Scientific conference to-do list

Author: Anna Fidor (IG: @blue_green.biotech)

SCG ID: 1308201909

The scientific conference is a meeting of scientists and a great opportunity to present results and conclusions of their research.

These events can last one day, but also even a week in some cases. But when can we say a conference is small or big?

Well, many scientists think that a meeting with around 100 participants is a small conference with a local (national) character, but when it gathers hundreds or even thousands of people we can call them big scientific sessions. Although there are differences between the two events, every small and big conference is an important part of a scientific career, as well as publications, are. In this post, I’m focused on the to-do list at every scientific conference and this is totally subjective opinion of a person who has started a journey in the marine biotechnological field over three years ago.

Let’s present the Science!

You can present the results of your work at the conference preparing a poster or an oral presentation. I had an opportunity to take part in local and international conferences and what I can say is that the poster should be visually attractive if you want someone to look at and check it. When the amount of participants is under 100, almost every poster has a chance to be looked. But it is complicated when there are about 200 posters and the amount of people is then usually higher.

Additionally, the poster session lasts about 2 hours and, unfortunately, posters are hung (very often) so close. The effect of these aspects is – a high number of people on a fairly small area in quite a short time. According to my experience and conversations with other PhD candidates, doctors and professors, very good poster are:

• Eye-catching and professionally prepared. The content should be shaped in some scheme, but using traditional words like Introduction, Material and Methods, Results, Conclusions etc. is not always required. The posters may also resemble infographics and contain very few sentences, but the content (text, graphs, tables, figures) should not be accidentally located and not require explanation. Make sure the background is not busy. In addition, black text on whiteboard very often is too boring to participants and poster like that has a small chance to be looked (and win a competition). It is good to choose a colour pallet, but using too many colours can cause concentration problems. What about shocking posters? Well, I saw a few black posters in my life and in my opinion, it is not easy to prepare that in a readable and nice way. We can achieve a very good or totally opposite effect.

• The short story of your research. Words less is better are worth of highlight and to be remembered. But be careful – a poster should contain basic information that allows participants to understand the aim of our research and results. To conclude, words should be limited, but the whole content must be understandable. Keep it simple!

• Big, but not too big. A format is always specified at every conference and all participants should apply to established rules. It is good when the title and affiliations are written in a larger font than the rest of the text and it is readable from a few meters away. Do not use several types of font – a high risk of causing clutter!

• Moreover, a good poster gives all participants basic information to understand your results. It contains some interesting facts and emphasizes the novelty and uniqueness of the conducted research as well.

• Put on your poster conference logo, the logo of the presenting author’s university and affiliations. Moreover, it is good when the e-mail address of the first author and funding acknowledgements (grant number etc.) are written.

• If you need to write a reference, choose only a few the most important literature positions. In addition, you can have a reference section at the bottom of the poster or you can insert an abbreviated reference directly into the text.

• You must remember that your graphs, schemes, tables, pictures, maps or microscope photos mean nothing without description or scale bar.

• It is appreciated when you have a small version (usually A4 format) of your poster (believe me, lots of people take it home). A great idea and becoming more and more popular is putting a QR code. Other participants just can scan that and have your poster on their smartphones or tablets.

Dress code

I think we all agree that a conference is a more solemn event than a regular Friday meeting with friends. In my opinion, the outfit should not be very formal, but it has to be still professional. Elegance or smart-casual style are required, but a sports outfit is not acceptable.

Nowadays, there are many possibilities of dress for both women and men, so everyone will find something for themselves.

I would like to emphasize that clothing is not just clothes – it is something that can help us in establishing contacts and make us a more confident person.

Remember, if you see people for the first time, the impression is significant, so make sure it is a good impression. Everyone should feel good and comfortable, thanks to that our stress has a chance to be reduced a bit.

What time presentations…and lunch is? (conference materials)

Of course, we don’t have to read all the abstracts of both poster and oral presentations – just read what is interesting to you and significant in your scientific field.

However, it is important to read the conference programme to know what time the registration, sessions, lunch and coffee breaks are. When there is 3-days or longer conference, very often welcome party is organized a day before.

It is nice to go there cause you can meet other participants who have just arrived and talk with them. The rule is the more people you know, the better you feel and the discussion comes easier after all.

Do not rely on your memory…make notes for the World!

Not every session would be interesting to you, but some presentations may surely interest you. I will remember, I’ve got a brilliant memory! – do not fool yourself, please. At the conference, a lot happens especially when there are a lot of participants, so it’s not a problem to forget about something (believe me). Just take some notes when someone’s results are interesting or shocking to you. If you don’t want to use a pen, use your smartphone, tablet or laptop – you have many possibilities.

Nowadays people use social media sharing their life, beautiful moments, ups and downs with the World. Scientist does that as well. Posting during scientific events is an insight about the conference you’re attending. If you write or hashtag the city it takes place, citizens get to know about that and maybe your post will interest others with the main conference theme. In this way, you can increase people's awareness. This is especially important cause we live in times when there is a lot of incorrect information and fake news, so let’s show the truth.

Another reason why social media are a great tool is building connections. It can help in contact with other scientists/people from the community of your scientific field. Also, if you hashtag the name of the conference, other participants have a possibility of contact with you. Who knows, maybe you will find a partner for the research!

Attractions

There are conferences that include some attractions for participants to make the meeting truly unforgettable. Opening and closing ceremony parties/banquets are quite common parts of that scientific meeting. This is an additional opportunity to discuss with other participants but in a less formal way.

It is a great idea when the local organizing committee organizes some excursions or cultural performance cause it’s a wonderful opportunity to get to know the culture of another country. An example: at the 38th International Conference of the Polish Phycological Society (4-days event, quite small, but international) participants took a part in historical performance.

The performance concerned the Polish nobility from the 17th century. It was very spectacular and everyone enjoyed it – especially those participants who have a chance to fight with the sabre.

Vid: Old town – Kraków (Poland)

Keep smile & chill out

If you are a person who is stressed in such situations as the conference – don’t worry! Probably you are not the only one. In Poland, we say – the fear has big eyes. Take a few deep breaths before going to the conference. We are all equal. If you suddenly find a mistake on your poster – it happens. A mistake during an oral presentation? Just change it into the joke or keep going – if someone asks during the discussion, you will explain that. We are all human and we all make mistakes. Remember, a smile is a wonderful gesture that you can give to people and believe me – it will return to you.