Citation: Leininger Eastward, Shaw Thousand, Moshiri North, Neiles K, Onsongo Thou, Ritz A (2021) Ten simple rules for attention your first conference. PLoS Comput Biol 17(7): e1009133. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009133

Editor: Russell Schwartz, Carnegie Mellon University, UNITED STATES

Published: July fifteen, 2021

Copyright: © 2021 Leininger et al. This is an open access article distributed nether the terms of the Artistic Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Funding: This work is supported past the National Science Foundation Sectionalisation of Biological Infrastructure (#1750981 to AR). The funders had no role in study blueprint, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing interests: The authors take declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

Conferences are a mainstay of nearly scientific disciplines, where scientists of all career stages come together to share cutting-border ideas and approaches. If you do research, chances are you will attend ane or more of these meetings in your career. Conferences are a microcosm of their discipline, and while conferences offer different perspectives in different disciplines, they all offering experiences that range from a casual chat waiting in line for coffee to watching someone present their groundbreaking, hot-off-the-press research. Here, we share tips for trainees and their mentors. Our recommendations are based on our experiences of attending conferences and mentoring students to amend their conference experiences. Equally you head to your first scientific conference, these rules volition help you navigate the briefing environment and brand the nigh of your experience.

In-person conferences

Scientific meetings accept historically been in person, where all attendees travel to one location to share and learn virtually contempo work in the field. Conferences, especially when well organized, can provide valuable opportunities to meet and collaborate with other researchers. Our rules include considerations for all parts of attending an in-person coming together, including deciding whether to nourish and present inquiry, navigating travel and the conference schedule, and debriefing after the conference.

Virtual conferences

During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-xix) pandemic, many conferences have been and continue to be offered remotely [1–3]. Fifty-fifty before 2020, some conferences had already moved to a virtual format in response to climatic change [four] and/or travel bans [5], noting the environmental, fiscal, and geopolitical challenges posed by in-person meetings. Virtual conferences are more inclusive than their in-person counterparts in many ways: More people can attend them from all over the world, virtual meetings are less costly and easier to organize, and attendees tin participate from the comfort of their homes [3,6–8]. Given that virtual conferences are becoming more than commonplace [three,vii–ten], we include considerations for each dominion when attending one.

For mentors

Academic mentorship takes many forms, including advising pupil research, didactics students in courses, and serving equally a department chair or organizer for student activities. In many fields, graduate students mentored by a principal investigator (PI) are expected to disseminate their inquiry at scientific meetings. Conference attendance is a valuable experience for undergraduate students, whether they are presenting research [xi] or just outset to larn virtually the field [12,thirteen]. As mentors, y'all might be working with undergraduates, graduate students, or other staff who may be new to conferences. We offer guidance on means for you to help mentees navigate the subtleties and assumptions of your field.

Web portal

We have also developed a web portal that contains far more information virtually these rules, tables of professional societies and conferences in different disciplines, and other resources that may come in handy for commencement-fourth dimension briefing attendees and their mentors. We encourage any reader to use, adapt, and contribute to these materials. The web portal is bachelor at https://sites.google.com/macalester.edu/simplerules/habitation.

Rule one: Select a conference that aligns with your goals

Why go to a conference, anyhow? When you are deciding whether to attend a conference, consider the experience and how it will help you develop intellectually and professionally. There may be more than one answer! Conferences are a "coming together of minds"—a identify for researchers to gather, present their research, give feedback on others' research, appoint in professional evolution, and network with ane another.

Conferences differ profoundly in size and scope. While some conferences provide a large overview of an entire academic discipline with tens of thousands of attendees, other conferences focus on specific subdisciplines in an informal and personalized setting. Smaller conferences are excellent venues for networking, sharing your data informally, etc. Some conferences are national or international in scope, while others accept a regional focus. All of these variables impact factors such as the conference location, telescopic of presented research, the price of attendance, and more.

