There’s nothing like a good conference. I am a certified conference addict and I attend as many as I can each year. I love hearing the exciting presentations, meeting new people, gaining insight about new discoveries and innovations, and discovering novel ways to look at problems. From attending conferences, I have been able to move my career in new directions as I have met interesting people who have given me amazing advice and ideas.
I would have to say that my success – that is, the fact that I am in a career and job that brings me both joy and intellectual challenge – is a direct result of networking at conferences. And not surprisingly, one of my favorite events is the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting. This year’s conference will return to San Diego, 18-22 February 2023, and will be value-packed with exciting sessions, special events, career development sessions and consultations, and lots and lots and lots and lots of networking! Here are my top tips and Calls to Action (CTA) to make the most of this awesome experience:
Follow the twitter handle. Biophysical Society members are soooooo good at communication, especially when it comes to leveraging social media platforms. When you follow #bps2023 and @BiophysicalSoc on twitter, you will learn about what’s happening at the conference often in real time. You’ll catch info about special networking dinners and coffees, learn about some of the up and coming and established biophysicists presenting, and be able to gather insight about who is recruiting and hiring. I always make it a habit to follow the twitter feed for this meeting, because it is a very effective tool to find people with whom to network. Follow new people, DM them, and ask for a coffee appointment while you are both in San Diego. Importantly, there are satellite and impromptu events that are only announced on twitter.
Presenting? Announce it! You have worked so hard to get to this moment where you are sharing your research, whether it is via an oral or poster session. Invite people in advance to your speech, and promote it on twitter using #bps2023.
Explore Scientific Sessions. Your instinct may be to only go to talks and posters in your sub-sub-sub-field but you give a gift to yourself when you diversify your perspectives, knowledge, and networks by going to session that are very different from your discipline. Attend at least 5 sessions on topics about which you are not familiar- you might be surprised what you learn that can help you advance in your own domain. Additionally, participate in the President’s Symposium and The 2023 Biophysical Society Lecture, both of which will give you amazing insights into the community and ecosystem of biophysicists and biophysics research.
Reach out: You gain so much more from a meeting you participate as an active contributor and not just a passive observer. I know you want to network – meaning you want to craft win-win partnerships with other ambitus and talented scientists – so to achieve this goal, why not make your own networking opportunities? Here’s your CTA: pick 5 people who are presenting at the Annual Meeting whom you would like to meet and email them. Let them know you are attending their session and are excited about their results. Ask them for a 15 minute coffee appointment while you are both in San Diego.
Come to the Career Development Center! Located in Room 16AB, the Center will feature tons of opportunities to advance your professional goals. We will have jobs advertised. We will have workshops ranging from resumes to interviewing to negotiation, presented by my amazing colleague, Andrew Green of UC Berkeley and myself. But wait, there’s more! Did you know that Andrew and I are offering FREE career consultations? Come to the Center to sign up for these 20 minute, confidential and private sessions where we can discuss and answer any career question you have. See the full list of sessions here: https://www.biophysics.org/2023meeting/program/career-development-center
Peruse the Professional Development and Networking offerings. The Society wants you to advance in your career as a biophysicist and is offering a huge portfolio of opportunities to do so. Check out https://www.biophysics.org/2023meeting/program/professional-development-networking for the full list. My favs? The Dinner Meetups and the One-on-one with a Mentor where you can get paired with a helpful colleague at the conference. There are sessions and panels on careers in industry and work-life balance, and even a speed networking event, and so much more!
Get your Biophysical Society Merch! Who doesn’t love a good science-themed mug or garment? I know you do. I always stop by the Biophysical Society booth, located near the registration check-in area, to browse for the most fashionable nerd ware. Last year, I scored the coolest rainbow DNA t-shirt (which I proudly wore across the world!) and I can’t wait to score new clothing and office supplies with some biophysics branding.
Talk to people. One of my favorite conference networking hacks is to show up to sessions early. The room is typically almost empty, save for a few early birds like me. Sit near one of these people and introduce yourself. I love this type of networking because there is something to naturally talk about (“have you seen Dr. X speak before?”) and there is a built-in exit strategy: when the speaker begins their presentation, you simply whisper to the person “it was so nice to meet you – can I get your contact info so we can continue this over a zoom?”. And suddenly you have a new contact. Remember that everyone who goes to the Annual Meeting does so because they want to network and meet people too, so you are all helping each other when you chat with people around you!
Practice self-care. A meeting of this size can be overstimulating for even the most extroverted of extroverts. So while you want to attend as many sessions and events as possible, you also want to be mindful of when you need breaks and quiet. Honor yourself so you can get the most out of the meeting!
Alaina G. Levine is a professional speaker, STEM career coach, and science writer, and author of two books, Networking for Nerds (Wiley), and Create Your Unicorn Career! (forthcoming).