www.hunter.cuny.edu/genderequity

The GEP has other professional development resources available on its website at

http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/genderequity/profskillsmaterials.html

Resources and References

Cuny, J. (n.d.). Networking. Retrieved July 17, 2006 from http:// www.cra.org/Activities/craw/projects/mentoring/mentorWrk shp/network.pdf.Goodman, B. (1993, February 22). Networking at meetings is vital for career advancement. The Scientist, 7, 19-23.Mack, A. (1997, November 24). Women scientists stress need for visibility at conferences. The Scientist, 11, 13-19.Martinez, T., Mazhar, S, Nicols-Grinenko, A., Rajaram, S., Valian, V. (2006). Attending conferences. Unpublished manuscript, Gender Equity Project, Hunter College. Available at www. hunter.cuny.edu/genderequity/profskillsmaterials.htmlRief-Lehrer, L. (1992, July 20). Promoting yourself is a key to climbing the academic ladder. The Scientist, 6, 20-25.Reis, R. M. (2000, February 4). How to get the most out of scientificconferences.[ChronicleCareers].The Chronicle of

Higher Education. Retrieved September 26, 2006, from http://chronicle.com/jobs/2000/02/2000020403c.htm.

Gender Equity Project

Director of Programs and Research Annemarie Nicols-Grinenko

Co-Directors Virginia Valian and Vita Rabinowitz

Multimedia Designer Monica Hopenwasser

509 Thomas Hunter Hall Department of Psychology

Hunter College of the City University of New York

695 Park Avenue New York, NY 10021

Email: gender.equity@hunter.cuny.eduPhone: 212-650-3001 Fax: 212-650-3247

The Gender Equity Project at Hunter College – CUNY is partially funded by an ADVANCE Institutional

Transformation Award from the National Science Foundationpromoting equity and excellence

Attending Conferences

Benefits and Techniques

TECHNIQUES

Choose a few people whose work interests you; read their papers and check out their web pages before the conference l Email people you want to meet to set up a time for discussion; many people

keep breakfast and lunch open for meeting new colleagues

l Attending people’s talks is a great way to break the ice and establish common ground when you approach them personally

nSeek people out, introduce yourself, and ask questions about their work

nFollow up with people you have met or heard give a presentation

Put your best foot forward – prepare a brief description of your work ahead of time l Aim for a crisp, intelligent explanation of the problem you’re working on

and why it’s important

Use your current contacts to make new contacts

l Attend with an advisor, mentor, or senior colleague; they can introduce you to their colleagues

l Having a pal is helpful, but be sure not to spend all of your time with people you already know

Pay close attention to the papers you attend and ask questions

l Write down your question to ensure a crisp and cogent delivery

l Use a friendly tone that demonstrates your interest in the material

l Don’t apologize for your question, label it as stupid, or ask permission to ask the question; just ask it

If you have difficulty approaching more senior people in your field, remember: l they were probably once in your shoes

l theyareoftenflatteredbybeingapproachedasexperts l they are happy to talk with someone who is well informed

about their work

l presenters expect to be approached for questions and discussion

Do not take lack of interest or rejection personally l Some people may not reciprocate your attempts to establish a connection; make

the effort but don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work

Present your work and learn about others’ work

l People learn about current work by attending conferences nToo many papers are published for people to keep up with the literature

l Presenting your work increases its visibility and accessibility l Make a good impression nPractice, practice, practice: attendees go to many talks and are likely

to remember only those that were delivered well with a clear message

Meet representatives from funding agencies

l You will feel more comfortable calling heads of study sections or program directors to discuss a grant submission if you have already met them

l People who know you are more likely to invite you to serve on a review panel

l You can indicate your willingness to serve on a review panel

“Know and be known” l Being known by your peers and senior investigators will help you establish

the impact of your work

l Knowing colleagues at other institutions helps you be part of a community

l Meeting colleagues gives you information about them – and gives them information about you – that written work alone does not provide

l Colleagues might invite you to visit their institution to give a talk or agree to visit your institution

l Colleagues may have techniques you want to learn, data you want to analyze, useful advice, or information you need

Colleagues you meet might be appropriate to suggest as outside reviewers when you are a candidate for tenure, promotion, or another job

Informal screenings of job candidates often occur at conferences

Conferences are especially important for women and people of color l Both groups are likely to have lower visibility, less access to informal

advice, and fewer colleagues who will take an interest in their advancement; meeting people at conferences improves all three

BENEFITS