So this post is about the time I spent in Philly (Philadelphia, USA) in March attending Pittcon 2019.

For the uninitiated into the academic world, the community disseminates its research through 3 main media. These are poster presentations, talks and papers. At conferences, presentations and talks are the main order of business and this can take a variety of forms but essentially holds the same purpose: for similarly minded academics to network and share their research in order to move the field forward.  

So, my research group goes to Pittcon every year without fail and this my first year of joining them. I must say, that this experience is quite a unique one, as going abroad for your first major conference, doesn’t usually happen but I was very much grateful. Although these events can often have very long schedules and be quite full on, you also get the chance to visit some really cool sites, eat A LOT of food and get a bit of rest-bite from our life-consuming projects.

So, Pittcon is essentially an annual analytical chemistry conference held over the course of a week, where research is showcased in a massive convention centre across a variety of different disciplines. I mainly attended sensor and microfluidic talks, as that is where my research lies and got a real insight into where I stand in the field, what is needed going forward and the major players in our subject.

I also got the chance to present my poster, which was pretty cool. I’ll admit, poster presentations can be very awkward. You essentially have to stand by your poster for a few hours and be ogled at by passers by, while you wait for someone to engage in dialogue with you about your poster. If you happen to have quite a niche topic, this wait can be for quite a while. On the other hand, poster presentations give you the opportunity to defend your research on a one to one basis. Your audience can often be mixed, so first you have to ascertain the person’s background and level of understanding without outright asking them and begin explaining your field, whilst keeping them engaged.

That was my biggest take home from this conference. The most successful in academia may not necessarily be those with the best research but are definitely the best at communicating it, getting it out there and getting a reaction from their audience. An invaluable skill (that I am still crafting and perfecting) is the ability to talk concisely, but keep someone interested enough in my research – regardless of whether they are an expert in the field or a complete novice. I guess this skill translates to any walk of life but is all too important in academia. 

Aside from this, I got to see a little bit of Philly, home to a lot of America’s history as a fledgling nation and I feel that this is somewhere I’d definitely go back to and spend more time if given the opportunity. Besides a quick tour bus ride around the city, I didn’t really get to explore as much of the city as I wanted to, which includes highlights like Liberty Bell, running up Rocky’s steps or touring Independence Hall and I missed the 76ers game against Boston 😦 which added insult to injury. However, this trip was much needed, thoroughly enjoyed and allowed me to see my family after a small trek to the DMV.

That week needs its own blog post.

Overall, I learnt the value of these conferences at expanding your network, gaining inspiration on how to progress in this field and developing the vital skills that help you stand out from the crowd. I can’t wait for Pittcon 2020 in Chicago 🙂