Top ten tips for socializing at this upcoming PILAS Conference!

1. Plan ahead: Who are the speakers and chairs? Who are the people attending? Who do you want to meet? Consider contacting them in advance letting them know that you would like to meet at lunch/dinner at some point, to discuss XYZ topic of your research.

2. Use the twitter hashtag: #PILASconference2016 in advance and during the conference to get visibility as a PhD student and help your peers by posting about them on live feed!

3. Meet strangers: Give yourself the opportunity to meet and hang out with people you don’t know. Just the exercise of explaining your research to others is valuable, even better if you get asked questions, find common research interests, and get and give some ideas. “May I join you?” is a good start for developing a relationship that may end in lead a long-standing relationship of academic collaborations!

4. Dress code: After having attended a number of conferences, I sometimes find myself wondering about this, and always return to the same idea: the key is comfort, not only physically but also psychologically. Is what you are wearing something that will make you feel comfortable with anyone, e.g. a potential employer, and yourself

5. Use the badge: Make sure you let everyone know your name and university when you meet them and that your badge shows. This helps people remember you!

6. Balance listening and talking: Make sure it is not only you doing all the talking. This is important, but also, showing interest in other’s research, life as PhD, the city they live in, etc.

7. Leave room for the fun conversations (but don´t make it all about this, see next) Talking about work is important, but even collaboration relationships are built through sharing personal experiences, making jokes, connecting with people.

8. Discuss your work! Take this unique opportunity to discuss your work, in, as well as outside your session (e.g. queuing for lunch). When talking about your research. Try having a short version for those out of your field, and a longer 2-minute version for those in your field, with all the technical jargon. Also, it is useful to think in advance what you would like in feedback, and let people know.

9. Share your contact information: Online social networks provide a good platform to keep interesting academic contacts together. If you have the opportunity, bring business cards, they are easy to exchange and to give out all your details to those with whom you connect.

10. Remember you are here to learn, practice, and have a good time: That is the advantage of a postgraduate conference; there are no egos or competitions. It is an opportunity to make the best out of your time with others for both personal and academic interests.