If you lot are planning to attend a conference, yous might also programme to present inquiry. You and the others who have worked on the research would make this decision earlier the conference, often many months prior, and yous typically submit materials to exist considered for presenting. Consult with your mentor and colleagues in your inquiry group near the benefits of and opportunities for presenting your work. In some fields, such as biology or chemical science, you might submit a short abstract for a affiche presentation or a talk. In other fields, like information science, you might submit a full newspaper that is peer reviewed and published upon acceptance. Conventions vary past discipline; make sure to discuss norms in your field with your research mentor and all other authors of the work, who need to approve any submission.

In addition to contributed talks and posters, conferences provide formal and informal opportunities for professional development and networking (run across Dominion 7). Review the professional development opportunities at the conference you are attention, and participate in opportunities that sound interesting and align with your goals.

Virtual conferences

Nigh every annual meeting in 2020 and 2021 has shifted to a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many traditionally in-person conferences aim to retain multiple goals of their conferences—a venue for presenting the latest work, networking, and professional development—in a virtual format. Aslope these legacy meetings, the virtual format has besides spurred new grassroots virtual conferences [7]. For example, conferences such as Neuromatch and Black in Neuro are newer additions to Neuroscience conference offerings that originated as virtual experiences. Some virtual conferences offer more focused enquiry areas than the larger meetings, since they are generally easier to organize and manage. They besides have fewer barriers for attendance (allowing researchers from all over the earth to nourish), they are less wasteful (in terms of money and environmental bear upon), and they are overall more equitable than in-person conferences [2,3]. Consider all of these aspects when deciding on a conference to nourish.

For mentors

Empower students to attend conferences. Suggest conferences for your students that match their present goals/professional development needs, and explain how they could benefit from attending these meetings. Be aware of socioeconomic privilege and implicit bias when recommending opportunities to trainees (e.k., recommend equally and deservedly, help them discover funding, and connect them to your professional network at conferences).

Rule 2: Notice others to human foot the pecker

Organizing and running conferences toll money, and attendees usually pay to attend these events. While registration costs are often low for virtual conferences, in-person conferences can become expensive quickly due to boosted costs associated with travel, room and food expenses, poster printing fees, childcare, advisable clothing, etc. Therefore, it'south important to accept a funding strategy to nourish an in-person conference. Funding sources are often bachelor to first some (or even all) of your costs, and knowing where they exist early in the process will assistance you accept advantage of these opportunities.

Start, some conferences offer discounted registration or travel grants for students, attendees from countries with traditionally fewer economical resource, etc. Some travel grants may include boosted support for trainees with disabilities or trainees with minor children. Other societies are establishing separate childcare grants for trainees with families. Often, these funding opportunities are fabricated possible by professional societies, grants from organizations such as the National Science Foundation, or past sponsorship funds provided by industrial partners. An in-person conference might have volunteer opportunities where y'all are compensated with a waived registration fee or housing for working at the conference. 2d, many academic institutions have funds intended to support educatee travel. PIs may have a budget to support their students' attendance at a conference. Research scholarships and/or travel awards may be available at the departmental or higher level. Sometimes, these opportunities are non widely advertised so it is ever proficient to ask around. If you practice non take a research mentor, request the section chair may exist appropriate to assistance you navigate your search. Another place to look is student clubs and organizations, which may have funding to support students presenting enquiry in a field relevant to the group's goals. Third, national societies, oft the same societies that are organizing the briefing, may provide support for student travel at the society, division, and regional affiliate level. Some of these opportunities are dependent on student demographics such as being first generation, a student from a historically underrepresented population, or a woman in the field. Data most these awards is more often than not not in a central location, so visit each level's website to search for potential sources (the web portal includes a list of societies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics [STEM], many of which provide travel funds).

An important annotation: many of these awards and funding opportunities for in-person conferences volition often crave that you front end the money and so 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 this presents a hardship for you, accomplish out to your department for aid. This is non the get-go time, nor will it be the last, that your department has encountered this problem so you should not hesitate to ask for assistance in navigating this procedure. Keep rails of all itemized receipts for the conference, and ask the funding provider for details about reimbursement.

Virtual conferences

Virtual conferences by and large toll less than their in-person counterparts [3], and many virtual conferences have reduced or waived the student fees associated with conference registration. If paying for a virtual conference registration is a hardship, there is no harm in asking the conference organizer if at that place is a way to attend.

