Outlining the Hidden Curriculum: Perspectives on Successfully Navigating Scientific ConferencesClick to copy article linkArticle link copied!
- Eduardo J. Caro-Diaz*Eduardo J. Caro-Diaz*Email: [email protected]Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico─Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00935More by Eduardo J. Caro-Diaz
- Marcy J. Balunas*Marcy J. Balunas*Email: [email protected]Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United StatesDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United StatesMore by Marcy J. Balunas
- Lesley-Ann GiddingsLesley-Ann GiddingsDepartment of Chemistry, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063, United StatesMore by Lesley-Ann Giddings
- Sandra LoesgenSandra LoesgenDepartment of Chemistry, Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, University of Florida, St. Augustine, Florida 32080, United StatesMore by Sandra Loesgen
- Brian T. MurphyBrian T. MurphyDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United StatesMore by Brian T. Murphy
- C. Benjamin NamanC. Benjamin NamanDepartment of Science and Conservation, San Diego Botanic Garden, Encinitas, California 92024, United StatesMore by C. Benjamin Naman
- Christine E. SalomonChristine E. SalomonCenter for Drug Design, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United StatesMore by Christine E. Salomon
- Kevin J. TidgewellKevin J. TidgewellPharmaceutical Sciences Department, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506, United StatesMore by Kevin J. Tidgewell
- Jaclyn M. WinterJaclyn M. WinterDepartment of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, United StatesMore by Jaclyn M. Winter
Abstract
Scientific conferences and meetings are valuable opportunities for researchers to network, communicate, and develop knowledge. For early career scientists, conferences can also be intimidating, confusing, and overwhelming, especially without having adequate preparation or experience. In this Perspective, we provide advice based on previous experiences navigating scientific meetings and conferences. These guidelines outline parts of the hidden curriculum around preparing for and attending meetings, navigating conference sessions, networking with other scientists, and participating in social activities while upholding a recommended code of conduct.
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You are free to share(copy and redistribute) this article in any medium or format within the parameters below:
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Attribution (BY): Credit must be given to the creator.
Non-Commercial (NC): Only non-commercial uses of the work are permitted.
No Derivatives (ND): Derivative works may be created for non-commercial purposes, but sharing is prohibited.
*Disclaimer
This summary highlights only some of the key features and terms of the actual license. It is not a license and has no legal value. Carefully review the actual license before using these materials.
License Summary*
You are free to share(copy and redistribute) this article in any medium or format within the parameters below:
Creative Commons (CC): This is a Creative Commons license.
Attribution (BY): Credit must be given to the creator.
Non-Commercial (NC): Only non-commercial uses of the work are permitted.
No Derivatives (ND): Derivative works may be created for non-commercial purposes, but sharing is prohibited.
*Disclaimer
This summary highlights only some of the key features and terms of the actual license. It is not a license and has no legal value. Carefully review the actual license before using these materials.
License Summary*
You are free to share(copy and redistribute) this article in any medium or format within the parameters below:
Creative Commons (CC): This is a Creative Commons license.
Attribution (BY): Credit must be given to the creator.
Non-Commercial (NC): Only non-commercial uses of the work are permitted.
No Derivatives (ND): Derivative works may be created for non-commercial purposes, but sharing is prohibited.
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(1) | Preparing to attend and present at a scientific conference; (9) | ||||
(2) | Understanding general conference dynamics and expectations; | ||||
(3) | Establishing a general framework for good practices and a respectful code of conduct; | ||||
(4) | Maximizing the benefit of conference attendance and participation. |
Preparing for the Conference
Accommodations and Travel Planning
Dress Code
Presentations
Who Will Be There?
Participating in the Conference
Name Badges
Time Management
Presenting
Code of Conduct
Be considerate and respectful in all conference spaces and interactions, including those that may occur off-site.
Be mindful of the surroundings and fellow conference attendees. If a situation requires attention or anyone is distressed, immediately relay this information to designated conference officials.
Refrain from using vulgar language.
Refer to individuals by their name and pronouns.
Do not harass or engage in inappropriate behavior toward others. Harassment may encompass remarks or humor centered around disparities between genders or sexual subjects, unsolicited approaches or propositions for dates or sexual involvement, or the utilization of language or visuals that demean or degrade others.
Navigating Social Events
Expanding Professional Networks
Following Up after the Conference
Conclusions
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the American Society of Pharmacognosy and its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee for its commitment to excellence through inclusive practices making all our members feel included, welcomed, and represented.
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This article references 24 other publications.
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References
This article references 24 other publications.
