As so many members of the group have never attended an in-person conference, I thought it might be worth answering the question “why do people attend conferences?”

First- up, we should remember that flying around the world is not a zero cost to the planet, so all of us lucky enough to be able to travel should think hard every time before we choose to do so.

This means it’s really important to make sure that we know why we are going to any conference and maximise the benefits from attendance. Below are a few things to think about in terms of why you attend a conference and what to do when you are there, but this is definitely not a complete list, more a starter for four.

1.            To present your work and ideas to a broader interested audience – I guess this is the obvious one. This is all about describing your research to an interested audience and getting the world excited about what you do. It should help you think about your work differently, get feedback on your work and gain new insights.

2.            To meet new people and for them to meet you / network – A conference should be the easiest place to meet loads of like-minded people and peers. At a well-chosen conference, you should encounter people from across the world with a much wider range of backgrounds and ideas than you will meet in Oxford. Conferences are a place where you can build your professional network that will help with scientific directions and ideas and potential next jobs.

3.            To learn new things, seed new ideas, and perhaps find solutions to problems. Hopefully, at the conference, you will not only get a chance to hear about papers you have already read but also hear about new areas, techniques, and unpublished data. You should see leaders in the field as well as many you hadn’t heard of before. Being at the conference also gives you a chance to speak to these people one-on-one about their work and yours. It allows you to ask questions that are hard to ask by email.

4.            Learn beyond your field or interest – Obviously, at least some of the conference will be close to your own interests, but hopefully, there will also be lots of opportunities to learn about other areas, and see synergies and opportunities.

There is so much you can gain from a conference, such as watching how someone does a good job at presenting research, practicing that skill yourself, deepening your understanding of your research area, broadening your understanding of the wider field, building a larger professional network, finding a new job, recruiting skilled people, getting out of Oxford for a while and visiting a new place!