getting the most out of conferences (I)

How do you feel when you go to a conference? Are you nervous? Overwhelmed? Personally I wonder if I’ll ever get to the point in my career where I feel at ease, looking forward to seeing colleagues from all over the nation I’ve collaborated with on projects.
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My advisor runs a weekly breakfast club for his advisees, and with a national conference coming up in the next few months, we wanted advice on how to get the most out of conferences. He came up with a top 10, that I’ve organized and elaborated on below. I’ll expand on a few in my next post (Part II).

All of these tips fall under the category of preparing for your own success. They should be done before the conference, and then acted upon. Make a game plan and you’ll return home feeling accomplished. 

​TIP: Make sure you read the conference program before registration day, so you can plan ahead and make the most of it! Check out the conference website, too!

 

​1. Set goals

Fast forward to the end of the conference, on the flight home. What can you do during the conference to get the most out of the experience? It's that answer that should direct your goal setting as you prepare.

These goals will be different depending on your career stage and your personal development plans. Some goals we shared during our breakfast roundtable included:
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• Networking for job opportunities
• Dissertation brainstorming
• Meeting remote collaborators
• Getting a sense of research trends
• Practicing interpersonal professional skills
• Seeking out new projects and colleagues  

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​2. Make the most of face time

Some people remember faces, others names. Some need both to make the connection. Conferences are the perfect opportunity to provide all three. 

Ask a question during sessions

• Whether this means raising your hand and projecting across the room, or waiting in line to speak at the microphone, set a goal to ask a question at each session you attend (or to ask a total # questions by the end of the conference)
• Good questions are hard to come up with - so get in line early to ask your question first!
  • (More on "good question asking" in Part II)
    
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Choose 2 presenters you want to meet

• ​Review the program before the conference and choose two speakers you want to meet (POIs*). Keep in mind, this goal can overlap with some of the others (two birds one stone...two manuscripts one dataset)
• Attend their session and catch them coming off stage at the end of their talk. Introduce yourself, express your interest in their work/respect for their career (try to limit gushing), and the rest is up to you. 
• Kudos if you ask a question during their session, too. 

*POI = Persons of Interest

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Ask your mentor to introduce you to a specific person

• Reach out to your mentor in the weeks leading up to the conference, and tell them you want to meet Dr. X and Dr. Y. Ask them to help you set up a meeting, or to send them over to you during your poster presentation.
• When your mentor runs into this person, they'll remember what you asked and bring them to you, or you to them. 
• Remember to tell your mentor your presentation day, time, and number. Be ready for your role model to show up.
  
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Email a POI* before the conference

• My advisor shared this one over coffee and scones, and added that he's always impresed when someone emails him wanting to meet him at the conference. 
• You can coordinate to meet up ta breakfast, grab coffee between presentations. 
  
  

They'll be flattered you reached out. 

Reach out to remote collaborators

• We all have monthly conference calls and email exchanges with co-authors and collaborators we've never met in person. Use the conference as an opportunity to put a face to the name and voice. 
• Attend their talk - introduce yourself. Find them at breakfast - introduce yourself. Email them beforehand, encourage them to come to your talk or poster #, or set up a time to meet. 
  

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TIP: Bring a notebook to the conference with easy access to key information (presentation title, day, poster number, etc.). Write down the people you meet, something to remember them by, and their contact info. Follow-up after the conference. It's also a great place to jot down comments and ideas you get during your poster presentation. 

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3. Get involved

Keep these ideas in the back of your head for future conferences. 
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Be an abstract grader

• Don't be surprised if you're invited to grade abstracts for next year. Hopefully these tips have helped you meet the right people and they'll reach out to you
• Seeing the abstracts submitted versus only those accepted to the conference give you:
  • A broader insight into the research being done
  • Your name in the program with all other abstract graders
    
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Volunteer at the conference / Join a committee

• Volunteering at the conference may waive your fees and gets you double exposure sitting at the registration table. You see all the names and faces as you hand out badges and greet attendees.
• ​Joining a committee is a great way to meet new peole, gain new skills, and attend more events at the conference. 
  • ​Committee meetings are usually outside of presentation hours (morning, evening) and serve as an opportunity to rub shoulders with giants.
  • How? 
    • ​If your organization takes nominations for committees, talk to your advisor or someone you know involved in leadership to submit your name.
    • Not sure? Send an email to the general contact address and get directed to the right person.

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What are your go-to conference strategies? What do you look forward to the most at conferences? Dread? 

Share the love ❤,
​BD




Special thanks to SJ, CK, BB, and WR for great insight and discussion on the topic.