conference Checklist

Before the conference
Arrangements
• Find an appropriate conference to go to — always be on the look out for conferences and other events to attend
• If appropriate, volunteer to organise your own conference!
• Get approval to go and secure funding — make sure you do this well in advance.
• Check the registration deadline and whether there is an be sure to register in time
• Sort out travel and accommodation arrangements —tickets, hotel, directions to conference centre etc
• Always arrange to stay in the conference hotel and attend conference meals where possible
• Check passport and visa requirements (additional tip for overseas travel: e-mail yourself a scan of the photo page of your passport, or put one in dropbox)
• Arrange insurance if required
• Pack appropriate dress
• Online CV


Networking goals
• Plan what you want to get out of the conference
• Look at the preliminary conference programme and decide what you want to go to — arrange to share sessions with other attendees
• Check who is presenting and who will be there — decide whose talks you want to hear and whom you want to meet, and contact them in advance if appropriate. Get advice from your supervisor and others to help decide.
• Stock up on business card
• Check out what is happening outside the main conference programme
• If appropriate, volunteer to be involved in the organising somehow, e.g. panel
• Know your stuff! — be up-to-date tae whether presenting or not
• Think about how you want to present yourself
• Update your CV


If presenting


• Check the abstract deadline and be sure to submit in time
• Decide what message you want to get across, and what impression you want to make. Think about the "Wow" factor.
• Identify who the audience will be and pitch appropriately
• Check the timings of your slot and whether you will be expected to take questions etc
• E-mail your presentation to yourself, and put it in dropbox and take paper copies, too — it is also worth having a PDF version of your slides in case Of problems with PowerPoint
• practice!


During the conference


How to behave in the main programme
• Check the detailed programme — times of speakers, rooms, subject areas, social events
• Be professional, positive and pleasant — look attentive even if you are bored or tired
• Find a good seat
• Take notes
• Engage intellectually with the material ask questions in talks
• Listen and learn from how people ask questions — get advice and conference e!iguette from your supervisor
• Show appreciation of speakers and do not give negative criticism be constructive in your comments and  questions
• Be interactive and purs e, your networking goals— have a Plan B in case your original plan doesn't work out
• Miss out some formal sessions if it will help you with your networking goals —you may learn more from an informal conversation!
• Make time to look at posters
• Be aware of any special etiquette or ground rules relating to the particular discipline
• Distribute business cards — university and/or consultancy
• Talk to people who have been to other sessions and share notes and ideas
• Tweet using the conference hashtag


Outside the main programme
• Make the most of any social activities that are organised
• Be Sure not to spend too much time socialising with people you already know well — but do take the opportunity
• to talk to people you know slightly and with whom you want to consolidate a relationship
• Don't talk about yourself too much — show interest in other people and ask them questions about themselves and their work
• Don't talk about work all the time
• Have some explore the area, take exercise etc
• Explore networking opportunities outside the conference — e.g. offer to give a talk at local university, visit galleries etc
• Offer to help with the organisation, if appropriate
• Engage with the trade aspect of the conference, if applicable


If presenting
• Check venue, technology etc
• Do the usual last-minute preparation for delivering a presentation— think positively, stand confidently, breathe deeply, have water with you and drink as frequent'y as you need
• Make good eye contact during your presentation
• Make a note of the names of people who ask you questions, and what they ask — ask a colleague to make notes for you
• In a poster session be pro-active sand talk to people


After the conference
Follow-up
• Follow up any new contacts with an e-mail — the sooner the better, before they forget what you look like!
• Thank relevant people — funders etc
• Give feedback to the conference organisers — help make the conference better for next year!
• Review your notes and write them up in a useful format — disseminete what you learned to colleagues and others e.g. presentations, blog posts, university newsletters
• Consider what you have learned and decide how you are going to use it
• Take on board any feedback you received regarding the future direction of your research
• Make sure you follow up any promises you made in your networking activities — do anything you said you would
• Refine your networks — make notes of people's contact details, including any reminder notes you need and decide how you are going to use these contacts
• Remember that contacts are built up gradually
• Apply what you've learnt


If presenting
• Learn from the experience of presenting and decide how you can do it better next time
• If a summary of your presentation is circulated, make sure you check it first


From: PhD course, QMUL