This year, the AHA18 annual meeting will feature three lightning rounds: the Dissertation Lightning Round, the Early Career Lightning Round, and the Digital Projects Lightning Round. Lightning rounds offer a greater number of scholars the chance to present their work and encourage development of a broader range of communication skills. For more information on this unique format and tips on crafting an engaging lightning presentation, see the AHA Guide to Lightning Rounds.

2018 Dissertation Lightning Round

AHA Session 131
Friday, January 5, 2018: 3:30 PM-5:00 PM
Roosevelt Room 1 (Marriott Wardman Park, Exhibition Level)

In order to highlight the range of new research by graduate students and to encourage students to practice explaining their work to other historians as well as non-specialists, the AHA Research Division has organized a dissertation lightning round. This experimental session will feature three-minute presentations by historians describing their dissertation research. Audience members will be invited to join the lightning round during the session.

The session will build on the success of previous lightning rounds as well as intersect with the AHA's Career Diversity for Historians initiative, which emphasizes the importance of communicating ideas as a skill that is important for the careers of history PhDs inside and outside the academy.

2018 Early Career Lightning Round

AHA Session 184
Saturday, January 6, 2018: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM
Washington Room 1 (Marriott Wardman Park, Exhibition Level)

This session will be primarily geared toward early career scholars, and will be a lightning round open to all attendees to present their research in a short format. The session will accommodate approximately 15 presentations and will be allocated on a first come/first served basis. Participants will present their research with five slides in five minutes. The session will provide a great opportunity for early career scholars to practice presenting their research to other historians as well as non-specialists. People interested in participating should email zjackson@historians.org with the subject "Early Career Lightning Round Submission." Please include a 100-word abstract, the title of your project, and your Twitter handle (if you have one).

2018 Digital Projects Lightning Round

AHA Session 29
Thursday, January 4, 2018: 3:30 PM-5:00 PM
Palladian Ballroom (Omni Shoreham, West Lobby)

This lightning round invites historians working on digital projects to share their work in a series of three-minute presentations. This session is an excellent opportunity for scholars to get feedback on projects at any stage of development, hear about other types of projects and methods, and network with other digital historians.