Ten Simple Rules for Attending Your First Conference
Elizabeth Leininger, Kelly Shaw, Niema Moshiri, Kelly Neiles, Getiria Onsongo, Anna Ritz
aa r X i v : . [ c s . D L ] J a n Ten Simple Rules for Attending Your First Conference
Elizabeth Leininger , Kelly Shaw , Niema Moshiri , Kelly Neiles , Getiria Onsongo , and AnnaRitz *61 Division of Natural Sciences, New College of Florida, USA Computer Science Department, Williams College, USA Computer Science & Engineering Department, University of California San Diego, USA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, USA Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science Department, Macalester College, USA Biology Department, Reed College, USAJanuary 29, 2021
Introduction
Conferences are a mainstay of most scientific disciplines, where scientists of all career stages come togetherto share cutting-edge ideas and approaches. If you do research, chances are you will attend one or moreof these meetings in your career. Conferences are a microcosm of their discipline, and while conferencesoffer different perspectives in different disciplines, they all offer experiences that range from a casual chatwaiting in line for coffee to watching someone present their groundbreaking, hot-off-the-press research. Theauthors of this piece have attended our fair share of conferences and have collectively mentored hundreds ofstudents in understanding the “unwritten rules” and pro-tips of conference attendance. As you head to yourfirst scientific conference, these rules will help you navigate the conference environment and make the mostof your experience.
Virtual Conferences:
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many conferences are being offered remotely [Olena,2020, Sarabipour, 2020]. Even before 2020, some conferences had already moved to a virtual format in re-sponse to climate change [Ligozat et al., 2020, Sarabipour et al., 2021] and/or travel bans [Reardon, 2017].As virtual conferences become more commonplace [Gichora et al., 2010, Lortie, 2020, Sarabipour, 2020],we include considerations for each rule when attending one.
For Mentors:
Conference attendance has been shown to be a valuable experience for undergraduate stu-dents, whether they are presenting research [Mabrouk, 2009] or just beginning to learn about the field [Davis and Alvarado,2017, Wright and Tamer, 2019]. As mentors, you might be working with undergraduates, graduate students,or other staff new to conferences. We offer guidance on ways for you to help mentees navigate the subtletiesand assumptions of your field. * Corresponding Author: [email protected]
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Web Portal:
We have also developed a web portal which contains far more information about these rules,tables of professional societies and conferences in different disciplines, and other resources that may comein handy for first-time conference attendees and their mentors. We encourage any reader to use, adapt, andcontribute to these materials. Rule
Why go to a conference, anyway? When you are deciding whether to attend a conference, consider theexperience and how it will help you develop intellectually and professionally. There may be more than oneanswer! Conferences are a “meeting of minds” - a place for researchers to gather, present their research,give feedback on others’ research, engage in professional development, and network with one another.Conferences differ greatly in size and scope. While some conferences provide a large overview of anentire academic discipline with tens of thousands of attendees, other conferences focus on specific subdis-ciplines in an informal and personalized setting. Some conferences are national or international in scope,while others have a regional focus. All of these variables impact factors such as the conference location,scope of presented research, the cost of attendance, and more.If you are planning to attend a conference, you might also plan to present research. You make this deci-sion before the conference, often many months prior, and you typically submit materials to be considered forpresenting. As you decide whether/what to present at a conference, consult with your mentor and colleaguesin your research group about benefits of and opportunities for presenting your work. Are you hoping to getfeedback on early work, and is your work at a good stage for feedback? Are you presenting a more completestory and hoping to get a last round of feedback before publishing it? Or, is the conference the main venuefor publishing peer-reviewed work? Conventions vary by discipline; make sure to discuss norms in yourfield with your research mentor.In addition to contributed talks and posters, conferences provide formal and informal opportunities forprofessional development and networking (see Rule
Virtual Conferences:
There are many small, grassroots, virtual conferences happening as more confer-ences move online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Smaller, newer conferences are excellent venues fornetworking, sharing your data informally, etc. For example, conferences such as Neuromatch and Blackin Neuro are newer additions to Neuroscience conference offerings that originated as virtual experiences.Many traditionally face-to-face conferences are aiming to retain multiple goals of their conferences – avenue for presenting the latest work, networking, and professional development – in a virtual format.
