Scopus indexed conferences play a major role in the professional development and advancement of many disciplines. They should be found in all major scientific and academic disciplines as well as diverse professions, along with also the activities of numerous societies and professional associations. These areas form a sub-sector of the events industry that can be collectively referred to as the Academic, Scientific, and Professional (ASP) community. Across all academic and scientific fields, higher education is a constant point of reference, and many ASP conference delegates will either be employed or enrolled in higher education institutions or follow professions that are engrained within higher education and training. Although conferences might not directly address education as a content topic, the broader concepts of dissemination and generation of academic and scientific knowledge imply that consideration of ASP conferences logically falls within the purview of “higher education”. On taking a close look, issues such as –
- the generation of science,
- the propagation of knowledge,
- research as a public service and pertinent public policies,
- the economic impacts of scientific research,
- peer review,
- academic community,
- networking,
- scientific rigor and oversight,
- academic professionalism and the preparation of scholars, and
- disciplinary knowledge societies,
All strongly link Scopus conference activities with the sub disciplines of science and education. Nevertheless, while all of these issues established foundational theories and knowledge, none were explored in depth against the conference framework. The logistical and economic factors of providing conferences were discussed in events industry literature, but there is little research on the needs of delegates. Attempts have been made to recognize delegate needs but have had difficulty producing generalizable results, but suggested that the conferencing market be segmented to better understand and meet the needs of conference delegates. ASP conferences depict a significant portion of this market, but until recently, little research identified the scope of the sector, the mechanism, and the effectiveness of its events, or the needs and motivations of its delegated body. Considering the service delivery nature of conference and academic event hosting, this is quite intriguing.
Preparation Is Key To Deriving Maximum Benefit Out Of A Conference
- Scopus-indexed conferences offer many short- and long-term benefits.
- Scopus Indexed Conference 2024 India allow one both to share their latest discoveries with the immediate research community and to access the latest research.Sharing research before it is formally written up for a proper Scopus journal publication, through formal or informal interactions, has many benefits.It allows one to formulate a narrative and test it on an audience of experts and potential reviewers, with the benefit of addressing concerns or gaps in the narrative, if any.It also allows one, as an intern, to present their work early in front of influential professionals, some of whom could play a formal or informal mentoring role in their future career.Conferences also allow them, as a participant, to hear the latest research results from other labs around the world, often long before they are published.The overall benefits of research are obvious, as it can inform their own research and often initiate formal collaborations.However, conferences often involve a serious commitment of time, effort, and resources, and proper planning and preparation are essential to maximizing the benefits they get from attending upcoming Scopus indexed conferences in India.The type of preparation may vary slightly depending on the type of conference the intern is aiming for, but the general principles remain the same.Intentional planning and active effort are required on the part of individual participants.
- Planning and preparation involve –
- identifying the ideal conferences,
- planning the logistics of participation,
- writing and submitting abstract(s),
- preparing one’s presentation and/or poster,
- reviewing the list of participants and making
- Early contacts and formal arrangements with other professionals.
What Does Preparing For A Conference Exactly Entail?
- Making A List Of All Relevant Conferences
One should do it very early in their training. This list can be reused or modified later. One should note that their lab may have a list of conferences it regularly attends.
- Visiting Previous Conference Websites & Noting The Topics Covered
The Scopus-indexed Conference 2024 publication assures top-notch quality standards where the papers undergo a complete research process from scratch and also allow sophisticated content search. One should find alignment with their research topic and their professional interests. They should also browse the participant lists.
- Choosing One Or Two Conferences Worth Attending, Based On Priority, Interests & Budget Constraints
The Scopus publication conference fosters the promulgation of current research and promotes collaboration seamlessly. One should note that their department or university may have funding for conference travel. For example, many prominent universities, research institutions, and companies reimburse the travel, registration, and accommodation expenses of conference goers.
- Creating Calendar Reminders For The One Or Two Conferences Identified
For example –
- abstract submission,
- registration, and
- accommodation.
- Working With Advisors To Write A Good Abstract
One should note that most platform presentations are reviewed by the conference committee and selected based on competitive criteria. Poster abstracts in certain fields (such as in the biomedical field), on the other hand, cannot be reviewed before being accepted but can be judged competitively at the Scopus publication conference.
