How to get the most out of an engineering Conference

Attending conferences can be nerve racking and exhausting, but they are also exciting and inspiring. When I started my PhD, I thought I would be able to go to many conferences, but a pandemic had other plans. I found myself only attending one in-person conference during my program. With only one chance at an in person conference, I knew I needed to make the most of it. 

Why go to an engineering conference?

Conferences take up valuable time and, depending on your situation, can be expensive. So why go to one in the first place? There are two main reasons I see for going to a conference: to connect, and to learn. The biggest reason, in my opinion, for going to a conference is to connect with others in your field. These people can be a great community for you. Even though I just attended my first conference, I felt connected with the engineering design community. The second big reason to go to a conference is to learn. You will get to see what is the latest work coming from the research community. It will give you a sense of what are the big problems being investigated, and the directions people are taking to solve them. Your conference may also have workshops or special panels. These can be great learning opportunities as you interact and learn new methods for your work.

7 Tips for getting the most out of a conference

If you have decided to go to a conference, here are some tips I used to make the most of my conference experience.

Start your preparations early

In the weeks leading up to the conference, I looked at the conference schedule and found out what presentations I wanted to be sure to hear. Quite often there are many sessions happening concurrently so it might be tough to make it to everything you want to see. Make note in your calendar of the tentative schedule for your conference time.

Begin Networking Before the Conference

Conferences can be a busy time for people, especially for more senior people in the field. As I looked through the conference presentations I made note of people attending the conference that I wanted to meet. Then I reached out to them before the conference to try and find a few minutes to meet with them. Even if I did not get a specific time before the conference, when I approached most of the people at the conference, they remembered my email and were willing to find a time to chat. 

Don’t Eat Alone

Try to get out of your comfort zone and meet new people every chance you get. Meal times are a great opportunity to get to know people. This is a chance to sit down with people for a longer period of time, and you might find some new friends or get some great advice.

Give Yourself Time to Recharge

Conferences can be exhausting, and while you should make the most of the time you are there, you also need to make sure you have the energy you need. Quite often my days at the conference started at 7 am with the conference breakfast and I didn’t get back to my hotel room until 8 or 9 pm. It was good to give myself a few breaks from the conference to recharge so I could make the most of the rest of my time.

Reflect

I took notes throughout the conference, paying particular attention to things I wanted to take action on. Then at the end of each day and the end of the conference I would go back through the notes to make plans and reflect on what I had been learning that day.

Practice

If you are presenting at the conference, make sure you practice. This includes your full presentation, the tech setup, and questions. Practicing answering questions is often overlooked in presentation preparation. The post presentation Q&A can also be pretty nerve racking, but you might be surprised that you can predict many of the questions you get. Brainstorm a list of questions you might get, and practice responding to them.

Follow Up

After the conference, follow up with your new connections. This might include sending them your research, answering questions, or just a simple thank you. 

I had a great experience at my first conference. It was inspiring and gave me motivation to push forward with my research. The conference also gave me a chance to connect with my research community. If you are going to a conference, make the most of it, and give yourself a little time to just have fun and see the city you are in. Having a great conference experience will take some work and force you out of your comfort zone sometimes, but it can pay dividends for your future career.