For Mentors:
Empower students to attend conferences. Suggest conferences for your students that matchtheir present goals/professional development needs and be transparent about suggestions. Be aware of so-cioeconomic privilege and implicit bias when recommending opportunities to trainees (e.g. recommendequally, equitably, help students find funding, and connect them to your professional network at confer-ences). https://sites.google.com/macalester.edu/simplerules/home Leininger et al.
Rule
Conferences can get expensive quickly, and coming up with a funding strategy is key. There are generallycosts associated with registration, room and board, travel to/from the conference in addition to groundtransportation at the conference, poster printing fees, and any other hidden costs associated with attendingthe conference such as childcare, appropriate clothing, etc. The good news is that there are funding sourcesavailable, which can offset some or all of your costs! You just need to know where they exist in advance sothat you don’t miss these opportunities.Some conferences offer discounted registration or travel grants for students, attendees from countrieswith traditionally fewer economic resources, etc. Often these funding opportunities are made possible byprofessional societies, grants from organizations such as the National Science Foundation, or by sponsorshipfunds provided by industrial partners. Alternatively, the conference might have volunteer opportunitieswhere you are paid with a waived registration fee or housing for working at the conference. Read theconference website and registration procedures carefully for ways that you may benefit from these fundingopportunities.A second place to look for travel support is at your own institution. Principal investigators may have abudget to support their students’ attendance at a conference. Research scholarships and/or travel awards maybe available at the departmental or college level. Sometimes these opportunities are not widely advertisedso it is always good to ask around. If you do not have a trusted research mentor, asking the departmentchair may be appropriate to help you navigate your search. Another place to look is student clubs andorganizations, which may have funding to support students presenting research in a field relevant to thegroup’s goals.A third place to look is national societies and regional chapters. National societies, often the same soci-eties that are organizing the conference, may provide support for student travel at the society, division, andregional chapter level. Information about these awards is generally not in a central location, so visit eachlevel’s website to search for potential sources (the web portal includes a list of societies in STEM, many ofwhich provide travel funds). The deadline for these opportunities is often far in advance of the conferenceso it is important that you start looking for these early. They can require letters of support which will needto be coordinated between you and your mentor or recommender. Some of these opportunities are depen-dent on student demographics such as being first-generation, a student from a historically underrepresentedpopulation, or a woman in the field.Last but not least, you can consider doing some fundraising to help support your travel expenses. Thisis easier to do as a group of students traveling and using an online platform such as GoFundMe. Reachout to student organizations in your department or faculty who may be involved in the conference you wishto attend, since they may have ideas for fundraising. Department alumni are often excited to help studentresearchers so they are a great group to reach out to. There are also many opportunities for conferencegatherings where food is provided. Thus these gatherings provide both a way to minimize costs, and anopportunity for networking!An important note: many of these awards and funding opportunities will often require that you front themoney and then get reimbursed after the conference. This means you would need to put things like airfare,hotel reservations, and the like on your own credit card and then submit receipts for reimbursement. If thispresents a hardship for you, reach out to your department for help. This is not the first time, nor will it be thelast, that your department has encountered this problem so you should not hesitate to ask for assistance innavigating this process. Keep track of all itemized receipts for the conference, and ask the funding providerfor details about reimbursement.
Virtual Conferences:
The great news about virtual conferences is that they generally cost less than theirin-person counterparts. Indeed many virtual conferences have waived the student fees associated with con-3en Simple Rules for Attending your First Conference
Leininger et al. ference registration. If paying for a virtual conference registration is a hardship, there is no harm in askingthe conference organizer if there’s a way to attend.