- Planning & Practicing Both The Presentation & Elevator Pitch
One should practice their presentation and elevator pitch and tailor their material and mode of delivery to the audience. The Scopus indexed conference 2024 with publication increases the overall visibility and impact of conference proceedings & affords advancement of knowledge in multiple fields.
- Sharing News about Conference Participation Enthusiastically with the Scientific Community Typically the scopus indexed conference proceedings include research findings and academic discussions that come under a concerned discipline. One should let their colleagues, peers, and others know that they are attending the conference. When sharing, include the title of their accepted abstract, poster number, and time of presentation, if applicable. Tweeting with the conference hash tag is a great way to let a wider audience know they’re attending. Once they are well prepared, they should focus on presenting their work effectively, building new relationships, and strengthening existing ones.
Networking Is The Name Of The Game
- Networking is the cultivation of productive relationships when meeting new people, either intentionally or by chance.
- This is a two-way process that requires both parties to share relevant information about each other and recognize that continued interactions can be mutually beneficial.
- The new relationships built through this process can be enhanced or strengthened in the future, depending on the purpose of professional growth.
- Networking has powerful positive consequences that can be attributed to the human nature of connecting with others.
- Talking to someone in person (or even via direct online video conferencing) gives a personal and intuitive picture of the individual, far beyond what email or LinkedIn profiles can provide.
- These personal interactions also build credibility and authenticity. So the person who could influence one’s career decisions is able to make an informed, personal and confident recommendation or job suggestion based on what they know about them as a real person.
- A 2016 LinkedIn survey, unsurprisingly, indicated that 85% of all job openings are filled through networking connections.
- The act of connecting with new people doesn’t have to be awkward, hypocritical, or selfish. Introverts will likely find it harder to strike up conversations and find common ground than extroverts.
- Both introverts and extroverts, however, have innate qualities of being good listeners and good speakers, respectively, which contributes to effective networking.
- With intention, preparation, and practice, both personalities can tailor their approaches to networking based on their comfort level.
- Therefore, while initial experiences and outcomes may be different for people with different personalities, it is crucial to emphasize that networking is an essential skill that everyone should develop.
- Networking has also often been viewed, especially in some academic circles, as dishonest intent or simply to gain favors.
- True networking has none of these attributes.
- On the contrary, it must be based on trust, humility, and reciprocity, which are the main catalysts for strong network connections.
- Although networks can be built using many different methods and spaces, conferences offer easy places and opportunities to establish human connections.
- For example, one’s presentation or poster is likely to naturally attract scientists in the field whose research is related to theirs or whose research could be advanced by their knowledge or expertise.
- These scientists could be on the review committee for their manuscript or grant application, be part of future research committees where hiring decisions are made, or be part of a study section where their future research proposals and grant are discussed.
- It is, therefore, beneficial to actively pursue interactions.
- Senior and more influential scientists often appreciate trainees proactively inviting them to attend their lectures or view their posters.
- It creates excitement and a subtle commitment to engage more with otherwise busy professionals.
- The opportunity to interact and hold a scientific discourse with leaders in their discipline, if they take advantage of it, can give them a privileged lead towards a future prospect or even create personalized or even unadvertised positions that they can apply to their laboratory for a postdoctoral fellowship, or to their university for a professorship.
- Networking at a conference can give them insight into other job openings, guide them on aligning with upcoming funding opportunities, and help them establish new collaborations – all ways to start building their niche.
- Informative talks offer another opportunity to quickly expand one’s relevant professional network at conferences.
- Informative interviews help them gather data or real-life experiences from an expert on topics, which can be used to guide their future business decisions.
- Just like scientific data, gathering information from as wide a network as possible helps them make informed choices based on recurring trends.
- It is important to realize that informational interviews are not job interviews or job application opportunities and should not be treated as such.
- Rather, the underlying goal of these interviews is to start connecting with professionals in the discipline and to obtain as much relevant information as possible efficiently in a short period of time.
- Because the focus is on efficiency, decide on one’s goals and prepare conversation topics well before they jump into interactions.
- For example, discussion topics may include learning about new career areas along with required skills and measures of success, new research tools or methodologies, or news about the work culture of a future lab or of a potential employer.
What Does Networking Exactly Entail?
- Making A Detailed List Of One’s Short-Term & Long-Term Professional Goals
Taking a quiz assessing –
- career interests,
- skills and
- values,
- helps set goals.
