I have to present my research at a conference at a top 10 school in 2 weeks. I just looked at the list of fellow presenters and nearly everyone there is from a top 10 school, I'm seriously the only person from a bottom tier school. I am intimidated to say the least. Anyone ever been in this situation? Any advice?
Intimidated to present at a conference with mostly top school presenters
- Thread starter alisepeep
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2010
- Messages
- 774
- Reaction score
- 35
In the end, the person who is hungriest to do better comes out on top, regardless of where they come from.
I'm not the smartest guy, so I've had 1 rule that has garnered me more success than anything else. Put in significantly more hours than the next person and you're going to kill it.
I'm not the smartest guy, so I've had 1 rule that has garnered me more success than anything else. Put in significantly more hours than the next person and you're going to kill it.
Last edited:
you are sooooooo cool going to a research conference with top-tier students. Seriously, who cares? Just go. It's not like they're going to gang up on you in the parking lot because you're not from a top 10 school.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2004
- Messages
- 30,873
- Reaction score
- 10,063
At conferences the majority of your fellow presenters are focused on their own presentations, not yours, and most attendees are just there for CME credit and will forget everything you said the second they walk out the door. So it's really a no pressure situation, nobody is really going to give a darn what school you come from or even what you say. Also pedigree of speakers doesn't matter -- plenty of top program grads stink at lecturing because frankly, it's not a skill they select for or teach. You aren't going to judge whether a talk is good or not based on the school represented. The only reason more top programs are overrepresented is because the emphasis to do this kind of research is greater there. But good research is good research and a good talk is a good talk.
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2012
- Messages
- 20
- Reaction score
- 20
ha
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2011
- Messages
- 294
- Reaction score
- 68
Presumably faculty are around? Maybe good opportunity to get feedback on your work from some research leaders. 
Maybe new collaborator. Maybe residency spot.
Positive things come when you do good work and show it to people who respect hard work.
Maybe new collaborator. Maybe residency spot. Positive things come when you do good work and show it to people who respect hard work.
- Joined
- May 27, 2011
- Messages
- 543
- Reaction score
- 6
Similar threads