For Mentors:
Funding support deadlines for conferences are often so far in advance that students, espe-cially undergraduate students, will miss the opportunities as the conference is not yet on their radar. Keepinga list of funding application deadlines and setting calendar alerts a month out can help remind you to pushthese opportunities to your students in a timely manner. Additionally, if your institution has funding sourcesfor student travel but those sources are only available to those students who ask (or whose mentor’s ask), itmight be time to suggest a conversation about equity of those opportunities. This policy may disproportion-ately disenfranchise students from historically underrepresented populations who are not as well versed inthe hidden curriculum of academia and thus do not know to ask for these opportunities [Smith, 2013, Jack,2019]. Finally, alumni support of student travel is a great opportunity for departments to engage with theiralumni. One way to promote this support is to keep alumni informed of any student conference travel and/orpresentations that were made possible from alumni charitable giving.
Rule
In the 2001 film Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (and in many internet memes thereafter),Boromir explains: “One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor”. Similarly, one does not simply travel to ascientific conference. The whole process from initially submitting an abstract to traveling to the conferenceitself can involve months of lead time and hundreds of dollars (don’t worry – see Rule
Who , What , When , Where logistics of a conference (see Rule
Why ) toensure an experience much smoother and more pleasant than walking into Mordor.
Who do you know will be at the conference? Housing and transportation costs for conferences canbe expensive, complicated, and/or both. Consider traveling together with people you know and sharinghousing costs by rooming with labmates, acquaintances, etc. Some conferences and field-specific societiesoffer roommate-matching services for those seeking conference roommates. You may also be traveling withfamily or dependents; check to see if the meeting has programming or resources for companions, childcareand lactation facilities, etc. as needed.
What will you need to bring to the conference? It is usually preferable to pack light, and pack for thesituations and weather you will encounter (see Rule
When do you need to make key conference travel decisions? Chronologically, these include: writingand submitting a research abstract or paper, having your abstract or paper accepted, registering for theconference, making travel and housing arrangements, and actually traveling to the conference and presentingyour work. Because abstract and paper submission deadlines can fall several months ahead of the meetingdate, it is important to be aware of abstract deadlines for conferences in your field. When scheduling travel,make sure that you arrive before, and leave after, your scheduled presentation date/time! The safest thing todo is to make your travel plans to cover the entire conference duration.4en Simple Rules for Attending your First Conference
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International travel may require visas, and the lead time varies greatly depending on the origin anddestination countries. Conferences with an international scope will usually communicate information aboutvisas and lead time.
Where is the conference, and where will you stay while attending? Depending on the scope of theconference (see Rule
Virtual Conferences:
Some virtual conferences may offer a format that differs from the time-limitedexperience of in-person conferences. They may run longer, to allow for a different pace of engagement.They may have components that are synchronous (e.g. talks scheduled live for specific times) or asyn-chronous (pre-recorded talks for on-demand viewing). Make sure to note conference dates and time zonesof scheduled synchronous sessions as appropriate. If presenting at a virtual conference, pay close attentionto announcements regarding presentation logistics; you may need to upload your presentation before theformal start of the conference and check in at various times to field questions.
For Mentors:
If you are also attending the meeting, make sure that your students are at the same pointlogistically as you (register for the conference together, book flights together, etc.) If you are funding thestudents, putting as much of the costs on your business card up-front reduces their financial burden. If youare not attending the meeting, reach out to your colleagues who will be there to help arrange housing andother connections for your students.
Rule
If you were heading to Mordor (See Rule
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Virtual Conferences:
You will likely be in the comfort of your own home during the conference. Realizeit is easy to sit and stare at the screen for hours on end. Be sure to take breaks, stay hydrated, stretch, andfocus your eyes away from your screen every so often. It is also a good idea to test your video, audio andbackground before the conference. Find a room with good lighting and make sure your background is notdistracting. Some video conferencing platforms have video settings that will enhance your image if thelighting is low - try them out.
For Mentors:
Talk to your students about the level of formality at the meeting. If you know that themeeting will have outdoor events, mention that. If you are comfortable with sharing, tell your students thetypes of things you pack for conferences.