- Browsing The Abstract Book & Conference Website For A List Of Attendees
- Contacting Like-Minded Participants
One should get in touch with such participants via a targeted and short email with whom they wish to meet one on one. The list may include future –
- postdoctoral advisors,
- collaborators,
- mentors, and others.
- Creating A Series Of Questions For These People These
One should think of things they’d like to get to know about and learn from these people, and then prepare a questionnaire accordingly.
- Updating The Resume To Have It Handy During The Conference
- Writing & Practicing Short & Long Elevator Pitches
- Maintaining A Professional Presence Throughout The Event
What Does Sustaining Professional Relationships Entail?
- Relationships are often easier to initiate than to maintain, as maintaining and developing a relationship takes time and intention for many people.
- For the connection to grow, a commitment from both parties is necessary.
- One’s goal is to communicate that they appreciate the relationship.
- It is, therefore, crucial to follow up immediately and periodically thereafter.
- When following up on one’s new connection, they should indicate that their engagement with them has been productive and that they would appreciate the opportunity to continue engaging with them.
- Another key determinant of lasting relationships is repeated face-to-face interactions.
- These repeated engagements are most effective in contexts that allow for open conversations.
- The optimal conditions for such conversations are social gatherings or smaller conferences.
- Open conversations are powerful for deciphering behavioral traits and getting to know people through stories and anecdotes.
- These frequent interactions often appear as long-term, mutually beneficial connections.
Best Practices For Supporting One’s Network With Fast & Actionable Tracking
- Sending A Thank You Email Within Two Days
One should thank them for their time and talk about the next steps discussed (short and long term). They should also indicate the next time they can contact them (for example, in two or six months).
- Following Up (For Instance After Two Or Six Months)
One should make sure to follow up at least in a couple of months and/or provide a status update –
- new document or successful funding,
- labor market activity,
- new question limited in time,
- or a simple thank you for a lead from their relationship.
- Following Up
One should follow up and get to know if they are able to reciprocate with any help or resources they can provide.
- Connecting On Social Media
If they use social media, one should connect with them on LinkedIn with a short personal note and follow and engage them on Twitter.
Networking At Virtual Conferences Isn’t All That Different
- Recently, most academic and other engagements have taken place remotely through video conferencing apps.
- Online conferences can be difficult and unfamiliar to navigate because the familiar in-person connections made during poster sessions, at the breakfast and lunch tables, and during coffee breaks are no longer available.
- In addition, it is impossible to meet someone in the hotel lobby or at the registration desk.
- Therefore, the mechanics and scheduling of online conferences are different from those of in-person conferences.
- Video conferencing software tools, as well as application-based platforms, are used for daily meetings and for conferences.
- App-based platforms can be useful for initiating new connections and asking organizers questions.
- This is an emerging critical topic of discussion and innovation in academic and non-academic circles, and it is anticipated that more resources will become available in the months ahead.
Best Practices for Participating In Virtual Scopus Indexed Conferences
- Thinking Of Virtual Conferences Exactly As In-Person Events
One should keep their schedule free as if they were attending an in-person meeting and creating automatic out-of-office replies from their email to avoid distractions.
- Maintaining An Online Presence Throughout
During the conference, one should keep their video on as much as possible, especially when asking questions or engaging in discussions.
- Turning Off The Video Stream In Case Of Unavoidable Distractions
If one is the primary caregiver for young children or other parents or has pets at home, interruptions can sometimes be unavoidable, so it is better that they turn off the video as needed.
- Using Chat To Good Effect
One should use the chat function to comment or discuss the conversation with colleagues. They can also use chat to add signal and not noise.
- Being Kind Always
One should always be courteous and professional in their communication.
- Following Up With People Via DMs
If one sees people they want to engage, they should go ahead and send them private chat messages through the conference app or Zoom chat on how to follow and not wait until later to email them.
- Taking Steps To Ensure Better Interaction
During one on one Zoom meetings, one should hide the personal picture for better interaction and a more real experience. If they are presenting at an online conference, they should –
- check lighting, camera, sound, and slide deck;
- keep a neutral background;
- Have water and/or a hot drink available during the conversation.
- keep a neutral background;
Serving As A Crucial Medium For Continuing Education
- International Scopus indexed conferences have their place, and there are quite a few things they do well.
- They play a significant role in the life of the professional and in the life of a professional organization.
- A Scopus indexed conference 2024, for the purposes of this discussion, is a face-to-face conference replete with scheduled sessions of speakers or panels that offer a long traditional presentation followed by a question-and-answer period.
