Openbs Conference

Important: At least HALF of your contacts should be non-Chinese researchers (since Prof. He's group already has strong Chinese academic networks). Diversify your professional network.

3. Contact Preparation

For each of your 15+ target contacts, prepare an information sheet:

• Full name and photo (from their website)
• Affiliation and research area
• Recent notable papers
• 2-3 discussion points or questions specific to their work
• Why you want to connect with them

4. Pre-Conference Outreach

• Send advance emails to people you want to meet:

  "Dear Prof. X, I am [Name], a PhD student at NUS working on [topic]. I noticed your recent work on [paper] and would love to discuss [specific question]. Would you have time for a brief chat at [Conference]?"

• Prepare a 30-second elevator pitch about your research

5. Logistics Checklist

• Apply for visa early (including transit visas!)
• Arrange travel insurance
• Bring essential medicines
• Carry $20 cash for emergencies
• Never travel alone to unfamiliar areas
• Apply for conference travel funding early
• Acknowledge project grants on accepted papers ("No ack no claim")

DURING THE CONFERENCE

Priority Attendance

1. Keynote addresses -- always attend these
2. Paper presentations in your research area
3. Poster/demo sessions -- best for in-depth technical discussions
4. Industry sessions -- understand applied perspectives
5. Niche workshops relevant to your specific research

Networking Execution

• Approach people during breaks, poster sessions, and social events
• Use your prepared discussion points
• Exchange contact information (business cards or LinkedIn)
• Take notes after each conversation (who, what discussed, follow-up items)
• Don't just stick with people you already know

Presentation Tips

• Arrive early to check AV equipment
• Stay for Q&A after other talks to ask questions
• Year 1 goal from Prof. He: Ask at least 5 questions total across the year at seminars

AFTER THE CONFERENCE

1. Conference Summary Report

Write a structured report covering:

Papers Attended:

• Paper title, authors, venue
• Key contributions
• Relevance to your research
• Interesting techniques or ideas to explore

Insights Gained:

• Emerging trends in your field
• Gaps in the literature you noticed
• New research directions inspired by talks

Networking Recap:

• Who you met (organized by the 5-5-5 categories)
• What you discussed
• Planned follow-ups

2. Self-Reflection

• What went well?
• What would you do differently next time?
• Did you achieve your 5-5-5 targets?
• What new research ideas emerged?

3. Knowledge Sharing

• Share your conference experience with your research group
• Upload summary to the Group Memory / shared repository
• Discuss interesting papers in the next group meeting

4. Follow-Up Actions

• Send follow-up emails to new contacts within 1 week:

  "Dear Prof. X, It was great meeting you at [Conference]. I enjoyed our discussion about [topic]. As mentioned, [follow-up item]. I look forward to staying in touch."

• Add interesting papers to your reading list
• Explore new research directions that emerged

CONFERENCE MASTER CHECKLIST

2 Months Before

• Register for the conference
• Book flights and accommodation
• Apply for visa (if needed)
• Apply for travel funding
• Start preparing slides

2 Weeks Before

• Finalize slides and rehearse with group
• Prepare 5-5-5 contact list (15+ people)
• Send advance emails to key contacts
• Prepare elevator pitch
• Print poster (if applicable)

1 Week Before

• Send final slides to supervisor
• Pack essentials (medicine, charger, adapters, cash)
• Download offline copies of conference program
• Confirm travel insurance

During Conference

• Attend keynotes and relevant sessions
• Execute 5-5-5 networking plan
• Take notes after each conversation
• Collect contact information

1 Week After

• Write conference summary report
• Send follow-up emails to new contacts
• Share experience with research group
• Self-reflection on networking and learning

OUTPUT FORMAT

Based on the conference and research area provided, generate:

1. Personalized 5-5-5 Strategy -- suggest types of people to target based on the conference and your area
2. Elevator Pitch Draft -- a 30-second pitch template based on your research area
3. Pre-Conference Email Template -- customized for your situation
4. Session Selection Strategy -- which types of sessions to prioritize
5. Follow-Up Email Template -- for post-conference networking
6. Printable Checklist -- timeline-based checklist customized for your conference dates