The last week saw me spend more time speaking than I can recall in recent memory, all thanks to the Proteostasis and Disease Symposium. A blur of yummy food, wonderful people, stunning views and cutting edge science – all the makings of a good conference. If you don’t believe me, you can see what others thought here: #Proteostasis2017
There are many, many meetings of scientists all over the world scattered throughout the year, but this particular conference will always have a soft spot in my heart. It is in my hometown (the absolutely stunning Wollongong), hosted by my alma-mater, and is the perfect way to showcase my science, show off my old stomping ground to international guests and catch up with my scientific family.
There was a good mix of invited international speakers, presentations selected from abstract submissions and poster presentations from PhD students at various stages. All of the talks described essential research techniques and reported positive outcomes. Truly inspiring talks that fired up my brain with new and interesting ideas, drawing spiderwebs of connections and blossoming collaborative projects.
This is part of the reason why I really enjoy scientific conferences. These opportunities are a great time to take stock of my own research and think more about how it fits within the wider field. Often, scientific research can be draining. A mass of rejections, failed experiments and job insecurity can make it difficult to remember why it was I chose this path in the first place. However, conferences are a way to reinvigorate my scientific curiosity, and many times have been the cure to a significant slump.
I mentioned that I spent a great deal of the conference talking. Having moved away at the beginning of the year, this conference was my first opportunity to catch up with people from my old institute. More importantly, though, I made a conscious decision to gain as much as I could from the three day event by focusing on my networking skills. I was determined to move on from being the shy PhD student hoping to fade into the background, and made it my mission to engage with the international guests of various levels at every opportunity.
I was lucky enough to spend a significant amount of time chatting with two of the senior researchers. I can honestly say, although at times terrifying, that this was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career so far. Despite being ‘celebrities’ of the  field, they were extremely personable and made for engaging dinner conversations. More than that, they were both forthcoming with experience and advice, and offered carefully considered critiques of my research.
For those lucky enough to be blessed with the self-confidence to be unfazed by encounters with important mentors, this may not seem like a big deal. I can assure you, for me and many others, it takes a vast amount of courage and persistence – but the reward is also much much more satisfying. Feeling as though you have made a new connection with a likeminded peer or professor in your field is truly an accomplishment. Knowing that you are able to achieve something you set your mind to has a funny way of boosting your confidence, and an even funnier collection of flow-on effects.
Returning home, I am happy and excited for the week ahead. Armed with my new-found confidence and three potential new collaborations, tomorrow is the start of one of few weeks left in the year. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to make the most of it!