- Scopus indexed conferences are held by professional associations to educate members on new trends, offer –
- networking opportunities,
- produce revenue for the organization, and
- Draw members together to do the work of the organization’s committee.
- Along with journal publication, Scopus-indexed conferences are one of the most important ways for professionals to continue their learning, education, and thereby their growth all throughout their careers.
- For scholars, lectures and paper presentations also help to progress on the path of tenure and gain professional splendour.
- These events are often the only way to collect points, eventually leading to tenure.
- People go to these events because they are expected to attend; it is part of an accepted process.
- Organizations often view conferences as a way to facilitate learning by bringing respected leaders in the field together in one place to discuss their current projects, topics of interest, or research findings.
- All the learning that’s made possible is one of the perks of belonging to a large professional organization, and despite the fact that members often pay to attend Scopus conference 2024 India separately from dues, conference-based learning is considered a value-added service by organizations to their members.
- Numerous companies pay dues to professional organizations because it is considered a necessity for the professional advancement and development of their employees.
- Scopus-indexed conferences draw together the dispersed members of an organization, allowing for various networking opportunities.
- Although there are plenty of online social opportunities for almost everyone of every interest or profession, few things are better for cementing professional connections than a happy hour with fellow conference attendees at the cafeteria or a chat after a coffee session.
- The richness of those after-hours conversations led to the first iterations of a conference, but that story comes later.
- Attending a conference hosted by a major professional organization is often a rare opportunity to hear from leaders in a field discuss important topics.
- Major conference keynotes are populated by speakers with big ideas and motivational words for the crowd.
- Larger organizations can afford to pay the money to have prominent or well-known talking heads as featured sessions, so it is one of the few places where regular members of a profession can have access.
- However, limited to eminent personalities in their field.
- Access is almost always configured so that everyone knows who has the important idea and who is supposed to listen to these ideas.
- Scopus-indexed conferences have many advantages over impromptu or online offerings, and this is not to say the traditional conference format should (with which many of us have a love/hate relationship) should be done away with entirely.
- The problem with most conferences, however, is that they are more about the organization hosting the conference than the people attending – the people who actually need the information and networking opportunities.
- The best aspects about traditional conferences are the participants who take part, and they often get submerged in a quagmire of bureaucracy, talking heads, and a sea of faces.
Superior Learning, Growth, & Advancement
- If the primary purpose of a Scopus indexed conference is to present useful information to attendees and facilitate learning, most conferences simply miss the mark, and many fail outright.
- The expertise that the general profession needs is not the knowledge that is frequently presented.
- Sessions at Scopus-indexed conferences are sometimes so specific that they are inapplicable in any other context.
- These types of sessions often omit the most important part of their message –
- how to repeat,
- scale, and
- improve the idea,
in another place or in response to a tangential issue.
- The other most common variety of sessions has similar issues, but for the opposite reason.
- It is the session that is so general that it is useless.
- These sessions may just involve rallying the troops, but the lack of practical knowledge can be daunting.
- The most useful learning that happens between professional peers happens anywhere in a traditional conference except in large presentation rooms with rows of chairs and a projection screen.
- The most crucial learning and community building happen outside of the conference session.
- Nothing can quite dampen motivation and passion like a three-hundred-person auditorium and a PowerPoint presentation.
- Professionals might find that –
- after all the money spent attending a conference, after all the time spent sitting uncomfortably in stiff chairs, and
- after all the hours spent listening to speakers prattle on endlessly about things that aren’t as exciting as they appeared on the program,
they learned the most from their peers down the hall.
- It can be a bitter and expensive pill to swallow, especially if one is paying for it themself.
- In academia, the jaded come to the realization that many professionals go to conferences to present and tick boxes on their tenure path, not to listen to others or even to learn at all.
- The more academic in nature the conference turns out to be, the more likely it is that speakers will present topics so specific that they are not applicable to any other context.
- Seeing other people’s work is interesting but not always helpful.
- People participate in conferences to find socialization and community, but the community isn’t really found in a conference room.
