Navigating Challenges at the Annual Meeting

[Sam Staples]

For our Community Leaders who have attended past Annual Meetings, tell us about any challenges you faced and guidance you received or wish you received in response. This could be anything from tips on presenting posters to finding help navigating the convention center. 

[valeria muoio]

My advice to anyone who is going to present posters or any other work:
- it may seem intimidating initially (due to the size of the event) but it is an extremely friendly environment. It is the ideal place to start your academic career and improve your presentation skills.
- Don't just focus on your subject: see presentations and conferences of other lines of research. It's fascinating how new ideas can emerge (for your line of reasearch).
- talk to as many people as you can. I am a naturally introverted person, and I guarantee that this is the ideal event to overcome shyness and be welcomed. You will only gain from this.

[Hugo Sanchez-Castillo]

Hello my dear congress warriors!!... One of the most challenging things was the size of the meeting, in my first time I felt in a sea of neurosciences, but without clear sense of direction... another great challenge, for me as foreigner non English speaker, was the language, sometimes as a scientist we need to said everything correctly and if we don't achieve that we feel bad about ourselves... finally as a person with ADD (attentional deficit disorder) I was like child with free in a candy store and obviously it was not good at the end!! Because that my very personal recommendations for how to face it:

1.- Don't be afraid of the size, instead of that think in the large amount of opportunities that SFN offers and that you could have advantage. Deep breath and go, trust in your knowledge and common sense.

2.- SPEAK!!! All the neuroscientists (at least all of them that I met) are expecting non native English speakers. Don't be afraid of using your hand or drawing some concepts, but don't stop the communication.

3.- Use the itinerary planner tools!!! this tool is so helpful for do better and more successful days of congress, search the topics that works for you. Organize your day with your priorities and don't be afraid of looking for networks and collaborations.

4.- Enjoy science

 

Best for all of you my dear science warriors...