Although science is often portrayed in the media as a cold, strictly rational endeavor, scientists know that developing relationships and communicating effectively at conferences through seminars, poster presentations, and networking is vital to their careers. Yet the art of communication is often neglected in scientific training. To give students and postdocs some tips for getting the most out of professional meetings, Science Alliance asked Michael Zigmond from the University of Pittsburgh and Colin Purrington of Swarthmore College to present a webinar on this topic on May 2, 2009.

According to Michael Zigmond, attendees must be prepared, practice for encounters that may be difficult at first, and develop an understanding of the unspoken conventions of the scientific conference. And one way to attract people with whom to network is to have an engaging poster that stands out from the rest. Colin Purrington described how to design such a presentation.