Conference Presentations

Attending conferences and workshops to present work is simultaneously a responsibility of being a group member, an opportunity to develop as a professional and researcher, and a privilege acquired through hard work and commitment to your research projects.

Generally speaking, we attend conferences and workshops for several reasons:

To share our research activities and results with other members of the scholarly community
To learn what research is being carried out elsewhere in the community
To develop professional skills and relationships
To foster new collaborations and coordinate with existing collaborators on specific projects

Which conferences and workshops you attend will largely depend on potential requirements of your research project, your professional development needs and goals, the availability of funds to support conference travel. To participate in a meeting or conference, it is generally expected that you present an abstract (poster or talk) at that meeting. It is also expected that you attend for the duration of the meeting and use the time at the venue to engage with other research, develop professional skills, and build your professional network. The rationale behind these expectations is the expense associated with meeting registration (often more than $500) as well as travel expenses (often more than $1000).

Abstract Preparation

Abstracts should be prepared and submitted well in advance of posted due dates.

The first step in developing an abstract for submission is discussing with Lejo: (1) which meeting or conference you would like to attend, (2) what research you would like to present, (3) what co-authors you plan to include in your abstract, and if appropriate (4) what session you plan to submit the abstract to. Larger meetings and conferences often have many sessions for which you abstract might be appropriate. You should find up to 4 appropriate sessions that align with the goals of your abstract presentation before discussing with Lejo.

After deciding to develop an abstract, the next step in abstract development is writing an initial draft of the abstract. You are expected to find and adhere to all abstract requirements (e.g., word/character limits, etc.) in the initial draft. You should share this draft for revision with Lejo before sharing it with other coauthors. After Lejo has reviewed the abstract and discussed potential revisions with you, you should prepare a revised abstract.

This revised abstract should then be shared with co-authors with a due date for any responses. It is imperative that you provide your co-authors adequate time to read, review, and respond to the abstract. Although it can vary, typically 5 business days is the minimum amount of time to allow for their review. After receiving the responses of co-authors and revising the abstract accordingly, you should send the final abstract to all co-authors, submit the abstract to the conference/meeting submission site, and forward email confirmation of the abstract submission to your co-authors.

Presentation Preparation

Prepare well in advance Use presentation templates Use high-quality images, rendered with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. Solicit feedback from co-authors in a timely fashion Always acknowledge funding sources Save a copy of your final presentation

Travel Preparation

Expected to adhere to all university travel policies. Involves Consult the handbook for your appropriate graduate program

Conference Attendance

Above all, professionalism and safety are expected when attending meetings and conferences. You are a representative of the LEAF group, university, and your scientific discipline while at conferences and your behavior reflects – positively and negatively – on those institutions. Remember that fellow attendees are prospective employers, collaborators, and/or colleagues.

Most conferences and meetings have a Code of Conduct outlining expectations of meeting attendees, reporting procedures if violations of the Code of Conduct are observed, and potential consequences of violations. You are expected to review the meeting Code of Conduct (it may be required during registration) and follow it.

As mentioned above, it is expected you attend for the duration of the conference or meeting. This does not mean you need to be present at conference events every day, all day. Indeed, large conferences and meetings can be overwhelming – particularly for first-time attendees – and you should plan for periods of rest and recovery over the course of the meeting. These are periods you may want to take advantage of the meeting venue and enjoy a walk, hike, or other outing. Many meetings like AGU and AMS have mobile apps that can help you plan your meeting itinerary.

Conferences of Note

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting: Held annually
The American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting and Expo
Idaho Water Quality Workshop: Held annually in the Boise State Student Union Building
AMS Mountain Meteorology Conference
CUAHSI Biennial Meeting