Undergraduate Meeting Tips

The April meeting of the American Physical Society is a gathering of about 2000 Physicists. Most of these physicists are active researchers in academia, national labs and industry. The April meeting brings together people from a variety of subdisciplines within physics and you will see sessions sponsored by a variety of APS Units (Division of Nuclear Physics, Division of ...etc) and Forums (Forum on Graduate Student Affairs, etc). There are often as many as eight presentations going on at the same time. Talks can last anywhere from 12 minutes to 36 minutes. How do you navigate this complicated system and get as much out of the meeting as possible?

Hint's for a Successful Meeting

First, keep in mind that learning about what other physicists do by attending presentations by other scientists is only one part of the reason people attend a conference. Another big part of the meeting is to get out the word about your own work and results. The easiest way to do this is to present a talk or poster showcasing your work. Another way to do this is to attend sessions related to your work and talk to the presenters (either during the question and answer sessions or after the sessions) about how your work relates to theirs. This personal interaction is, for many individuals, the most important part of a meeting. It's ok to miss a few presentations so that you can talk with friends or acquaintances!

Since you are making personal connections, you should take a bit of care in presenting yourself in a way that will make you memorable, in a positive way. Dress for the meeting is business casual, except on the day you are presenting your work. When you present, you will want to be a bit more formal. Both men and women will wear business suits for their presentations.

Of course, dressing well isn't enough. Focus on your talk or poster on the day of your presentation. It is appropriate for you to take time earlier in the day to practice and refresh your memory. There is typically a room where you can take your jump-drive to test and make certain your presentation works on the conference computer and projection system. Stop in early so that you are confident that technology will not hinder your performance. It is polite for you to attend your entire session. So come to the first talk and try to stay through to the last. If something prevents you from staying for the full session, you should certainly be in the room for at least one speaker before your scheduled talk.

Check out the following resources for the APS April Meeting 2008:

• "Undergraduate Epitome" - suggestions for sessions and activities to attend.
• "SPS Zone Meeting" - events planned by the SPS Chapter at Washington University in Saint Louis for undergraduates
• "Future Physicists Day" - exciting activities planned for Monday, April 14, 2008 with Future Physicisists in mind.