Conference Tips & Tricks

I strategize with my colleagues for attending presentations. If I can't attend a presentation, I find someone else that IS planning on attending and ask them to take good notes and I do the same for others.

I also find it helpful to plan my schedule in advance to help me strategize which presentations to attend.

I also try to look at the agenda ahead of time to pick the presentations I want to attend. The conference phone app is helpful because it allows me to plan my schedule in advance. Presentations related directly to my area of work get priority, but I also like to attend at least one session that I do not know much about or find interesting. 

We usually have 2-3 staff from different programs who attend so we'll follow the tracks for our respective work areas and cover each other as needed. I always ask colleagues who aren't attending to review the agenda to see if there's a presentation they'd like for me to attend and bring info back.

Without a doubt, I find myself wanting to attend two different breakouts at the same time. When that happens, I decide which presentations I'm most interested in and then hop around the rooms as needed. I sit in the back so I can move in and out of the breakouts quickly and quietly. I think it's a pretty common practice, just be courteous and as uninterruptive as you can be as you move around. The moderators do a great job of keeping presentations on time so it makes it easy for us to shuffle around in between presenters. At the same time, conference planners do a great job of aligning presentations in a track so that you shouldn't need to move around too much.

If you're wandering around posters and the author is there, smile and ask them about their work. Or introduce yourself and talk about how what you do relates to their poster or how your agency has approached a similar issue. They'll be happy to talk to you about it instead of standing there awkwardly as you read. ;) You might find you're both working on similar projects so it's a great way to connect with epis who have similar goals who you can reach out to later in the year.

Take business cards or be ready to give out your info and take other people's info down. I've made some great contacts at this conference and have followed up with many of them later in the year. Everyone has been super friendly and helpful with guidance, SAS code, troubleshooting, etc. Just ask!

This is my first CSTE conference but I downloaded the app yesterday and found viewing events, as well as search for all relevant sessions related to my work, tremendously helpful! I was able to search by location, keywords, and presenters. The app also allows me to prepare my calendar day by day.

I generally prioritize talks based on my connection to the speaker -I believe its important to support my colleagues at HCPH and my friends/peers. Only if I don't know any speakers for that section of time do I go based on content. 

I believe CSTE and other national conferences are essential to grow your network. So I always make it a point to follow up with speakers after they present and try to talk to them 1 on 1. And when I do exchange business cards with someone, I always write a few key words on it to help jog my memory on where I met them and the context of the conversation. 

Professional conferences are often overwhelming because of the numerous sessions, presentations, conversations, and potential network opportunities. I make effort to first review in advance the conference programs and identify the sessions that I would like to attend based on two things: the content goals being educational and fulfillment of interpersonal goal, i.e. meeting and supporting persons that I know are presenting. In terms of networking, when choosing which sessions to attend, also consider whether you’ll learn something or meet someone new in your field or specific areas of interest. Use the conference also to revitalize, maintain and strengthen your current professional relationships. Feel free and comfortable and take the initiative to create networking situations with people you meet. Don’t spend all your time with coworkers that you see every day - draw clear boundaries. Shift your mindset by focusing on how networking is good for your career.