For mentors

Funding back up deadlines for conferences are often and so far in accelerate that students, peculiarly undergraduate students, may miss these opportunities. Aid students identify and meet these deadlines. If your institution has funding sources for student travel only those sources are just available to those students who ask (or whose mentor'south inquire), information technology might be time to suggest a conversation about equity of those opportunities. This policy may disproportionately disenfranchise students from historically underrepresented populations who are not also versed in the hidden curriculum of academia and thus do non know to ask for these opportunities [fourteen].

Rule 3: Know your logistics

Information technology is important to exist aware of the Who, What, When, and Where logistics (see Rule 1 for Why) to ensure a shine briefing-going experience. Such logistics will vary depending on if you choose to attend an in-person conference or a virtual conference or even depending on the format of virtual briefing you choose to attend.

Who practise yous know will be at the briefing? Housing and transportation costs for conferences can be expensive, complicated, and/or both. Consider traveling together with people you know and sharing housing costs by rooming with labmates, acquaintances, etc. Some conferences and field-specific societies offering roommate-matching services for those seeking conference roommates. Y'all may also be traveling with family or dependents; check to see if the coming together has programming or resources for companions, childcare and lactation facilities, etc., as needed.

What will you need to bring to the conference? It is usually preferable to pack light, and pack for the situations and conditions you volition see (run into Rule 4). Double-check baggage policies for your style of transportation, as policies vary drastically by carrier and fare. If y'all are presenting, make sure that your presentation materials travel safely with you lot. If you are giving a talk, make a few different backups of talk slides and media (store on a thumb bulldoze or in the deject) in case your computer is lost, stolen, or cleaved. Posters tin can exist transported in a affiche tube or even printed on fabric to fold in your luggage. The poster tin can besides exist shipped to the venue or printed on-site if it is challenging to travel with it.

When practice yous need to make cardinal conference travel decisions? Chronologically, these include writing and submitting a enquiry abstract or paper, having your abstract or newspaper accepted, registering for the conference, making travel and housing arrangements, and actually traveling to the conference and presenting your work. Considering abstract and paper submission deadlines tin can fall several months ahead of the meeting date, it is important to be aware of abstract deadlines for conferences in your field. When scheduling travel, make sure that you arrive earlier, and leave after, your scheduled presentation date/time. If your travel has multiple legs of transportation, give yourself enough time to brand each connection. International travel may crave visas, and the lead fourth dimension and expense varies greatly depending on the origin and destination countries. Consider visas and passports in both your timeline and your budget, and talk with your mentor about whether an international conference is feasible. Conferences with an international scope volition usually communicate information most visas and lead time.

Where is the conference, and where will you lot stay while attending? Depending on the telescopic of the conference (run across Rule one), housing may exist easily obtainable at the conference venue, or a mad scramble betwixt all 30,000 attendees to find a room near the convention center. Conferences will typically contract guaranteed rates at nearby hotels; heed deadlines and sign up early if you lot mayhap can. Exist enlightened of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility when booking if y'all require rooms with attainable features. Accustom yourself with the transportation options to and within the conference host metropolis. Again, conferences will unremarkably send information and tips regarding transportation, housing, and the like.

Virtual conferences

The Who, What, When, and Where logistics of virtual conferences are as well extremely helpful to make up one's mind earlier the meeting.

Identify Who you know at the meeting, and make plans to encounter with them most during a pause. Virtual conference platforms allow yous to browse the list of presenters and/or conference attendees (see Dominion seven). Know What you are expected to do in different sessions; if yous plan to attend a virtual panel, for case, call up about some questions you might want to ask the panelists.

Familiarize yourself with When the conference activities are and if any activity is required for accessing the conference materials. The format of virtual conferences often differs from the time-limited experience of in-person conferences. For example, they may run longer to allow for a different step of engagement, and they may take components that are synchronous (due east.g., talks scheduled live for specific times) or asynchronous (prerecorded talks for on-demand viewing). Some virtual conferences are offered completely asynchronously, making them more inclusive for attendees with care responsibilities or in time zones beyond the world [8]. Brand sure to note conference dates and time zones of scheduled synchronous sessions as appropriate. If presenting at a virtual conference, pay very close attending to announcements regarding presentation logistics; yous may need to upload your presentation before the formal start of the conference and check in at various times to field questions.

