The Role of Poster Sessions in Academic Conferences Explained
Poster sessions – what is their role in academic events? And should you consider doing a poster presentation when the next opportunity presents itself?
Academic conferences have long been the bridge that connects scholars, researchers, educators, and professionals from around the world. Generations of scientists gather under one roof to share knowledge, ask questions, and gain a new perspective on old concepts.
While keynote presentations and panel discussions often steal the spotlight, poster sessions play an essential role in academic conferences. And yes, you should definitely consider giving a poster presentation at the next event!
The indispensable role of poster sessions
A scientific poster is a visual summary of one’s research. As with an oral presentation, presenting a poster requires submitting an abstract and being selected by the scientific committee.
Poster presentations are the arteries of scientific conferences. They are vessels of knowledge that stimulate discussions, facilitate networking, and ignite inspiration.
Typically, poster presentations are done in the networking area of the event venue. Large scientific gatherings sometimes allocate a dedicated hall to poster presentations.
The goal of a poster presentation is to communicate your research in an effective and visual manner. Just like an oral presentation, a poster should contain elements like an explanation of the methodology, findings, the implications, etc. However, most of it should be communicated via charts, graphs, and other visual aids. You, as a presenter, narrate the visual story you’ve laid out on your poster. Your job is to capture the attention of your audience and in a succinct way explain your research and its importance.
The advantages of poster presentations over other formats
There are a number of advantages of presenting your research in the form of a poster:
- More accessible for researchers in the early stages of their career. Oral presentations are not easy. Public speaking is a skill that the majority of us have to develop – it is not a natural skill for most. So it comes as no surprise that academics that are just a couple of years into their careers feel intimidated by the idea of doing a 30-40-minute oral presentation in front of a large group of peers.
Poster presentations are a much less stressful alternative. Yes, you do need to engage your audience by doing a short elevator pitch, but there is a difference between summarizing your research in a couple of minutes to a group of 3-4 conference attendees and presenting with a microphone, on stage, to a group of 30, 50, 100 people.
- Great for maximizing networking opportunities. Networking is one of the biggest benefits of academic conferences. It’s a chance to meet future research collaborators, discover job opportunities, learn about grants, and, in general, meet people who are excited to be a part of shaping the future of a specific discipline.
Presenting a poster is a natural pathway into networking. One minute you’re talking about your research, next you’re asking your peers about their interests, academic backgrounds, and goals.
- Flexible pace and structure. Oral presentations are timed. As a speaker, you get, say 30 minutes. You then need to make sure you get through every part of your presentation in a timely manner. With poster presentations, on the other hand, you can go at a pace that you’re comfortable with. If someone is showing a lot of interest in your research, you can zoom in on certain parts of your presentation and have a longer discussion. If you sense that a group of peers you’re talking to is in a rush, you fast forward to the key findings.
Furthermore, unlike a keynote/panel discussion that you only do once, poster sessions require repetition. You present the same research over and over again. After a few times, you start gaining insights into what parts of the presentation seem to gauge the most interest and which parts could be reworked to sound more engaging.
Conclusion
In the dynamic environment of academic conferences, poster sessions hold a vital role that often complements the more structured formats of keynotes and oral presentations. They also offer several advantages over oral presentations.
However, whether it’s a poster presentation, a panel participation, or a virtual keynote presentation – get involved! Become an active participant in the next academic conference. Don’t hesitate – submit your abstract and join the larger discourse in your discipline.
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