Last month, I shared my thoughts on how to prepare for a conference. At that time, I was attending the (RoboSoft) in Switzerland. In today's blog, I want to share my thoughts and tips on what to do during and after a conference.
During the Conference: Maximizing Your Experience
1. Networking and Engagement
- There's no need to be afraid to approach people—everyone is there for the same reason. Introduce yourself confidently and be prepared with a quick summary of your research for networking conversations. You may also find it helpful to have a few pictures and videos on your cloud storage for easy access and to keep conversations going.
- Engage with speakers and attendees by asking thoughtful questions. Be genuinely interested in their work. Reach out after the session is over and talk more during coffee breaks.
- If all that still sounds hard, I really try to find a good group of people to hang out with in the first couple of days. Being part of a group makes everything less scary.
- Exchange business cards or connect via LinkedIn on the spot. Trust me, you will forget to add them later.
- Tweet or post highlights to engage with the community, especially if your lab is active on a social media page. I did a complete coverage of RoboSoft and .
2. Visit the Exhibition Area
- Industry booths and sponsors often showcase cutting-edge technology and opportunities. Engage with exhibitors—you never know where collaboration opportunities may arise (remember those resumes we spoke about in the last post?).
- Take pictures, record videos, get inspired!
3. Attend Social Events
- Social gatherings and dinners can be as valuable as formal sessions. They provide a relaxed environment where everyone is more approachable, and you can get to know people on a more personal level. Every conference will have a different style, so there's not much to predict here—just be present and open to new connections. Approach people with genuine curiosity and be yourself. Also, avoid heavy alcohol consumption. It sounds like dating advice, but it's true.
After the Conference: Follow-Up Matters
1. Organize and Share your Thoughts
- Reflect upon and summarize key takeaways and action items while they are fresh in your mind. If someone else attended the conference with you, it's good to discuss them with them.
- Share those insights with your research group. You can prepare a presentation with the conference highlights to show your lab mates.
2. Follow Up with Contacts
- Send personalized follow-up emails or direct messages to people you met and that you are interested in keeping up with. Reintroduce yourself and reference conversation topics you had during the conference. Interact with their posts from time to time.
3. Reflect and Apply
- Go through your notes from the conference (that's why you took your notepad with you!) and post-conference discussions to identify new ideas, methods, or collaborations to integrate into your research. Reflecting on your learnings and discussing them with your supervisor can inspire new directions for your research and motivate you to apply what you've learned.