What to Expect at a Meeting
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
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