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What to know how to effortlessly navigate your first academic conferences? These are my five essential tips you must remember.
Academic conferences are a great way to meet new people in your field and learn about new research. Conferences are also so inspiring—I always leave so excited about the field and refreshed and ready to dive back into my work. If it is your first conference, you are probably trying to figure out everything you need to know to make the most out of the experience. It is important to be strategic with conferences because they can be very overwhelming depending on how big the conference is. I am giving your my top conference tips that help me navigate academic conference.
You are going to learn about all of key tips and tricks from organizing your academic conference schedule, appropriate attire for the type of academic conference, and ensuring you have what you need for the day.
After making note of these academic conference tips, you will be ready to fully embrace the experience!
This post is all about my five essential tips to effortlessly navigate your first academic conference.
Academic Conference Tips
1. Make a Plan Beforehand by Making an Academic Conference Schedule
Most conferences will have a formal program that is made available to conference attendees online prior to the conference. I recommend that you block off time to carefully go through this program to figure out what sessions you want to attend. Further, some sessions that you want to attend may occur at the same time so you will have to prioritize. Is there a particular researcher’s talk you want to hear/do you want to meet that individual? Is there a talk on something that you are currently interested in/working on? Add those sessions to you calendar.
Once you have planned what sessions you want to attend, you can figure out if you would like to use some of your free time to explore the conference city or schedule meetings with colleagues!
2. Bring What You Need for the Day
Your days may be long during academic conferences. Conference days may be filled with talks, meeting up with colleagues, and society socials. I always keep a water bottle, snacks, a jacket (it can be so cold in conference centers!), and comfortable shoes in my bag in case the heels you decide to wear stop working for you. Having an extra pair of shoes on hand will all you to switch shoes at your leisure throughout the day!
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3. Network
Conferences are a great way to make new professional connections. You may meet these new people at poster sessions (whether you are presenting or simply visiting someone else’s poster), at an interesting session you attend or through other colleagues. For example, you may want to follow-up with someone about a specific topic that you all discussed at the conference—from there professional connections develop. Be sure to come prepared with a business card or a copy of your academic conference presentation slides/materials with your contact information on it that you can hand out to any new professional connections you are able to make!
4. Take Notes
I like to take notes at conferences in case I want to refer to them later or share them with a colleague/supervisor. I prefer to do this on my laptop. That way I can easily search the notes later or send them to others. Also, people often simply take pictures of key slides or posters that they want to go back and reference.
5. Academic Conference Attire: Dress the part!
I recommend business casual for student conference attendees, and business attire for student presenters. I prefer to wear flats for daily conference attendance and conservative heels for presentations. However, choosing whatever footwear makes you the most comfortable is key! Conference centers are often very cold so blazers, scarfs (my favorite!), and other layering pieces are always good to have on hand.
This post was all about the essential tips to remember when attending your first academic conference.
Over time you will feel like a pro at getting the most out of your conference experiences and develop some key tips of your own!
What else do you all want to know about conferences? Do you all attend them often!? Please share any tips you have!
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