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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
STUDENTS’ AND ATTENDEES’ SURVIVAL GUIDE
Downtown Saskatoon
Credits: Tourism Saskatchewan
IN THIS GUIDE YOU WILL FIND INFORMATION ABOUT…
Conference schedule overview – don’t miss a thing! ................................................................................................ 2
Travelling in Saskatoon .............................................................................................................................................. 3
On campus housing.................................................................................................................................................... 4
Instructions for talks and posters .............................................................................................................................. 4
Important places to remember.................................................................................................................................. 4
Campus Map .............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Social Activities .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Restaurant Suggestions.............................................................................................................................................. 9
To do in Saskatoon ................................................................................................................................................... 10
Tips for Presenting Your Poster or Talk.................................................................................................................... 12
Tips for creating a great poster ............................................................................................................................ 12
Tips for giving an excellent talk ............................................................................................................................ 15
Check our CSEE 2015 students’ Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CSEE2015?fref=ts)
and follow us on Twitter (@CSEE2015) for live updates during the meeting.
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OVERVIEW – DON’T MISS A THING!
Visit the complete conference schedule at http://csee2015.sched.org/ for details.
Thursday
May 21st
8:30 Workshop – An
Introduction to R
Friday
May 22nd
8:00 – 12:00 CSEE
symposia and sessions
Saturday
May 23rd
7:00 CSEE’s first
annual fun run!
Sunday
May 24th
8:30 – 12:00 CSEE
symposia and sessions
9:00 SWEEET
workshop
13:00 Plenary lecture –
Angela Moles from the
University of New
South Wales (Australia)
8:30 – 15:00 CSEE
symposia and sessions
13:00 CSEE Early
Career Award Lecture:
Sam Yeaman
13:00 Workshop – An
Introduction to
community analysis
using vegan and R
13:00 Workshop –
Making your software
discoverable and useful
13:00 Field Trip – A
walk on the Prairie:
Wanuskewin Kawiocihici (A step back in
time)
14:30-16:00 CSEE
symposia and sessions
16:00 Poster Session
and Mixer
18:00 Student and Post
Doc Mixer – Strategies
for Success
9:00-19:00 Outreach
activities for kids
15:00 Poetry reading:
Madhur Anand
(University of Guelph)
‘A New Index for
Predicting
Catastrophes’
19:30 Public Outreach
Lecture - Bats
17:15 onwards Prairie
Sun Brewery night
13:30 President’s
Award Lecture:
Graham Bell
15:00 CSEE Annual
General Meeting
17:00 Banquet at the
Western Development
Museum
Monday
May 25th
8:00 Field Trip –
Wagon and Horseback:
Explore West Prince
Albert National Park
8:30 Field Trip – A walk
on the Prairie:
Wanuskewin
Kimaskikinawaw
(Medicine Walk)
9:00 Field Trip – Plant
Gene Resource
Canada Tour
9:00 ALCES workshop
on strategic land-use
planning and
cumulative effects
modelling
15:00 Field Trip – Plant
Gene Resources
Canada Tour
16:00 Welcome Mixer
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
TRAVELLING IN SASKATOON
By plane
The John G. Diefenbaker International Airport is situated in the north end of Saskatoon. Saskatoon
Transit runs a bus line (number 12) between the airport and downtown. The 12 bus runs every 30
minutes from Monday to Saturday, from 6:30 am to 11:00 pm. From downtown, you can transfer to one
of the numerous lines that connect to the University Campus. The journey takes about 45 minutes. To
see information about taxi fares from the airport or alternate transportation, see the Diefenbaker
Airport website.
By car
For those driving, all major highways into the city will bring you onto Circle Drive. There will be signage
to direct you from Circle Drive to the University campus via either Preston Avenue or College Drive. If
you are staying on campus, make your way to the residence office in Rm 128 Saskatchewan Hall
(access via Campus Drive); there is a short-term parking lot opposite the transit bus loop. After check-in
the residence staff will direct you to long-term parking in the Stadium Parkade.
Saskatoon transit
One adult bus ticket costs $3.10. When paying fare by cash, please have the exact fare ready to
deposit into the fare boxes which accept coins only. Pennies are no longer accepted starting May 26,
2012. Operators do not carry change and paper cash is not accepted.
For more information about the public transit, please visit transit.saskatoon.ca. Saskatoon Transit’s
routes are also all included in Google Maps to help
University Bridge Construction
plan your travel.
Warning!
Taxi companies
If you arrive in Saskatoon outside of the transit
operating hours, a taxi will be your best option to
travel from the airport. A ride from the airport to
campus should cost around $30.