Finally, be organized by knowing Where the conference activities are happening, oftentimes through a spider web interface or a drove of Zoom links. If you are unsure about the digital platform or need extra aid, contact the organizer who will be able to help you get help before the briefing. If the virtual briefing requires high cyberspace bandwidth, make certain your setup at home allows for participation.

For mentors

If yous are also attending the meeting, brand certain that your students are at the same signal logistically every bit you (register for the briefing together, volume flights together, etc.) If you are funding the students, putting every bit much of the costs on your business carte upwardly-front reduces their financial burden. If you are not attending the meeting, reach out to your colleagues who will be there to assistance arrange housing and other connections for your students.

Rule 4: Prepare for the environs

A skillful rule of thumb is to dress as if y'all might meet your future employer at a conference (which you very well might exercise!). At the aforementioned time, wear something y'all are comfortable in. Dissimilar meetings and disciplines may accept a variety of dress code standards. Attendees who are presenting may wear more than formal clothes, merely many people will dress as they do when they are at their home institutions.

When you are packing for an in-person conference, check the weather before you lot go, since you lot may be outdoors (e.g., to reach the conference from the drome, to walk to find dinner, or participate in planned conference outings). Betwixt moving around the conference venue, seeking out meals, and milling about poster sessions, you will spend a lot of fourth dimension beingness active. Clothing shoes and clothing that allow you to comfortably exercise all these things. If you accept any questions well-nigh ADA accessibility at the conference, contact the briefing venue (e.yard., if information technology is a conference hall attached to a hotel) or contact the conference organizer (the conference website volition comprise this information). Some conferences have an app (see Rule 6) that may accept a Q&A Forum. Finally, conference days can be long—bring a water bottle to stay hydrated, a lite snack to sustain you between meals, and a comfortable purse to keep belongings.

Virtual conferences

You will likely be in the condolement of your own home during the conference. Realize information technology is easy to sit and stare at the screen for hours on end. Be sure to take breaks, stay hydrated, stretch, and focus your eyes abroad from your screen every and so ofttimes. It is besides a good idea to test your video, audio, and background before the conference. Find a room with adept lighting, and brand sure your background is not distracting. Some video conferencing platforms have video settings that will enhance your image if the lighting is depression—try them out. Some virtual conferences may be organized over an extended time frame (e.g., over a few weeks), and conference days may be longer than viii hours to accommodate unlike fourth dimension zones, and so be certain to pace yourself (see Rule six).

For mentors

Talk to your students about the level of formality at the meeting. If yous know that an in-person conference volition have outdoor events, mention that. If you are comfortable with sharing, tell your students the types of things you pack for conferences.

Rule 5: Learn how to take in the scientific discipline

Science advice happens in a variety of means at a conference. There are almost always formal and breezy mechanisms for learning about and presenting science. Even within formal mechanisms, there is a range of how attendees communicate their enquiry. 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 selected to give technical presentations, based on submitted abstracts or full papers. Both keynotes and technical presentations provide time for asking questions at the end, and attendees may line up in front of a microphone or raise their paw depending on the number of people. Finally, poster presentations offer a more interactive mode to talk with researchers, where attendees walk upwardly and chat with authors standing in front end of their posters.

Simply wait, in that location'southward (often) more than! Many conferences offer tutorials, workshops, or special sessions that are held either right earlier or right after the master briefing, normally at the same location. These topics may be even more narrowly focused than those at the conference or involve emerging concepts in the discipline. There also may be forums run by graduate/undergraduate educatee societies, designed for students. Note, though, some of these may crave registration beyond the primary briefing.