- Most professionals learn quickly that the best community at a Scopus-indexed conference is in the unauthorized activities, whether online or at the cafeteria. Like meeting after meeting at the workplace, the cafeteria and unscheduled activities at conferences often provide the most networking opportunities. Backchannels contain better conversation than what happens on stage, and one is free to ask any question they can think of – no microphones are needed. A backchannel is an online parallel conversation that happens simultaneously during a lecture session, class, or other gatherings. Maybe it’s the relaxed atmosphere of those settings (or maybe just the delectable snacks), but some of the most impactful and ground-breaking ideas have been sketched out on cafeteria napkins. Not every cafeteria napkin idea will change the world, but one should feel free to dream. Every discipline desperately needs dreamers to progress. Scopus-indexed conferences are often seen as a way to network with others interested in the same niches of the profession, but aside from exchanging business cards, there are rarely built-in mechanisms for continuing relationships after the end of the conference. Attendees can use informal methods to stay in touch on online sites, but these spaces aren’t sponsored by or directly have anything to do with the conference. They can read other people’s blogs or follow each other on Twitter, for example. Many tools, however, could easily be implemented to provide an online place to share conference information and as a place to continue relationships started at an international conference. Wikis, forums, social networks, and photo-sharing platforms all offer a free way for Scopus-indexed conferences to incorporate spaces for interaction and community building. These tools aren’t new, but traditional conferences have been slow to adopt and adapt them for their members, so members often take matters into their own hands and make up these spaces themselves. A traditional conference could incorporate online spaces not only as a place for on-going conversation but also as a method of marketing. At a large Scopus indexed conference, the levels among attendees, speakers, and conference planning groups are legion. Conferences are oftentimes planned either by members of the profession who have already reached the executive or tenure level or by their secretaries, who may or may not have a good working knowledge of the profession itself. It’s not that managers don’t have relevant and important knowledge, but they sometimes lack practical knowledge. This is particularly the case for managers for whom their position separates them, physically and organizationally, from the people carrying out the daily activity of the profession. Speakers tend to be veteran leaders in the discipline. This often turns into management, and for many responders, it’s been a long time since they’ve set foot behind a point of service, classroom, or lab. With in academia, this can be aggravated by speakers who have only research knowledge but no practical, real-world experience. Conference attendees, on the other hand, are the ones who get their hands dirty on the front lines and behind the lab bench.
- The necessities and experiences of conference attendees and planners differ widely, and it’s hard to believe that many organizers know or remember what it was like to be just a cog in the machine.
- This distance between the participant and the organizer or speaker has other unfortunate consequences.
- Conference organizers may not really know what lower levels of the profession need to understand.
- What problems does the profession face at present on a micro level?
- This separation of planners and participants means that there is often a lack of practical and directly applicable information.
- At the end of the conference, participants rarely leave with actions to take home that will improve the individual or the organization to which they belong.
- Outside of gatherings of IT or tech professionals, there’s probably a huge technology gap and expectation gap within the profession as well.
- Greener members of the profession might expect things like free wireless, while many more experienced members would not see the absence of wireless as a disaster of major proportions.
- Can one really organize a conference without wireless Internet access?
- The answer is yes, but a conference wouldn’t be a successful one without it.
- There are many ways presentations go wrong at conferences.
- A presentation by a professional talking head can be inspiring, containing dreams, fluffy clouds, and bunnies, or it can be a dire forecast if the profession doesn’t change the world.
- Both types of presentations have a purpose.
- They motivate us to be better, stronger, and dream bigger, but they don’t give most professionals the tools to accomplish this takeover of the world.
- Worse still, presentations to an audience of trench workers are given by a type of management who has forgotten what it was like to work with the public two decades ago.
- Then there are always presentations that go wrong due to speaker inabilities or unskilled use of PowerPoint, but these trends are not unique to traditional conferences and can, unfortunately, be found in almost any venue, anywhere, anytime.
- Unfortunately, in a traditional conference, attendees don’t know how bad the presentation will be until it starts, and then it’s difficult, if not impossible, to slip away unnoticed.
Scopus Indexed Conferences – Where Value Is Guaranteed
In conclusion, Upcoming scopus-indexed conferences in 2024 India provide very valuable opportunities to develop communication and networking skills. Proper preparation and intentional behavior will allow participants to develop strong and meaningful networks that can drive their career and professional success. These networks need tender nurturing for their initiation and growth. Being kind, respectful, and humble while being confident is a balance that brings strength and power to the relationship. These relationships become even stronger when they are reciprocal. Finally, expanding one’s network by introducing their connections to others allows networks to grow nodes and branches and people of all abilities to pay it forward.