October is here! Do you know what that means? Conference season is upon us. This is an exciting and busy time for researchers and science professionals. NRMN wants to provide you with some best practices that can help you during your attendance at various scientific conferences and make it a bit easier for you.
Plan Ahead
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- Scientific conferences can be overwhelming and there will be tons of presentations and speakers scheduled during the conference. Before you attend, plan ahead early and schedule out the activities you want to be a part of. Look for specific keynote speakers and search for your research interests. This will make the conference process much smoother for you.
Utilize Social Media
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- Social media is very important during conference season. Start by following the conference’s social media accounts. Conferences will normally post updates, share schedules and other important information you don’t want to miss. Also, if a conference has a hashtag, use it and follow it. This is another great way to stay updated and see what others, who are in attendance, are talking about.
Don’t Be Overwhelmed
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- It’s important to understand that you won’t be able to do everything and that’s okay! This is a time to enjoy your experience and get the most from it. Don’t let the various activities stress you out. Plan what you can and don’t be afraid to take breaks throughout.
Step Out Your Comfort Zone
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- Attending conferences is the perfect time to not only dive into your research interests, but this is your chance to explore beyond your main research focus. You will be amazed by all the great fields you can learn about.
Take Notes
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- No matter if it’s a pen and paper, tablet or laptop, please take notes! Not only take detailed notes, but include your own thoughts and ideas. You won’t remember everything at the end of the day. Also, take notes when you’re meeting new people. You can document that conversation and reference back to it in the future.
Be Social
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- At the end of the day, make new friends! Get out there and network. We know most conferences are virtual right now, but you still have the same opportunity to send a chat, email, or reach out to individuals and schedule a video call. You never know, someone may be a useful connection for you now or in the future.
We hope you find the best practices useful at your next conference. As a reminder, NRMN will be at SACNAS (Oct. 25-29), ABRCMS (Nov. 10-13), and the NIH Virtual Seminar (Nov. 1-4). If you are attending any of these events, please come check out our virtual booth and talk with the NRMN team. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and share our resources with you. See you there!
