Tips for Attending your First Conference
Here are some tips for navigating your first conference.
By Kaitlin Meyer — January 6, 2023
Walking through the doors on the first day of a conference can be overwhelming. You are bombarded with long registration lines, exhibitions, endless poster presentations, talks, and not to mention a hard-to-navigate building! Whether you are attending or presenting for the first time, we'll provide tips for navigating your first conference.
While many events and presentations are featured at conferences, the main components are poster presentations and oral sessions. Oral sessions consist of five to ten researchers, many graduate students, giving short talks followed by questions. Poster presentations are usually set up in a large open area, where you can wander about and engage with the poster presenters in a less formal setting. In addition, there is usually a keynote address, networking events, booths and exhibits, and other events. The conference program will give you a comprehensive guide to all these materials.
Book Travel in Advance
Traveling to an unfamiliar city is one of the more stressful aspects of attending a conference. The best way to reduce travel stress is to make arrangements ahead of time. If you book far enough in advance, you can stay in the conference hotel, which generally has discounted rates for attendees. You won't have to worry about transport to and from the conference center in strange territory. In addition, you'll be able to get some extra sleep in the mornings instead of waking up early and navigating public transportation. If you do end up staying elsewhere, don't worry! Depending on the location, you'll get to know and see the city a little more, and you might save money. One final suggestion is to browse the conference website and other scholarship money or other funding sources to attend the conference. Many conferences hold competitions with professional development funding as a prize!
Plan Your Schedule
Most conferences have a busy schedule. Take the time to read through titles and abstracts that interest you. You can generally search for keywords as well as people and universities. This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the research you are interested in and explore subjects you need to familiarize yourself with. Don't forget to make time for breaks-it's easy to feel like you're missing something or that you have to participate in as much as possible, but keeping your body and mind healthy and alert is the best way to learn effectively! Don't feel bad about setting one session aside to recharge.
Set Aside Time to Prepare for Your Presentation
Getting caught up in all the activities is easy, but if you are presenting, that should take precedence. At the beginning of the day, ensure your slides are uploaded and displayed properly. Keep an extra digital copy with you, just in case! If you are giving a talk, go over your notes and practice giving it a couple of times. Get a friend to listen and ask some questions. Lastly, make sure you know where your talk is located. Immediately before presenting, do what you need to prepare. This includes keeping your nerves at bay and getting in the right head space. Take time to practice with a friend, go to a talk, or get outside for a quick run or walk.
If you are giving a poster presentation, make sure to print your poster ahead of time. Practice giving a friend a summary of your research and a lengthier explanation. Be prepared to answer questions for people interested in the details of your research. When the time comes, show up at the poster hall early to set up. Don't be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone and actively engage with people who walk up to your poster!
Take Advantage of Networking Opportunities
This is a great chance to meet peers in your field and mentors and potential advisors if you are interested in graduate school! If you are interested in someone's research group, email the professor and some of the students in the group to set up meetings while you are at the conference. Prepare questions to ask them about their research, and be ready to present any research you are interested in and projects you have completed. Invite them to your presentation if you are giving one! Making these connections can be invaluable when you apply to a program!
Push Yourself Outside of your Comfort Zone
Many of us find it difficult to walk up to strangers and start a conversation. Even in the context of a poster presentation, when such behavior is expected and encouraged, it can feel forced and unnatural. Set a goal for pushing yourself in this way during the conference. This can be simply engaging with one poster presenter you haven't met before, asking a question during an oral session, taking a student or professor you don't know out to lunch, or a combination of these things. If this is your first conference, one or two of these goals is plenty to work on!
Explore the City!
Evenings after the conference provide excellent opportunities to explore new places. Research local advice on where to eat and what to see! If you have the energy after attending talks all day, use your evening for diving into a new cultural experience with friends. Try new foods, walk around the city, and visit some tourist attractions. Be conscientious of your safety as well: always travel with friends and don't stay out too late. Be aware of your energy levels: if a night out isn't what the doctor ordered, take a night in to rest and prepare for another day of learning!
We hope these tips provide some useful guidance on your first conference experience. Remember to prioritize your health and time to prepare to present your research. Check out these articles on conference presentations to help you prepare a successful talk or poster!
Kaitlin Meyer
Kaitlin Meyer is a Master's student at Ohio State University (OSU), and is writing a thesis on snow microstructure inspired by her love for skiing. She earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Wyoming Catholic College (WCC).
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