What to Expect at a Meeting

Graduate/Professional

What is Physiology?
Meet a Physiologist
Career Resources
Mentoring
Scientific Meetings &
Societies
Awards Available
Minority Resources
Positions Available
Related Links

As you begin to attend scientific meetings and participate in activities associated with your professional society as a scientist, there are some issues that are good to consider before packing your suitcase. You should talk to your graduate advisor, more experienced graduate students, and your mentor(s) about these issues. Be sure you understand what your graduate advisor expects you to do at the meeting.

Attendance
Are you expected to be at the meeting the entire time and attending either scientific sessions, posters, or exhibits? Or, can you take some time off to sightsee? If so, how much time away is reasonable? Can you go a day early or stay a day late?

Who makes the transportation and hotel reservations? Should you plan on sharing a room with someone?

Session Etiquette
Always show the speaker – whether s/he is a good or bad speaker – your best professional courtesy. If you think you’ll need to leave the session before his/her presentation is finished, sit in the back on the aisle or stand in the back. Be sure to NOT walk in front of the slide or data projector. Stay in your seat…moving through a rows or aisle during a presentation disturbs other listeners. Of course, it is understood that conversations with other members of the audience should take place outside the meeting room and away from the room door. Remember that showing professional courtesy during a session probably won’t get you noticed…but failing to show professional courtesy points you out to everyone in the room in a negative way!

Dress
Most meetings are more casual these days. Should you be dressing more professionally everyday or only when you’re scheduled to present? Are jeans or shorts appropriate dress for this meeting or should you wear suits? Plan to be on your feet and walking long distances for much of the day, so wear professional but comfortable shoes. If you are to receive an award or make a presentation, it is always best to dress conservatively

Expenses
Who is paying for you to attend the meeting? Is there a limit on what you can request reimbursement for? What about a food/drink budget? Are car rentals allowed depending on the location of the meeting? What happens when you need to change a flight and there’s a charge; who pays? What receipts do you need and what is the reimbursement process? Can you request a travel advance from your department or must you pay all expenses up front yourself? Will you need a credit card for the hotel charges…if you do not have a credit card that will carry the amount of the hotel bill, check in advance with the hotel. They may want cash or cashiers check upon arrival.

Science
What types of sessions are you expected to attend? Are there sessions that your advisor is expecting you to attend? Are you expected to show up at all of the poster sessions for colleagues from your lab group? If there are two sessions directly relevant that are scheduled opposite each other, how do you decide which to attend? Does your advisor plan to be at your poster/oral presentation? Who will be handling the majority of the presentation and the answering of questions? Be sure to discuss these issues with your advisor prior to the meeting.

What type of information do you look for in the vendor exhibits?

When attending a poster session, talk to the presenter. S/he can provide a better overview of the poster and findings than you can get by quickly reading it.

Social functions
Are there social functions that you should attend? How should you dress for them? Are there functions for which you will need tickets…who pays for those? When going out to dinner with colleagues, are you expected to split the check equally or pay for your own meal only? Again…have a conversation with more experienced students, your advisor, and/or your mentor(s) about these issues.

See also:
Attending Professional Meetings Successfully
Beth A. Fischer & Michael J. Zigmond, University of Pittsburgh

Back to Developing Your Skills