diff --git a/_posts/2018-12-30-poster.md b/_posts/2018-12-30-poster.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000000000..b0f4fcbe03f99 --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2018-12-30-poster.md @@ -0,0 +1,108 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: How to Present a Scientific Poster at a Mega-Conference +author: Charles Sutton +tags: +- advice +- presentation advice +--- + +A lot of scientific communication happens at +poster sessions. It's a great way to learn +about the field, and to meet new people +with similar research interests. It's also a great +way to be noticed in a crowded research field. +Presenting a poster is just as important, +and requires as much specialized skill, +as giving a 25-minute talk. +Way back when, before this blog became what it is, I wrote advice for [presenting research posters](http://homepages.inf.ed.ac.uk/csutton/advice/posters.html). +Back when I started attending research conferences, +advice like that was probably good enough. + +But these days, I think we need a few more +tricks in our poster-presenting sleeves. +One of my favourite recent conferences, +NeurIPS, had over 9000 attendees this year. +Unavoidably, the room was a little bit loud, and +it wasn't unusual for a poster to have +twenty people around it. +*When the conference gets this large, +you need to present your poster differently.* +I saw posters where +one presenter carefully and quietly explained the poster +to one person, both of them intently facing the poster, +cheerfully oblivious to the fact that ten people were standing +behind them, patiently reading the poster. +If you are the presenter, don't do this! + +Instead, follow Sutton's Three Rules for Presenting +a Popular Poster at a Mega-Conference: + +1. **Be aware of what's going on around you.** +While you're talking about your poster, people will +be both joining and leaving your audience. +You need to keep track of this. +First, this lets you acknowledge someone who joins, +by making eye contact and giving a quick smile or nod +as you speak. (I'm not too proud to admit that although +I try to do this for everyone, I'm even more likely to +do this when the new person is someone I know, +or someone famous.) +Second, having awareness lets you adapt your presentation, +because the way you talk to 2 or 3 people is different than +the way you talk to a crowd of 15 people. How so? +See the next two points. + +1. **Use your body language.** +Congratulations! Your work has attracted a crowd, +and you have maintained the presence of mind to +notice. Now what? + + Continue your short talk about the paper, +just like you had before. You just need to make clear that +you are talking to the whole group rather than one person. +You do that with your body language. + + Face the entire group. Make yourself big. +Put your feet just a bit farther apart, +your shoulders up, your arms away from your body, and +your gestures large, so that everyone can see you. +Look around the entire group as you speak. +If you are doing this right, there will be a large semicircle around the poster, and you will be in a prominent +position at one side. + +1. **You need to speak up.** If people can't hear you, +they will move on to the next poster. You need to speak +loudly enough that you can be heard 15 feet away in a +loud room. My voice is naturally on the loud side, +but even I had to consciously exert my full effort +to project my voice +while I was presenting our NeurIPS poster. + + There are techniques for doing this without straining +your voice. +If your profession involves speaking, as is common +in academia, it might help to learn about this. +"The Right to Speak" by Patsy Rosenberg is one +book that has been recommended to me. + +What's that you say? It's hard to do all of that +while talking about research at the same time? +Yes! It is. That's why you need to practice your short presentation +until you know it well. This leaves you with mental +space that you can use to focus on your audience. +(Actually, this is good advice for all talks.) + +The transition from "small group poster talk" +to "large group poster talk" can be awkward, but you +manage it. You can say something to the earlier group like, +"I'm going to reset the presentation for these new people, +but feel free to jump in if you think of more questions." +Stuff like that. + +One time, I had just started presenting +the poster to one person when a group seemed to come +up out of nowhere. I just looked at my faithful +original audience and said, "You might want to take +a step back, because I'm about to shout." I did, and he did. I didn't restart my talk, but I added in a few background phrases here +and there to help the larger group get context.