<p>I'm going to be attending a research conference where participants present their research.
There will be many gettogether events like awards dinner and beach bbq.
I'm worried about not being able to connect and network with colleagues and profs, especially due to language barrier and shy personality.
Any tips would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Fake it 'til you make it.</p>
<p>The language barrier is not something you can overcome at this point, but you can force yourself to meet with other people.</p>
<p>which research conference are you attending?</p>
<p>was just at a conference -- few tips:</p>
<ol>
<li>alcohol is your friend. usually no carding (if you're "underage") at conferences, too.</li>
<li>don't get too excited. a bunch of drunk guys in a room presenting posters isn't really that fun.</li>
<li>scientists have big egos -- stroke them.</li>
<li>talk about their work, your work, and others' work. don't talk about alpha male stuff for the most part.</li>
<li>talk about your future goals too. get their input.</li>
<li>talk to grad students and postdocs -- the best input available at these places, imo.</li>
</ol>
<p>what conference are you attending?</p>
<p>It's actually a competition. I want to call it a conference because I don't want to think I'm going to attend a competition which is scary. Calling it a conference doesn't freak me out as much.</p>
<p>
[quote]
which research conference are you attending?
[/quote]
The one in Canada, hosted by UBC.</p>
<p>OMG the event is in three days and I'm not even done with my poster. My results came out a week ago and it's a pain to get the poster done in a week. I'm especially not prepared for presentation.. :( I feel like I'm living in hell right now. I could only sleep less than 4 hours in the past two days trying to make poster. :(</p>
<p>good luck...hope you don't have to pay for printing the poster. it can get expensive.</p>
<p>^^^ </p>
<p>a week for the poster? hahaha, the other week my boss sprung on me the day before a poster presentation session (that I didn't even know existed) that she had signed me up for it. Trying to get a poster done in a matter of hours (without any true graphic design software-did it in powerpoint on a HUGE slide) was one of the most stressful days ever. God bless those years on high school paper and yearbook.</p>