It's just about springtime again, which means it's time to start reviewing research projects and begin thinking about what to present at professional meetings and conferences this year. Many of the fall conferences won't have deadlines for abstract submission for several months. But summer and late spring conferences will have deadlines in the near future. If you are planning to present in a prize session (such as the Romer or Colbert prize sessions with SVP) those will also have earlier deadlines.
I have decided to present research at two international conferences this year: the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) annual meeting in Los Angeles, CA and the International Symposium for Paleohistology meeting in Bozeman, MT.
Unfortunately, here in the US the government travel freeze has made it impossible for any scientists with federal jobs to travel to meetings this year, handicapping them in terms of networking, collaborating, and disseminating research results. This will undoubtedly impact meeting attendance this year, and depending on the meeting, could negatively impact meeting logistics. Keep an eye out for updates on scientific conferences this year - and if you'd been planning to meet with colleagues from the USGS, BLM, US Forest Service, US Fish & Wildlife, NPS, etc. at a conference this year, you might consider a Skype meeting instead.
But if you are lucky enough to get to go to a conference or two, and even better, have funding to go to your conferences, you will soon be faced with the classic dilemma: should I present a poster or give a talk?
There are advantages to both options, and many people have strong opinions as to the presentation forum, but in all honesty - some types of research are best presented as a poster, and others as a talk. Posters often are better suited to research with large, complex graphics that will not be easily read in a large conference room with a PowerPoint projection screen (especially by those not seated in the front row). Talks allow more visibility of a researcher (you have the spotlight for 15 whole minutes!), and allow you to show animations much more easily. However, that spotlight can feel like a 15 minute pressure cooker, especially if you have a full 3 minutes in there with heated questions from the audience. Poster sessions are often more relaxed and you have more time to convey your point to colleagues - however, if you are very unlucky, you could be stuck with a long time to argue with someone who just can't stand your research. Talks tend to reach a wider diversity and number of ears (some of which may just be waiting for the next talk), while posters can offer more in depth dialogues with interested individuals - which can more effectively translate into collaborations or even jobs than a talk, where someone will have to do the leg work of tracking you down afterwards.
Regardless of the format you chose (and you may not always get the format you prefer when submitting an abstract), you need to make your presentation as effect as possible. If you have the opportunity, a seminar in graphic design will go a long way into improving your presentation "art" for the rest of your career. The right software is also a key tool in preparing yourself - PowerPoint is great for a talk, but dreadful for putting together a poster - I have no idea why people do this. Adobe Illustrator, or another graphic design software, is what you need for a poster. If you are new to the software, have a buddy give you a quick run through, take a seminar, or find an online tutorial to get yourself started. Chances are you will need this skill for scientific illustrations for the rest of your career - so don't shy away from a new skill that will make your life easier. Be sure to have your poster/slides proofread by someone other than you - preferably someone unfamiliar with your research, who can point out what you need to better explain. Also, be sure to practice! A minimum of 3 rehearsals for a scientific talk can make a world of difference in confidence and presentation effectiveness.
Here are some helpful links to putting together effective scientific presentations. There are many more websites out there to help you, so surf around and see what you can find. Good luck!
Dazzle 'em with Style: The Art of Oral Scientific Presentation
Ten Secrets to Giving a Good Scientific Talk
The Art of Scientific Presentations
Scientific Poster Design
Ten Simple Rules for a Good Poster Presentation
Poster Presentation of Research Work
~JB McHugh
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