What you can control and what you cannot control…

Chetan TiwariSean Tierney

Steve Wolverton

UNT Department of Geography

Academic Conference Networking for Professional Success

You are not alone!

Chronicle of Higher Education

Submitting papers

• Approach your mentors and other experts– Organized sessions– Gambling on placement

www.aims-international.org

The Title

• Contrast these two titles– “Sanitary landfills in Denton, Texas”– “Location matters for sanitary landfills: an example”

swamplot.com

Abstracting

• Abstract appropriately– Don’t simply summarize– Point out the impact of your work to experts

– See handout

scienceblogs.com

Preconference networking

• Be proactive, but also polite– Send your abstract to your anticipated audience – Assume experts are nice people

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Example email

Dear Dr. Expert:I read your recent paper in the Journal of Expert Science, and it helped me frame some of my own ideas. I am presenting a paper at the Association of Expert Scientists conference in May, and I have attached a copy of the abstract. I would like to make your acquaintance at the conference and to buy you a cup of coffee.

– Sincerely, Rufus

Preconference networking

• Seek out opportunities• Go on field trips• Volunteer, perhaps• Make colleagues

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At the conference

• Network, network, network!– Academic opportunities

• Meet key academics and listen to them• Introduce yourself and tell them your elevator story• Invite them to your talk – tell them where & when• You may be invited to

– Guest lectures– Visit a campus or a lab– Participate in a project– Become a reviewer

At the conference

• Network, network, network!– Academic opportunities

• Meet other graduate students• Be part of specialty groups (or take on an

administrative position)• Look for graduate student councils• Dress well (and don’t wear a cap!)

At the conference

• Network, network, network!– Job opportunities

• Career boards• Company tables & booths• Remember, you are talking directly to a potential

recruiter• Take copies of your resume• Give your business card and take theirs• Makes notes

At the conference

• At the presentation– Similar topics– Approach co-presenters: introduce yourself, hand

out your business card– Listen and build on work of previous speakers– Make sure you provide contact information – build

a website; make your PPT available online– Be sure your presentation works as intended (Mac

vs. Windows). Use PDFs.

At the conference

• Breakfast!– Get up early and have breakfast!– Good time to have a short, informal chat– Do not hesitate to join bigger groups

• Lunch!– Many people have commitments– There are also people who don’t! – Build your network of fellow graduate students– Take your tag off outside

At the conference

• Dinner– Look for special events (sometime they are free!)– And, don’t drink too much (especially if someone

else is paying!)

At the conference

• Others– Make sure you follow-up: someone may have

asked for a paper, or a copy of your PPT, …– Take some time to visit places. Take a conference

organized tour if there is one.

A really ineffective slide• Today we want to establish a loose environment to offer you a

detailed perspective on what the conference experience often is and can become. We will cover topics from how to choose a conference, to how to prepare a presentation, to how to network, to how to think of funding opportunities. Really, what we are trying to get at are the do’s and do nots of conferences not from a geographic perspective, but from a professional perspective. We hope that you gain from the presentation. Along the way, if you have questions, ask them. This is an example of a terrible slide, and if you are still awake by the end… you get the point. Peace out!

Where do you want their attention• Bullet points

– Provide structure• You provide the substance

– Keywords and phrases• You want your audience to look at you

– Not the screen– Not at the conference program– Nor their phones

• Remember to look to your audience– Not at the screen

Color and font coordination• Using a font color that does not contrast with the

background color is hard to read • Using color for decoration is:

– Distracting and annoying.• Using a different color for each point is

unnecessary– Using a different color for secondary points

demonstrates• you have way too much time on your hands.

• Trying to be creative can also be bad

• Is your font big enough for all– Not just people in the front row

The suspense is not captivating• OK, I have something to say• Bet you want to know what it is• Psych, not this time• Not this time either• OK, I have a secret• Knock, Knock• Who’s there?• Nobody• Nobody who?• ……………. (get it?)

If you must use animation..be consistent

• He hits a fly ball• To deep left field• Its going back• Back• Back• .. And its caught on the warning track• And he’s out!• And I’m dizzy!

An effective use of transitions

Cool picture

• But what is my point• Are you sure your audience can read it???

Industrial Agriculture• Historical productivity of farmers

– 1900: 20 people– 1950: 75 people– Today: 150 people

Background – Bad• Avoid backgrounds that are distracting or

difficult to read from• Always be consistent with the background that

you use

Don’t make your audience guess

What would Sigmund Freud think?Actually processing what is being said

10%Listening but not absorb-

ing24%

Not listening17%

Thinking about sex

49%

Audience attention

Proff reed you’re sideshow

• Spell right and do good grammer– Nothing discredits you fasster than then riting like a 3rd

grader– Don’t thrust spill-chick

• Avoid don’t use extra repeated additional words text• u r oblgtd to spll evrythg out.

– Twitter wrtg not accptbl.• English is your second language?

– seek help

Substance

• Practice– In the mirror– In front of friends / colleagues / advisor

• Timing– Don’t try and fill the entire time slot

• People love short and sweet– Ensure you leave time for questions

• Slide Maximum– What is appropriate (10 for a 20 minute talk)

A simple rule

• Academic writing is not a ‘who dun it’• If they are bored at the beginning

– They will have checked out by the end• So

– Tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em– Tell ‘em– And then, Tell ‘em what you told ‘em

Conclusion

• Simplicity– Paragraphs provide napping opportunities– Omit bells and whistles

• Objectives are “eyes on you” & “ears on you”– Pictures good, words bad– Slide limits– Don’t trust spell-check– Color schemes; fonts, et cetera

• Know the conference operating system– Use pdf format

Potential crises & disappointments• What if you mess up in your presentation?

– Relax, and keep going…

• What if you get criticized… by an angry expert?– You should not argue, you may not know…– Suggest that you talk after the presentation

• What if you spill coffee on an expert?– Try not to…

• What if you throw up?