Virtual Conferences: Preparation and Presentation
Ilove academic conferences: getting dressed up, meeting scientists I admire, hanging out with students from distant places, presenting my work and getting feedback on how to improve it. Conferences have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my academic career. Of course, it is no longer safe to travel or to gather in large groups, so virtual conferences are the new normal.
Going virtual is a big change, and one that has caused some anxiety. It took me a while to learn how to succeed at live conferences. Will this be so different as to feel like starting all over again? What does it mean to give a good presentation online? How am I supposed to make a poster for viewing on a small screen? What should I expect from organizers and attendees?
To address such questions, the Florida Museum Student Association organized a workshop on July 20th, entitled “Virtual Conferences: Preparation and Presentation”. The workshop featured four presenters: Molly Phillips and Jillian Goodwin from iDigBio, and Sadie Mills and Becca Burton from the Thompson Earth Systems Institute. We discussed accessibility and inclusion, learned about audience engagement, and got advice on using different programs and social media to optimize the conference experience. There were helpful examples from the 2020 Digital Data conference.
The workshop gave me a good idea of what to expect from my first virtual conference, which is coming up in November. I will use what I learned to make new connections, be a conscientious attendee, and create the best virtual poster I can. And yes, I will still get dressed up.
Written by Jessica Award
Thank you to both Jessica Award for writing this article, and Molly Phillips, Jillian Goodwin, Sadie Mills, and Becca Burton, for hosting the workshop. If you would like the recording please contact us at studentassociation@floridamuseum.ufl.edu
-FMSA E-Board
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