Conferencing 101: Gearing Up for SBM's Annual Meeting

Shelby Langer, PhD, FSBM; Erin Kent, PhD, MS, FSBM; and Rebecca Lee, PhD, FSBM; Cancer and Physical Activity Special Interest Groups

Posters, podium presentations, research spotlights, oh my! The annual meeting is around the corner. Here are some tips and tricks from seasoned conference goers regarding presentation prep, networking, and energy management. 

Poster presentations

• Rely on visuals over text. Font size should be sufficiently large to ease processing.
• Avoid over-use of abbreviations and acronyms.
• Include a single sentence (in bold or large font) to impart the take-home message.
• Label key sections and make the directional flow apparent.
• Follow instructions carefully. Avoid the need to re-craft a poster from horizontal to vertical in a hotel room because you didn't read the dimension information.
• Consider your audience. What shared disciplinary backgrounds do you have? Can you make any assumptions about your shared understanding?
• Include a QR code for references or other details such as the full paper.
• Prepare a BRIEF oral summary for interested parties. Don't pounce on passers-by. Give them a moment to process the content. They may move on. That's okay. If they linger, offer to answer any questions, or start a conversation by asking if they work in the same space.

Oral presentations

• Clarify the timeframe for your presentation (length + time for Q&A).
• As with posters, rely on visuals. Keep text minimal.
• Use high contrast colors (e.g., dark font on a light background or vice versa).
• Do not cut and paste tables and figures from published manuscripts into slides. This is often too small or fuzzy to see clearly. Recreate your tables/ figures and make them visually appealing.
• Write out what you plan to say, word for word, and practice it. We advise this for early career and seasoned presenters alike. It will allow you to deliver the presentation in the time allotted (which shows respect for attendees, session chairs, and fellow presenters). It will also help you eliminate filler words.
• On average, a general rule is to allow 1 minute per slide.
• DO. NOT. READ. YOUR. TALK! You should have the "script" sufficiently memorized to stay on track and make eye contact with the audience but not sound robotic. Speak conversationally.
• Practice with friends/ colleagues/ mentors. Consider their feedback.
• Guide attendees through graphical displays, e.g., "On the x axis..."
• Pace yourself. It is common to speak too quickly. Take breaks. Attendees may be unfamiliar with the topic.
• Make sure that your words support or complement slide content.
• Prepare similarly for 200 or 2 attendees. Don't fret if only a few people show up. Small groups can allow for richer discussion.
• You can't possibly anticipate all questions. Take a moment to think. We find that the perfect response often comes to us later (sigh). "Good idea..." and "We haven't looked at that yet..." are acceptable responses.
• The Yerkes-Dodson law states that performance is best when arousal levels are moderate. In short, you don't want to be half asleep, nor do you want to be overly anxious. Some level of anxiety is to be expected. Let it motivate you to prepare.
• Celebrate a job well done. And move on. The next challenge awaits.

Networking

• Aim for quality over quantity. It’s not so much how many people you know, but the strength of these partnerships that is a bigger advantage.
• Make a mental note to remember tidbits people share, for unexpected elevator moments. These could be about their work, or something they mention in passing about hobbies or pets. Good partnerships are what make science happen.
• Ask your new or established colleagues to take a short walk. Physical activity will help to calm any nerves, and a shared experience is more memorable than a conference room meeting.
• Make the most of SBM-organized networking opportunities, such as the Stride for Science Run/Walk, Special Interest Group events, and the New Member/ First-time Attendee Meet-n-Greet.
• Plan to attend sessions that will involve presenters whom you would like to meet. Draft questions to ask about their work. This is a good way to start a conversation or collaboration.
• You may have starstruck moments. Remember that everyone was an early career professional at some point. They will appreciate knowing that you admire their work.
• After the conference, follow-up with new contacts; send them a quick email and/or follow them on social media.
• In the end, the reason why we all come to the annual meeting is to have fun together doing what we love, so relax and enjoy this special time.

Time and energy management

• Review the conference program in advance. Decide which sessions you will attend. Mark these and their locations in your calendar or use the conference app.
• Set an alarm, and maybe even a back-up alarm for important sessions.
• Take advantage of complimentary food and beverages at networking sessions to keep up your energy.
• Plan breaks to recharge. The experience is intense, and you may be jet-lagged.
• Dress both professionally and comfortably. Conference rooms can be chilly! Wear layers and don’t underestimate the importance of comfortable footwear.