Rule
Science communication happens in a variety of ways at a conference. There are almost always formal andinformal mechanisms for learning about and presenting science. Even within formal mechanisms, there is arange of how attendees communicate their research. Some speakers are invited to give keynote presentations,which often provide a perspective of the field or cover a broad range of projects. Other speakers are selectedto give technical presentations, based on submitted abstracts or full papers. Both keynotes and technicalpresentations provide time for asking questions at the end, and attendees may line up in front of a microphoneor raise their hand depending on the number of people. Finally, poster presentations offer a more interactiveway to talk with researchers, where attendees walk up and chat with authors standing in front of their posters.Poster presentations usually happen in an open space with an allotted time for authors to be near their posters.All presentation formats may include published or unpublished, brand-new work - if the project has beenpublished, you can often read the paper to learn more. Some conferences have established social mediapolicies; as a general rule, do not share unpublished material presented at a talk without the presenter’spermission.There is also a plethora of informal ways to interact with other researchers and learn about their science.Researchers appear to have a common need for caffeine, and coffee breaks are a staple of every conference.If you are not a coffee drinker, there are often other warm beverages and snacks on hand. Conferences mayalso offer breakfast or lunch, and each one is in an invitation to meet someone new (see Rule
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Virtual Conferences:
Many elements of in-person conferences carry over to virtual settings. In additionto the formal presentations, conferences have developed unique strategies for the interactive conferenceportions (poster presentations, breaks, and social events). Take advantage of the interactive parts of theconference to see how they work.
For Mentors:
Share the events you plan to attend with your students, and give advice about what talks orevents will be most useful for them. If you have students or colleagues who are presenting, encourage yourstudents to attend those talks.
Rule
The idea of a conference - days of uninterrupted learning about fascinating ideas and exchanging insightswith other folks excited about the topics you are passionate about - sounds like a dream come true! Thereality is that conferences can be exhausting if you do not have a plan for selectively attending activities thatwill provide you the most benefit and for practicing self-care. It’s good to fashion a draft plan several weeksbefore the conference in which you prioritize the events you want to attend. Having a written (or app-built)plan with scheduled breaks gives you a solid framework that you can tweak on the fly as new opportunitiesappear.As described in Rule
Leininger et al. particular interest to you and plan on taking a walk, getting a coffee, hanging out in the hallway, going backto your room, or doing some other activity that will help you recharge. We all need alone time throughoutthe day! If you pay close attention, you will see lots of experienced conference attendees disappear forstretches of time for exactly this purpose. For many of us, traveling to conferences is a way to experiencenew parts of the country or the world. It is fine to take a short break to experience the local destination, suchas a museum, park, cultural attraction, etc.
Virtual Conferences:
When attending virtually, it may be hard to devote entire days to attending the con-ference. Prioritize attending the synchronous events such as the keynotes, panel discussions, and businessmeeting. Take advantage of videos posted ahead of time for areas you are interested in and watch thoseahead of time so you can choose to attend the sessions where you’re interested in the question and answerportion.
For Mentors:
Encourage your students to come up with a written plan and discuss it with them beforethe conference. Suggest specific presentations it would be good for them to attend and explain to them theimportance of strategic downtime and self-care.
Rule
Conferences offer a great opportunity to exchange ideas, network, and potentially form collaborations withother researchers. Networking opportunities can be organized or spontaneous. Organized networking eventsmay include events such as socials, affinity group meetings, or mentorship opportunities that pair newcom-ers with established researchers in the field. Many researchers also make efforts to meet with current orprospective collaborators at meetings. In addition to organized events, lots of networking happens sponta-neously – waiting in line for coffee or tea, at a poster presentation, etc. Take advantage of the opportunity tomeet lots of people who are interested in sharing their science and forming new professional connections!Pre-plan a few people you would like to meet at the conference. A good way to find people is to lookat the program to see the list of papers and workshops that will be presented (See Rule
Leininger et al. you attended their talk, saw their poster, etc., and ask any questions. Researchers delight in being askedinformed and insightful questions about their work.