So, how practise you actually "take in the science?" First, know that information technology is often impossible to encounter everything—the conference may have multiple conflicting sessions, the days are quite long, and you need to take fourth dimension to residuum and recharge. Equally you make a conference program to prioritize what you desire to see (meet Rule 6), let the conference program be your guide. Find a way that works for you to take notes on what you learn throughout the conference. We, the authors, have developed notation-taking strategies that involve carrying effectually a notebook, using Google Docs, writing in the conference program, taking notes on our smartphones, making sketch notes, and even sending ourselves emails. In addition to the science, take notes nigh whom you meet—you never know if you lot will meet them once more or if you might desire to connect with them after the conference. Find something that works for y'all. Some conferences may have rules about taking digital photos or videos of talks and posters, then exist sure to check beforehand if you lot want to do either.

At in-person conferences, there are a plethora of informal ways to interact with other researchers and learn nigh their science. Researchers appear to have a mutual need for caffeine, and java breaks are a staple of every conference. If you are non a java drinker, there are often other warm beverages and snacks on mitt. Conferences may too offering breakfast or tiffin, and each ane is in an invitation to meet someone new (see Rule 7). Many conferences have a "big-ticket" consequence—an evening feast, an outing to a tourist attraction, a social hosted by a sponsor, etc. If the conference has a big-ticket event, it is non one to miss! At that place may also exist a career off-white, special meetings for outset-timers, or meetups for special interest or affinity groups. Have advantage of these to discover other attendees with like interests, backgrounds, and experiences (see Rule 8).

Virtual conferences

Virtual conferences have the enormous benefit in that the talks are almost ever recorded (even when they are presented synchronously to all attendees). Further, sometimes, conferences will rebroadcast talks 12 hours later for attendees in different time zones. The material from conferences oftentimes remains on the virtual platform after the conference concludes, assuasive attendees to watch and rewatch talks at their leisure. In improver to the formal presentations, virtual conferences take developed strategies for the interactive briefing portions (e.yard., poster presentations, breaks, and social events). Some digital platforms offer mechanisms to enquire questions and proceed discussions after a talk has ended. Cold Spring Harbor meetings, for case, have a Slack workspace with channels for each session to continue Q&A and networking. The conversation functionality likewise allows researchers to talk to poster presenters throughout the entire coming together and send short messages about appreciating people's work in a mode that cannot happen at an in-person briefing. Take reward of the interactive parts of the conference that can aid back up your learning and professional development.

For mentors

Share the events you plan to attend with your students, and give communication about what talks or events will be almost useful for them. Encourage your students to inquire questions, either in the Q&A after a talk or, less formally, at the poster session. If y'all take students or colleagues who are presenting, encourage your students to attend those talks.

Dominion half dozen: Make a conference strategy

The idea of a conference—days of uninterrupted learning about fascinating ideas and exchanging insights with other folks excited virtually the topics you are passionate about—might sound similar a dream come true! The reality is that conferences tin be exhausting if you exercise not have a plan for selectively attending activities that will provide you the most benefit and for practicing self-care. This is specially important for neuro divergent attendees who may go overwhelmed by the amount of information conveyed during a conference. Information technology'south good to way a draft plan several weeks before the briefing in which yous prioritize the events you lot want to nourish. Having a written (or app-built) program with scheduled breaks gives you a solid framework that you can tweak on the fly as new opportunities appear. If yous intend to participate in pre- or post-briefing events, it is important to factor in actress self-care to compensate for the increasing duration.

Before making a conference strategy, gather resources to assist you lot make a plan. Conferences usually take a website with lots of information and often release a schedule overview as the keynote and technical talks and posters are finalized. The conference may make use of an app, where attendees can find the schedule of events and connect with others, and/or y'all may receive a briefing programme. These are all keen resources to accept on hand as yous make your strategy, and it is useful to skim the conference program earlier the coming together begins.

How practise you prioritize what to attend? Kickoff, it is good to attend keynote and panel sessions every bit they provide perspective into the wider concerns of your field and ofttimes are forrad looking to emerging challenges. 2d, definitely attend technical presentations related to your specific area of focus in order to know what research is being done and become part of that community of researchers. Reading papers or watching videos in advance and thinking of what questions y'all might similar to ask about the piece of work are cracking ways to prepare so that you can contribute to the discussion in a positive way. Third, the poster sessions are oft curt, so brand sure you know which posters you want to visit while the presenter is there. Quaternary, if the conference offers whatsoever first-time or new attendee events, programme on attention those as you will brand some connections with other attendees that will make the conference more enjoyable and less lonely. Finally, attending the networking events (see Rule 7) helps you get to know your colleagues as individuals on a personal level (not all discussions are about the research) and also exchanging your research ideas.

