! Almost There!
The 2026 AMA Summer DocSIG Pre-Conference is almost here, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome doctoral students from around the world for a morning dedicated entirely to learning, mentorship, and meaningful connections.
This year’s pre-conference has been intentionally designed around a simple idea:
The academic job market doesn’t begin when you apply for faculty positions—it begins with every interaction you have throughout your PhD.
Phase 1: PhD Journey Series
Three distinguished scholars will share the lessons they wish they had known earlier in their academic careers:
Dr. Mark Houston
What most PhDs get wrong early (and why it matters)Dr. Martin Mende
What separates good scholars from impactful scholars?Dr. Linda Price
If I could redo my PhD…
Phase 2: Reflection & Interactive Q&A
An opportunity for doctoral students to ask questions, reflect on key takeaways, and engage directly with our speakers.
Phase 3: Mentoring Roundtables
The morning concludes with small-group mentoring featuring 30+ faculty mentors from universities across the globe.
Students will:
Practice their research pitch Practice their teaching pitch Receive personalized peer and faculty feedback Build meaningful connections with faculty and fellow doctoral students
A heartfelt thank you to every faculty member who has generously volunteered their time and mentorship. Your willingness to invest in the next generation of marketing scholars is what makes the DocSIG community so special.
We look forward to seeing everyone in Denver!
Friday, July 24, 2026
7:30–11:30 AM (MT)
Colorado A–B
Read more about our speakers and faculty mentors here
