P212121

I was just asked to speak at the 2009 American Crystallography Association meeting this year. I will be presenting during the Educational Outreach in Crystallography session at 9:30 am. This was a last minute switch, as the original speaker was unable to attend, so I may not be listed in the conference information/flyer/brochure/pamphlet.

If you will be attending the conference, please stop by and say ‘hi’! I would love to be able to put faces to names. Finally, here are a couple tips I have picked up over the years from attending ACA (or any conference really):

Make a Plan: Presentations are usually given simultaneously, so take some time to figure out which ones you want to attend the next day. You would think this would be obvious, but I can’t tell you how many people I see trying to figure which talk they want to see next.

Take some Snacks: I usually end up waiting on others when lunch or dinner time rolls around. I have found that having a granola bar on hand can be a life saver.

Call your own Room: As soon as you get your room key, ask the front desk for the phone number to your room. Use your cell phone to call your room. You will then have your room phone number in your call log to give to others if the need arises.

Get to Know Someone New: Reach out, ask questions, be helpful, be yourself.

If you have any more conference tips, feel free to leave a comment.