Working self-care into your plan is essential—but how? First, if yous take a daily ritual, such equally exercising or going for a walk, sustain that ritual during conference days, and decide when you will fit this activeness in. If you lot are at an in-person briefing, find out if the hotel has the equipment y'all need for exercising; many downtown gyms or community centers sell twenty-four hours passes. 2d, recognize that your brain is going to need breaks between talks. If the conference is not in your native language, your brain may be working overtime to process the science. Decide time slots when the presentations are not of particular interest to yous, and plan on taking a walk, getting a coffee, or doing some other activity that will help you lot recharge. You volition encounter lots of experienced conference attendees disappear for stretches of fourth dimension for exactly this purpose. For many of us, traveling to in-person conferences is a manner to experience new parts of the country or the earth. It is fine to take a brusque break to experience local destinations such as a museum, park, cultural attraction, etc.

Virtual conferences

When attention virtually, it may be hard to devote entire days to attending the conference. Prioritize attending the synchronous events such as the keynotes and panel discussions, especially if they are not recorded for afterward viewing. Take advantage of videos posted for areas y'all are interested in, and watch those ahead of time so yous can choose to nourish the sessions where yous're interested in the question and answer portion.

For mentors

Encourage your students to come up with a written program, and discuss information technology with them earlier the briefing. Propose specific presentations that would be good for them to attend, and explicate to them the importance of strategic downtime and self-care.

Rule seven: Make new friends but go on the onetime; be ready to communicate

Conferences, specially when well organized, offer a bully opportunity to exchange ideas, network, and potentially form collaborations with other researchers. Networking opportunities tin be organized or spontaneous. Organized networking events may include events such as socials, affinity group meetings, or mentorship opportunities that pair newcomers with established researchers in the field. Many researchers too make efforts to meet with electric current or prospective collaborators at meetings. In improver to organized events, lots of networking happens spontaneously—waiting in line for java or tea, at a affiche presentation, etc. Take advantage of the opportunity to run into lots of people who are interested in sharing their scientific discipline and forming new professional connections.

Preplan a few people you would like to run into at the conference. A skilful way to find people is to await at the conference program, which contains presenter names and sometimes includes a full list of attendees (see Dominion half dozen). Showtime with the research surface area yous are interested in. Typically, the beginning author presents the work and will most likely be at the conference. Read their work before the conferences, and prepare questions to showtime a chat. If they have a inquiry website, they will likely take a film. Find out what they look like in advance. In-person conference attendees ordinarily wearable proper name badges which helps if yous're trying to meet someone whom yous've never met in person. If they are giving a talk, endeavor to attend; following up with the speaker after their talk is a good way to strike up a conversation with them. If y'all did not get a chance to talk with anybody you wanted to, you tin can always follow up with them over electronic mail (come across Rule 10). You tin apply the conference to make information technology not feel similar a cold email—tell them you attended their talk, saw their affiche, etc., and ask any questions. Researchers delight in existence asked informed and insightful questions about their work.

In-person conferences have many opportunities for informal networking, only information technology still may feel awkward to strike up a conversation. If you lot are coming from a lab or institution with colleagues too attending the briefing, agree to introduce ane another to whomever y'all are speaking with. Too, most conferences have events just earlier the official program starts such equally breakfast or socializing events in the evening. These are a great way to meet people in a more relaxed environment. If yous are feeling overwhelmed or out of identify, which is normal (run across Rule viii), information technology is okay to spend fourth dimension with people y'all already know.

Virtual conferences

Introducing yourself and having a one-on-ane conversation tin can also exist challenging in virtual environments. Networking still happens at virtual conferences, just the interactions are necessarily more intentional than striking up a conversation during a coffee break. Many virtual conference platforms offer means to interact, and conferences organize social events to foster this networking. If the online conference platform has social events or research discussion groups, bring together in. Get out your camera on, if comfortable, and participate in the chat, if appropriate. Some virtual briefing platforms have messaging capabilities, which you can use to have conversations with individuals or small groups.