Virtual Conferences:
Introducing yourself and having a one-on-one conversation is more challenging invirtual environments. If your online platform has social events or research discussion groups, join in. Leaveyour camera on, if comfortable, and participate in the chat, if appropriate. Some virtual conference platformshave messaging capabilities, which you can use to have conversations with individuals or small groups.
For Mentors:
If you will also be attending the conference, be intentional about introducing your studentsto your professional network. Invite them to join one group meal you plan on attending with people youalready know and introduce them to colleagues. If you are talking to someone working in an area yourstudent is interested in, and you see your student close by, be sure to introduce them.
Rule
For most of us, meeting new people or joining a new community can be nerve-wracking or intimidating, evenwhen you have a lot in common with people in the community. Things get even worse if you come from ahistorically underrepresented community and do not see yourself represented at the conference. Academia,and by extension its conferences, is a traditional and elite institution whose diversity, or lack thereof, canmake it a less than welcoming place at times. Imbalance in representation is gradually being acknowledgedby assessing the demographics of invited speakers and society awardees [Martin, 2014, Shishkova et al.,2017, Sarabipour et al., 2021, Le et al., 2020]. If you are feeling out of place, know you are not alone, andthat it can take some time to feel comfortable. Try to meet new people and make new friends. You willlikely see the same people if you attend the conference again. And, the more conferences you attend, theeasier it gets. Some conferences host affinity group events, which is a good opportunity to meet and networkwith other attendees in a safe and welcoming space. Our web portal hosts a crowd-sourced list of affinitygroups.Come up with a plan for how to talk about your interests and research. Having a plan may help to quellyour anxiety. Have a 90 second elevator pitch prepared for your initial introduction and be prepared to switchinto a slightly extended version of that pitch if the other person expresses interest. Because it is importantto learn about the other person (people love good listeners), make sure to ask them about their research,including asking follow-up questions after their initial answers to show your interest. If the exchange goeswell, create a note of their names and affiliations for use later. Also, if you see them later in the conference,acknowledge their existence with a smile or head nod and do not be afraid to talk to them again.
Virtual Conferences:
An advantage of virtual conferences is you will be in your own space. Take advan-tage of this opportunity in a virtual setting to make yourself comfortable (See Rule
For Mentors:
It can be helpful for mentees to know they are not alone in feeling out of place. Normalizethe experience of feeling nervous and out of place. Let them know conferences can be awkward and thatis okay. If you are mentoring students from underrepresented groups, being culturally competent will helpyou better support them. In examining the role of cultural competence in a biology classroom, Tanner andAllen highlight the importance of cultural competence in creating an inclusive and welcoming environmentfor students from underrepresented groups [Tanner and Allen, 2007]. A good place to start is finding out ifyour institution offers cultural competency training. If it does not, the Association of American Colleges &Universities offers cultural competency resources [Association of American Colleges & Universities, 2021].9en Simple Rules for Attending your First Conference
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Finally, mentor your students – particularly marginalized students who may find academia and confer-ences less-than-welcoming – through the conference experience and their overall professional developmentwith “compassion, advocacy, and support” [Singleton et al., 2020]. Become involved in helping meetingsachieve gender and racial balance in their selection of awardees and keynote speaker invitations (Martin2014). See our web portal accompanying this publication for more resources on cultural competency andimproving representation at conferences.
Rule
Conferences bring together many people from all over the world, and navigating a complex professional-yet-social environment can be challenging. Further, power imbalances may be prevalent at the conference,often reflective of career stage (Jackson, 2019).All members of a scientific community have a responsibility to help make a welcoming environmentand should in turn feel welcomed. As a conference attendee, you are a member of the scientific community.Throughout the social events at conferences, there is always an element of work - you are representing yourinstitution, and it is important to keep in mind that others are doing the same. This is especially true sincealcohol may be served at events. Above all, you should never feel unsafe or pressured to participate byanyone. Many societies have established codes of conduct to which attendees must adhere [Favaro et al.,2016], and the conference should include a contact if you witness or are subjected to troubling behavior.Before you travel, acquaint yourself with the code of conduct, and have a contact person (e.g. your mentor,someone from your institution, or a friend) that you can reach out to.