- 1Jackson, P. W. Life in Classrooms; Teachers College Press: New York, 1990.There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 2Hariharan, J. Uncovering the Hidden Curriculum. Science 2019, 364 (6441), 702, DOI: 10.1126/science.364.6441.702There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 3Orón Semper, J. V.; Blasco, M. Revealing the Hidden Curriculum in Higher Education. Stud. Philos. Educ. 2018, 37 (5), 481– 498, DOI: 10.1007/s11217-018-9608-5There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 4Enders, F. T.; Golembiewski, E. H.; Orellana, M.; Silvano, C. J.; Sloan, J.; Balls-Berry, J. The Hidden Curriculum in Health Care Academia: An Exploratory Study for the Development of an Action Plan for the Inclusion of Diverse Trainees. J. Clin. Transl. Sci. 2021, 5 (1), e203 DOI: 10.1017/cts.2021.867There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 5Cherrstrom, C. A. Making Connections: Attending Professional Conferences. Adult Learn. 2012, 23 (3), 148– 152, DOI: 10.1177/1045159512452263There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 6Becerra, L. A.; Sellers, T. P.; Contreras, B. P. Maximizing the Conference Experience: Tips to Effectively Navigate Academic Conferences Early in Professional Careers. Behav. Anal. Pract. 2020, 13 (2), 479– 491, DOI: 10.1007/s40617-019-00406-wThere is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 7James, J. B.; Gunn, A. L.; Akob, D. M. Binning Singletons: Mentoring through Networking at ASM Microbe 2019. mSphere 2020, 5 (1), e00643-19 DOI: 10.1128/mSphere.00643-19There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 8Anglesey, L. R.; Cecil-Lemkin, E. The Importance of Keeping Conference Quiet Rooms Quiet. Coll. Compos. Commun. 2020, 72 (1), 99– 102There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 9McCarthy, J. F.; McDonald, D. W.; Soroczak, S.; Nguyen, D. H.; Rashid, A. M. Augmenting the Social Space of an Academic Conference. In Proceedings of the 2004 ACM conference on computer supported cooperative work; ACM: Chicago, IL, 2004; pp 39– 48. DOI: 10.1145/1031607.1031615 .There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 10McClurg, U. L. Conference Accessibility Should Be a Universal Concern. Nat. Cell Biol. 2024, 26, 309, DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01346-6There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 11Sohn, E. Ways to Make Meetings Accessible. Nature 2019, 576 (7787), S74– S75, DOI: 10.1038/d41586-019-03852-2There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 12Quintana, C. What are career closets? More colleges help cash-strapped students with job-ready clothes. USA TODAY. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2022/12/26/career-closets-college-campuses-student-success/10792555002/ (accessed 2023–09–05).There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 13Bourne, P. E. Ten Simple Rules for Making Good Oral Presentations. PLoS Comput. Biol. 2007, 3 (4), e77 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.0030077There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 14Jacinto, T.; Boots, A.; Bikov, A.; Hardavella, G.; Saad, N.; Bjerg, A. Doing Science: Oral Presentations. Breathe 2014, 10 (1), 79– 81, DOI: 10.1183/20734735.101214There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 15Pain, E. How to Prepare a Scientific Poster. Science 2022, DOI: 10.1126/science.caredit.ada0293There is no corresponding record for this reference.
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- 20Gregor, R.; Johnston, J.; Coe, L. S. Y.; Evans, N.; Forsythe, D.; Jones, R.; Muratore, D.; De Oliveira, B. F. R.; Szabo, R.; Wan, Y.; Williams, J.; Chappell, C. R.; Matsuda, S. B.; Ortiz Alvarez De La Campa, M.; Queer and Trans in Microbiology Consortium; Weissman, J. L.; Fagre, A. C.; Frese, S. A.; Hamilton, M.; Labbate, M.; Mollner, M.; Moroenyane, I.; Pacciani-Mori, L.; Piedade, G. J.; Pontrelli, S.; Yang, M. Y.; Weiss, A. C. B.; Zablocki, O.; Vyas, H. K. N. Building a Queer- and Trans-Inclusive Microbiology Conference. mSystems 2023, 8 (5), e00433-23 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00433-23There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 21Favaro, B.; Oester, S.; Cigliano, J. A.; Cornick, L. A.; Hind, E. J.; Parsons, E. C. M.; Woodbury, T. J. Your Science Conference Should Have a Code of Conduct. Front. Mar. Sci. 2016, 3, 13 DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2016.00103There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 22ASP Code of Conduct-2023. ASP Annual Meeting. https://aspmeetings.pharmacognosy.us/?page_id=876 (accessed 2023–08–31).There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 23Sardelis, S.; Oester, S.; Liboiron, M. Ten Strategies to Reduce Gender Inequality at Scientific Conferences. Front. Mar. Sci. 2017, 4, 231, DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2017.00231There is no corresponding record for this reference.
- 24Oswald, A.-M. M.; Ostojic, S. Curating More Diverse Scientific Conferences. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2020, 21 (11), 589– 590, DOI: 10.1038/s41583-020-0373-4There is no corresponding record for this reference.