For mentors

If you will also exist attention an in-person conference, exist intentional about introducing your students to your professional person network. Invite them to join a group repast yous plan on attending with people you already know and introduce them to colleagues. If you are talking to someone working in an area your educatee is interested in, and yous see your pupil shut by, be certain to introduce them. Pointing students toward posters that are relevant and interesting to them is also a peachy way to aid attendees begin conversations with researchers.

Rule 8: Set up to (safely) go out of your comfort zone

For most of us, meeting new people or joining a new community can be nervus-wracking or intimidating, even when you have a lot in mutual with people in the community. Things can be even more than challenging if you come from a historically underrepresented community and do not see yourself represented at the briefing. Academia, and past extension its conferences, is a traditional and elite institution whose diverseness, or lack thereof, can brand it a less than welcoming place at times. Imbalance in representation is gradually being acknowledged by assessing the demographics of invited speakers and society awardees [2,15–17]. If you are feeling out of place, know y'all are not alone and that information technology can have some time to feel comfortable. Endeavor to meet new people, and make new friends. You will likely meet the same people if you attend the conference again. And, the more than conferences you nourish, the easier information technology gets. Some conferences host affinity group events, which is a good opportunity to meet and network with other attendees in a safe and welcoming space. Our web portal hosts a crowdsourced list of analogousness groups.

Come upwardly with a programme for how to talk about your interests and research. Have a ninety-second elevator pitch prepared for your initial introduction, and be prepared to switch into a slightly extended version of that pitch if the other person expresses interest. Because it is of import to larn virtually the other person (people beloved good listeners), make sure to ask them about their research, including asking follow-up questions afterwards their initial answers to show your interest. If the exchange goes well, create a note of their names and affiliations for use afterwards. Likewise, if you come across them later in the conference, acknowledge their existence with a grinning or head nod.

Virtual conferences

An advantage of virtual conferences is yous will be in your own space. Take advantage of this opportunity in a virtual setting to make yourself comfortable (see Rule 4). It is okay to plough off your video if you need to stride away for a few minutes.

For mentors

It can exist helpful for mentees to know they are not alone in feeling out of place. Normalize the feel of feeling nervous and out of place. Let them know conferences can exist awkward and that is okay. If yous are mentoring students from underrepresented groups, being culturally competent volition help you lot better support them. Cultural competency is the ability to work finer with people from different cultural backgrounds. In examining the role of cultural competence in a biology classroom, Tanner and Allen highlight the importance of cultural competence in creating an inclusive and welcoming environs for students from underrepresented groups [18]. A good place to commencement is finding out if your institution offers cultural competency training. If it does not, the Clan of American Colleges & Universities offers cultural competency resources [19].

Finally, mentor your students—particularly marginalized students who may detect academia and conferences less than welcoming—through the briefing feel and their overall professional development with "pity, advocacy, and back up" [20]. Exist enlightened that imposter syndrome stems from systematic bias, and calling out imposter syndrome sometimes tin have the contrary effect for mentees [21]. Get involved in helping meetings achieve gender and racial residue in their selection of awardees and keynote speaker invitations [15]. See our web portal for more resource on cultural competency and improving representation at conferences.

Rule 9: Take charge of your social interactions

Conferences bring together many people from all over the world, and navigating a complex professional yet social environment can be challenging. All members of a scientific customs accept a responsibility to help make a welcoming environment and should, in turn, experience welcomed. As a conference attendee, you are a member of the scientific community. At the same time, we acknowledge that ability imbalances may be prevalent at the briefing, often reflective of career stage [22]. Many societies have established codes of conduct to which attendees must attach [23], and the conference should include a contact if yous witness or are subjected to troubling behavior. Above all, you lot should never feel unsafe or pressured to participate by anyone.

Before you travel to in-person conferences, acquaint yourself with the code of deport and accept a contact person (due east.g., your mentor, someone from your institution, or a friend) that you tin reach out to. You may demand to fix yourself to adjust to the cultural norms of the conference location, if information technology is notably different from your bookish environment. While at that place are social opportunities at in-person conferences, remember that these are professional events.

