Photo by Kai Boggild. Source: Imaggeo
Presenting can be a big topic on its own, so I am about to share some essentials. Let’s suppose you have a talk: have its content completely ready at least a day before, practice it at least three times in full length, and once before you are in front of a real audience. If you don’t have a test audience, you can use a mirror. I know, this can sound embarrassing, and it does take time, but it is the shortest path towards a confident, sound presentation. Don’t go over the allocated time: If you’re allocated ten minutes, then it’s ten minutes, not fifteen!
Skip the “structure of my talk” and “thank you for your attention” slides. Make the last slide a summary of what your audience will take home.
Skip the “structure of my talk” and “thank you for your attention” slides. Make the last slide a summary of what your audience will take home.
When presenting, try to face the audience and, if you can, make eye contact with people.
If you contribute a poster, the big game-changer is to use the full size of the poster board. Many posters at EGU are smaller than the board, and if yours is the right size, it will immediately stand out from the crowd. The dimensions are 1978 mm width × 1183 mm height; you can set these as a custom sheet size in whatever software you use to prepare your poster. If you are pressed for time, take the #betterposter approach, which allows you to create attractive posters in a short amount of time. Pro tip: Make it easy for people to spot you! Some presenters add a small photo to their poster, while others match their outfit to their design. Don’t hold back: standing out is exactly what you’re there to do.
Networking: Connecting with “Rockstars” and peers
Okay, now we have your health and your main purpose covered. What else can you do? How can you avoid being overwhelmed by the endless opportunities? How can you avoid wandering aimlessly through the building without a plan? The key is to find your ‘rockstars.’ You want to meet the most inspiring leaders in your field, and there are two distinct ways to make that happen.
One is to make a list of the 3-5 most important papers your research is based on and search for their names in the program. If they are presenting, go to that session and meet them. The other way is attending the awards & medal lectures. These lectures are great talks and inspiring presentations of somebody’s career, whether they are a young or an established scientist. If the medal is named after somebody you have heard of, there is a good chance that the lecture will be relevant to your field, and the room will be full of like-minded people. Don’t be afraid to say hi and initiate conversation. This is a conference; everyone is here to make connections, so be polite, but don’t hold back. If you are shy or introverted or don’t know how to do this, let me give you an algorithm: say hi and introduce yourself, connect to the message of your partner, tell them what you want, and follow up as soon as you can. This goes like
“Hi Prof. Smith, I’m András from Sinergise, I heard you say during your presentation that better access to satellite imagery is essential. I work for a data infrastructure company, and I would be happy to do an online demo for your team. Are you interested?”
or
“Hi Jennifer, I’m András, and I work for Copernicus. That’s a really nice satellite image on your poster, and I see you are identifying aquaculture from satellite images. Are you interested in writing this up as a feature for our website gallery?”
The shortest version can be:
“Hi, are you Smith as in Smith et al. 2024? I think I have read all your papers!” which is an excellent way to kick off a conversation with a rockstar!
Once you have exchanged contacts, it is probably a good idea to follow up as soon as you can via email. Briefly summarize the conversation and anything you agreed on for the future, such as searching for funding together, preparing a visit, or asking for a copy of a paper.I generally draft my follow-up notes during the sessions immediately following a coffee break, or while commuting home. This habit of quick outreach has been instrumental for me; in fact, one of my first PhD research projects began at a poster session. Although the initial conversation felt a bit hesitant, we quickly discovered a perfect synergy between my work in satellite imagery and their need for in-situ measurement sites. Following up with our advisors revealed a small grant for joint research between our countries, allowing us to fund a fieldwork season and eventually publish our findings. Looking back, all of this was made possible because he designed an engaging poster, and I pushed past my hesitation to introduce myself. My advice? Don’t be afraid to initiate those conversations or suggest a meetup. The stakes are low, but the rewards can be huge! If you find yourself in a lively discussion after a session or over posters, just say something within the lines of “Who wants to continue this over drinks, food, partying, or a walk?” In such a crowd, you have a good chance of finding like-minded people.
Exploration and discovery
If you have your main purpose and you have found your rockstars, you have done a good job, and you are free. You can spend the rest of the time exploring the city, meeting old friends, catching up on your work, or attending sessions of secondary interest. This can be highly professional, like a methodology session beside your main research theme, or it can be just for fun, like a session that connects to your hobby or a session with a really wild name you go to just because you can’t believe it exists. Walking the exhibition booths during session time (not coffee breaks) is a pro tip if you don’t know what to do: the crowd will be gone, and you will actually have space and time to look at things. I specifically recommend the book publishers (and they offer big discounts for EGU!), but it is also worth finding the booth of an instrument company you are familiar with and making friends with the people there. So all in all, work smarter, not harder: invest your mental energy in what is most important to you, and make sure you recharge as much as you can.
