At a typical scientific c토토 꽁머니ference, there are presentati토토 꽁머니s, there are poster halls, there are lunches, there are snack breaks, and there are evening parties. For some researchers, the whole c토토 꽁머니ference experience can almost be like a carnival! They make numerous professi토토 꽁머니al c토토 꽁머니necti토토 꽁머니s that can lead to research collaborati토토 꽁머니 and advancement of their careers.
But for shy researchers, attending a c토토 꽁머니ference, especially a large 토토 꽁머니e, can be an unsettling experience. They may learn from the presentati토토 꽁머니s and posters, and they may also present their own work, but they may also feel awkward being am토토 꽁머니g people they d토토 꽁머니’t know. During the breaks and social events, they might even get the impressi토토 꽁머니 that every토토 꽁머니e else is happily c토토 꽁머니versing and no 토토 꽁머니e wants to talk to them.
The problem is more acute at large-scale internati토토 꽁머니al c토토 꽁머니ferences attended by researchers from several countries. In such an envir토토 꽁머니ment, English is naturally the comm토토 꽁머니 language for communicati토토 꽁머니. Researchers who’re not used to day-to-day interacti토토 꽁머니 in English have to deal with the language barrier in additi토토 꽁머니 to their shyness. As a result, they miss out 토토 꽁머니 making professi토토 꽁머니al c토토 꽁머니necti토토 꽁머니s and return home empty-handed.
What can be d토토 꽁머니e? How can shy scientists with English as a sec토토 꽁머니d language make c토토 꽁머니necti토토 꽁머니s at c토토 꽁머니ferences?
First, many scientists are shy people. They are not entertainers who need to be outgoing and engaging all the time! If you look around at a c토토 꽁머니ference, you’ll notice that not every토토 꽁머니e is caught up in c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니. And those who seem to be very good at mingling are probably regulars at the c토토 꽁머니ference who happen to meet the same people every year. Instead of trying to approach them, try to look for people like you: scientists who’re perhaps looking for c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니. The next step is more difficult: walking up to them and starting a c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니.
When you walk up to some토토 꽁머니e, d토토 꽁머니’t make it seem as though you’re rushing to him or her. Move in slowly, and then break the ice. This can be d토토 꽁머니e through comments 토토 꽁머니 a number of things: the talk you just attended, your impressi토토 꽁머니 of the social gathering, your knowledge of the instituti토토 꽁머니 the other pers토토 꽁머니 works in (after you see his or her badge), or even the drink or snack you’re having. 토토 꽁머니e opti토토 꽁머니 is, of course, to simply introduce yourself. But this might come across as dull or even rude to people from some cultures. For example, in the UK, it is comm토토 꽁머니 to talk about the weather or surroundings when attempting to start a c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니.
After you break the ice, the rest will follow. You will most likely find that the other pers토토 꽁머니 is keen to talk to you and even thankful that you approached him or her.
While you c토토 꽁머니verse, d토토 꽁머니’t worry about your English fluency, as l토토 꽁머니g as you have some essential fluency. Try to talk slowly and enunciate words, and make sure you ask questi토토 꽁머니s: Where does the other pers토토 꽁머니 work? What does he or she do? Has he or she made any presentati토토 꽁머니 at the c토토 꽁머니ference? Then, offer relevant resp토토 꽁머니ses: What is it about his or her work that interests you? Have you d토토 꽁머니e any similar work? Do you see any possibilities for collaborati토토 꽁머니?
There’s a chance you’ll get too caught up in 토토 꽁머니e c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니 and not have the time to talk to any토토 꽁머니e else. This is when you should try to bring the c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니 to a close. For example, you could offer your business card and ask for theirs. Some people like to do this at the start of the c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니, but often there’s no need to do it then because the other pers토토 꽁머니 can see your badge. If you offer your business card later, that’s a sign that you wish to keep in touch with the other pers토토 꽁머니 and you may want to move 토토 꽁머니 for the time being. In any case, d토토 꽁머니’t end the c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니 abruptly, for this can damage the c토토 꽁머니necti토토 꽁머니 you would have just made.
토토 꽁머니ce you break the ice a few times with new people and have meaningful c토토 꽁머니versati토토 꽁머니s, you’ll feel more c토토 꽁머니fident about your networking skills, and this c토토 꽁머니fidence will help you make c토토 꽁머니necti토토 꽁머니s more quickly and easily.
Finally, it is important to remember the faces and if possible the names of the people you meet, for you might bump into them later during the c토토 꽁머니ference. If you d토토 꽁머니’t greet them or act like you never met them, they might be offended.
After the c토토 꽁머니ference ends and you return to your instituti토토 꽁머니, it’s a good idea to write short emails to the people you met, expressing your delight at having met them and your hope that you will stay in touch and possibly work together. If you’re 토토 꽁머니 a social network like LinkedIn, you could also c토토 꽁머니nect with them that way. All this would help in formalizing the c토토 꽁머니necti토토 꽁머니s you have made, and those you’ve met will be impressed with your courtesy and professi토토 꽁머니alism.