Virtual conferences

Social situations are different in a virtual platform. In that location may exist fewer awkward conversations, merely online interaction can pose its ain problems. For instance, you may run into unwelcome visitors hack into presentations or observe uncourteous behavior from other attendees. You may also find some features (similar the chat function or unmuted attendees) distracting during a presentation. When participating in virtual conferences, follow any instructions session chairs give most how to interact during presentations. As a general rule, make certain you follow online etiquette (such as muting yourself on Zoom unless speaking). Attendees should observe the same codes of conduct in a virtual setting that they would observe in an in-person conference.

For mentors

It is important that students have your contact information (or the data of someone trusted who will exist at the coming together). Stay up to engagement on your organization's code of conduct. If your club has not even so established a code of bear (check on our web portal), encourage the leaders to do so, and support their efforts [23].

Dominion ten: Necktie upwards the loose ends afterwards the conference

After attending the conference you lot will probable want to come abode and collapse from all of the excitement, but await …you have a few more things to do before you are done. These loose ends pertain to both in-person and virtual conferences. Kickoff and foremost, update any notes you have about the conference itself before you forget. Conferences can be a fast-paced blur, and so make sure to record any feedback you get on your work at the conference, and then that y'all accept it when y'all are ready to brand improvements. Updating your resume and/or curriculum vitae (CV) is some other of import step you should complete as quickly later on the conference every bit possible. In addition to any posters or presentations you gave, y'all should also add whatsoever awards y'all received including travel funding awards. Depending on your career stage, you might besides include other events or support you received—bank check with a mentor about what is advisable.

Side by side, you should follow up with people you met at the conference. This helps to solidify the relationships y'all began at the conference. Email people you are interested in speaking with once again, and enquire for an opportunity to meet. If you spoke with companies or potential job seekers, follow upwards with an email containing your resume and argument of interest. When you lot attend a conference, you see so many people that information technology is hard to remember everyone. Past reaching out with a elementary notation or a LinkedIn invitation, yous will be helping people to remember yous which can lead to future collaborations and/or job opportunities!

If you lot received a travel award (for an in-person briefing, for example) that requires reimbursement, you will need to carefully follow the instructions and/or rules of your funding agency. Reimbursements tin can take quite a while to process so the faster you lot get information technology washed after the conference, the ameliorate. Pay special attention to rules regarding the submission of receipts (itemized receipts are required in some cases) and deadlines for submission (some agencies crave reimbursement documents be submitted within a month of the conference ending). Make a notation to yourself to follow up on reimbursement; if you practice not hear back nearly your reimbursement within 2 weeks, become ahead and reach out to inquire about your paperwork (you tin also ask your mentor if it has been longer than you were expecting).

Finally, you should have time to write thank you notes or emails to anyone who supported your travel to the briefing whether that exist financially, in briefing preparation, or in your research. This not simply helps you to farther strengthen relationships with those people, simply as well helps futurity students receive these awards by leaving a expert impression with the awarders.

For mentors

Communicate your institution's rules and requirements most reimbursements to your trainees, and tell your trainees who to contact for reimbursement paperwork (e.g., a section administrator). We suggest holding a paperwork session after the briefing then that all travelers can come together and fill out paperwork, print and/or brand copies of necessary materials, and ask questions of each other and you lot. If multiple travelers attended the same conference, and so mentors can also submit all of this paperwork together to increase the chances of its timely completion. Nosotros sometimes also bring a giant box of cheers notes so that students can easily catch one to write a notation of thank you to those who helped them along the way. If students run into bureaucratic difficulties with paperwork, help them get the issue resolved.

Conclusions

Scientific conferences are an amazing intellectual and professional person opportunity, although attending 1 for the showtime time may be overwhelming. We hope that kickoff-fourth dimension conference attendees will feel more empowered and prepared to become the most out of their experience, be information technology virtual or in-person, with knowledge of these "unwritten rules." Happy travels!

Acknowledgments

We give thanks Erik Zornik and Andrew Bray for their early contributions to the conference communication template.

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