Virtual Conferences:
Social situations are different in a virtual platform. There may be fewer awkwardconversations, but online interaction can pose their own problems. For example, you may see unwelcomevisitors hack into presentations or observe uncourteous behavior from other attendees. You may also findsome features (like the chat function or unmuted attendees) distracting during a presentation. When par-ticipating in virtual conferences, follow any instructions session chairs give about how to interact duringpresentations. As a general rule, make sure you follow online etiquette (such as muting yourself on Zoomunless speaking).
For Mentors:
It is important that students have your contact information (or the information of someonetrusted who will be at the meeting). Stay up to date on your organization’s code of conduct. If your societyhas not yet established a code of conduct (check on our web portal), encourage the leaders to do so andsupport their efforts [Favaro et al., 2016].
Rule
After attending the conference you will likely want to come home and collapse from all of the excitement,but wait...you have a few more things to do before you are done.First and foremost, update any notes you have about the conference itself before you forget. Conferencescan be a fast-paced blur, so make sure to record any feedback you get on your work at the conference, sothat you have it when you are ready to make improvements.If you received a travel award that requires reimbursement you will need to carefully follow the instruc-tions and/or rules of your funding agency. Reimbursements can take quite a while to process so the fasteryou get it done after the conference, the better. Pay special attention to rules regarding the submission ofreceipts (itemized receipts are required in some cases) and deadlines for submission (some agencies require10en Simple Rules for Attending your First Conference
Leininger et al. reimbursement documents be submitted within a month of the conference ending). Once you submit all ofyour paperwork you will want to track your submission’s status. If you do not hear back from the peoplehandling your reimbursement within two weeks, go ahead and reach out to inquire about your paperwork(you can also ask your mentor if it has been longer than you were expecting).Updating your resume and/or curriculum vitae (CV) is another important step you should complete asquickly after the conference as possible. In addition to any posters or presentations you gave, you shouldalso add any awards you received including travel funding awards. Depending on your career stage, youmight also include other events or support you received - check with a mentor about what is appropriate.Next you should follow up with people you met at the conference. This helps to solidify the relationshipsyou began at the conference. Email people you are interested in speaking with again and ask for an opportu-nity to meet. If you spoke with companies or potential job seekers, follow up with an email containing yourresume and statement of interest. When you attend a conference you meet so many people that it is hard toremember everyone. By reaching out with a simple note or a LinkedIn invitation, you will be helping peopleto remember you which can lead to future collaborations and/or job opportunities!Finally, you should take time to write thank you notes or emails to anyone who supported your travelto the conference whether that be financially, in conference preparation, or in your research. This not onlyhelps you to further strengthen relationships with those people, but also helps future students receive theseawards by leaving a good impression with the awarders.
For Mentors:
Navigating the bureaucratic mess of reimbursement paperwork can be difficult even forseasoned professionals. We suggest holding a paperwork session after the conference so that all travelerscan come together and fill out paperwork, print and/or make copies of necessary materials, and ask questionsof each other and you. If multiple travelers attended the same conference, then mentors can also submit allof this paperwork together to increase the chances of it’s timely completion. We sometimes also bring agiant box of thank you notes so that students can easily grab one to write a note of thanks to those whohelped them along the way. If students run into bureaucratic difficulties with paperwork, help them get theissue resolved.
Conclusion
Scientific conferences are an amazing intellectual and professional opportunity, though attending one for thefirst time may be overwhelming. We hope that first-time conference attendees will feel more empoweredand prepared to get the most out of their experience with knowledge of these “unwritten rules”. Happytravels!
Acknowledgments
We thank Erik Zornik and Andrew Bray for their early contributions to the conference advice template. Thiswork is supported by the National Science Foundation (DBI-1750981 to AR).
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