Comfort cabs: 306-664-6464
United cabs: 306-652-2222
Radio cabs: 306-242-1221
The University Bridge, the fastest link
between the campus and downtown
(including the Park Town Hotel), is
closed to vehicles. One lane remains
open for emergency vehicles and buses,
and one sidewalk will also remain
opened for pedestrians and cyclists. If
you are staying at the Park Town or are
planning to go downtown, transit or
walking are probably better options than
driving.
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
ON CAMPUS HOUSING
For those of you who chose the accommodation in the campus residences, please take a look at this
information regarding check in. http://livewithus.usask.ca/conference%20and%20short%20stayaccomodation/Check%20in%20Information1.pdf Upon arrival, make your way to the residence office in
Rm 128 Saskatchewan Hall (access via Campus Drive).
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TALKS AND POSTERS
Talks: Please upload your presentation on the computer in the room in which you are presenting 15
minutes prior to the start of the session (for example during lunch time or coffee breaks).
Posters: The poster session will take place in Marquis Hall (lunch room). You will be allowed to install
your poster starting on Friday May 22nd before lunch. You will be responsible for removing your poster
at the latest on May 23rd after lunch.
IMPORTANT PLACES TO REMEMBER
A campus map with the most important buildings to remember is presented on the following page. Most
buildigns are situated around the Bowl, a large grassy area in the core of campus.
The registration desk will be located in the Natural
Sciences Museum atrium in the Biology/Geology
Buildings (112/114 Science Place, or across the Bowl.
Once in the building, aim for the dinosaurs. The desk
should be in the vicinity of a T-rex skeleton. Volunteers
will be there to answer your questions and orient you
on campus.
The residence office is in Saskatchewan Hall.
CSEE sessions and symposia will be presented in
the Physics Building.
Lunch will be served at Marquis Hall. This is also
where the poster session will take place.
The Bowl
Picture by Daryl Mitchell
The plenary talk and the public outreach talk will be presented in the Thorvaldson Building.
Coffee breaks will take place both in the Physics Building atrium and the Geology Building atrium (near
the registration desk).
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
CAMPUS MAP
http://www.usask.ca/maps/map-nav/campus_maps/uofsmap4c.pdf
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
1. Opening Mixer at the atrium of the Museum of Natural Sciences
University of Saskatchewan, Biology and Geology Buildings, 112-114 Science Place, May 21st 2015,
starting at 4pm
Join us for the opening mixer of the conference in the atrium of the Museum of Natural Sciences, under
a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. Local beers will be featured at the event, as well as non-alcoholic
beverages and some food.
2. Student and Post Doc "Strategies for Success" Session and Mixer, Louis' Loft
University of Saskatchewan, Louis' Pub and Loft, 93 Campus Drive, May 22nd 2015, from 5-8pm
There is no registration fee associated with this
event, but registration is strongly recommended to
help us plan the event. This session and mixer will
provide students with a unique opportunity to meet
with postdocs and professors of diverse
backgrounds to discuss certain aspects of
successful careers in research. While the advice will
be serious, the event will take place in an informal
pub setting. The bar will be arranged so that there
are different stations with resident experts dedicated to each subject. Students will be free to move from
topic to topic and engage in the discourse over a few pints.
Discussion Topics
1. Where to next? Deciding where to do your MSc/PhD/PDF
2. Expat scientist - Advice for students hoping to do a degree/post-doc abroad (including possible
funding sources)
3. Almost there - Writing up your MSc/PhD thesis
4. Non-academic careers - Finding a job in government/industry
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
5. Effective time management strategies – Being productive without burning the candle at both
ends
6. Advice for academic parents - How to juggle kids and academic careers
7. From PDF to Professor – Job applications and surviving your first year as an assistant professor
3. CSEE's First Annual Fun Run, May 23rd 2015
Start on campus, meet at 6:30am and run at 7:00am
Join us for a fun 5 km run/walk event along the beautiful South Saskatchewan River. No registration is
required for this free event! If you are interested in attending, please let people at the registration table
know upon your arrival in Saskatoon.
4. Prairie Sun Microbrewery Pub Night and Tour
2020 Quebec Avenue, Saskatoon, May 23rd 2015, 6:00pm – 1:30am
Come join us at for dinner and drinks at Prairie Sun Brewery on the
evening of May 23rd. The brewery will be offering CSEE attendees
with exclusive access to their on-site pub. The cost is $25 and
includes dinner (burger [veggie or meat], two sides, and a pint of
beer) and shuttle bus service to and from the brewery and
university. Games (e.g., giant jenga, beer pong) will also be offered
during the evening.
