics applications.

Delegate feedback reflected the practical focus of the session. Participants described the workshop as “incredibly valuable”, “fantastic” and “very practical”, with particular appreciation for the clear, grounded guidance and actionable steps. One participant reflected that the session was especially useful in showing how to move from a conference presentation towards a strong, publishable academic contribution.

Continue the conversation

The workshop resources remain available for colleagues who would like to revisit the discussion or take their own conference ideas further.

Watch the workshop recording to hear the discussion and practical guidance from A/Prof Alice Brown and Dr Manisha Thakkar, and explore the Padlet to revisit the activities, reflect on your own scholarly contribution and consider your next steps.

Whether you presented at HERDSA2026 in Singapore, at another conference, or have an idea that is still taking shape, these resources provide an opportunity to continue the conversation and move from conference presentation towards your next scholarly output.

Watch the workshop recording: https://youtu.be/gmaqok6k52Y

Explore and add to the Padlet: Identifying a Contribution at https://padlet.com/alicebrown13/identifying-a-contribution-s023was0f7cys...

HERDSA thanks A/Prof Alice Brown (University of Southern Queensland) and Dr Manisha Thakkar (Torrens University) for facilitating the workshop, and all participants who contributed their experiences, questions and ideas.