Prairie Sun will offer tours of the brewery for an additional $5. Three
tours of the brewery will be offered during the evening. Tours will
take place at 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00PM. Each tour has a maximum
capacity of 50 persons so space is limited. Registration for tours will
be offered on a first come first served basis.
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Tickets for dinner and/or tour of the brewery can be purchased at the CSEE registration desk.
Shuttle buses will leave the university on a ~ hourly schedule as outlined in detail below:
University to Prairie Sun, departing at 5:50PM
Prairie Sun to University, departing at 6:30
University to Prairie Sun, departing at 6:45
Prairie Sun to University, departing at 7:30
University to Prairie Sun, departing at 7:45
Prairie Sun to University, departing at 8:30
University to Prairie Sun, departing at 8:45
Prairie Sun to University, departing at 10:00 (2nd stop at Park Town Hotel if requested)
Prairie Sun to University, departing at 12:30AM (2nd stop at Park Town Hotel if requested)
Prairie Sun to University, departing at 1:30AM (2nd stop at Park Town Hotel if requested)
Please note the shuttle service was arranged to allow participants to attend both the public outreach
lecture on bats (7:30pm, Thorvaldson building room 271) and enjoy the microbrewery.
http://www.prairiesun.ca/
5. Closing banquet, Western Development Museum
2610 Lorne avenue, Saskatoon, May 24th 2015
This year's closing banquet will take place in the Western Development Museum in Saskatoon. Join us
for an evening of festivities, delicious food, and discovery of Saskatchewan's unique history and
culture.
For more information on the Western Development Museum, please
visit http://wdm.ca/stoon/boomtown.htm.
A shuttle service from campus will be offered (details to follow).
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
RESTAURANT SUGGESTIONS
There is a growing number of restaurants
offering a wide variety of delicious food in
Saskatoon. Most of them are situated
downtown (around 2nd avenue across the
bridge from campus) and on Broadway
Avenue. We used Urban Spoon for the
price index. Saskatoon Transit is included
in Google Maps, so you can use it to find
the appropriate bus route to reach one of
those restaurants, or use their website
(transit.saskatoon.ca.).
UofS campus
Downtown
area
Broadway area
* We’ve been able to line-up some discounts for
conference attendees. Proof that you are
attending the CSEE conference is required for all discounts.
*Blackpepper, 5a 1501 8th St East (10% discount, Indian cuisine) - $$
*Spicy Garden Restaurant, 1501 8th St East (10% discount, Chinese, Vietnamese cuisine) - $
*Prairie Harvest Café, 2917 Early Drive (10% off food (alcohol not included). Recommended to make
reservations ahead of time. Brunch only on Sunday, closed on Monday. - $$$
*Alexander’s Restaurant & Bar, 414 Cumberland Ave, right next to UofS (international food and
burgers, offering a complimentary platter of nachos or wings to any group of 8 or more ordering food
and drink) - $$
*Royal Thai Restaurant, 325 3rd Ave N (10% discount, Thai food) - $$
Oshea’s Irish Pub, 222 2nd avenue South (pub food and patio on the roof) - $$
The Yard and Flagon pub, 718 Broadway Avenue (pub food and patio on the roof) - $$
Amigos Cantina, 806 Dufferin Avenue (Mexican cuisine, live bands often performing on weekend
evenings) - $$
Las Palapas Resort Grill, 910 Victoria Avenue (Mexican cuisine) - $$
The Rook and Raven, 154 2nd avenue (gourmet pub food) - $$$
Ayden, 265 3rd avenue (bistro and burgers) - $$$$
Prairie Ink, 3130 8th Street East (bistro, bakery, coffee) - $$
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
TO DO IN SASKATOON
Outdoor activities:
Take a walk along the river on any part of the Meewasin Valley (http://www.walkjogrun.net/routes/) or
the newly renovated river landing (http://www.riverlanding.ca/).
Or if you want to get out of the city for a bit, check out Beaver Creek Conservation Area
(http://www.tourismsaskatoon.com/listings/Beaver-Creek-Conservation-Area/236/?fromMenu=634) or
Cranberry Flats Conservation Area (http://meewasin.com/visitors/cranberry-flats-conservation-area)
Saskatoon is the city of bridges, and one great way to see it is by
floating on the river. You can do this by either renting a
canoe/kayak/stand-up paddle board
(http://ebsadventure.com/pages/rentals) or taking a smooth cruise
aboard the Prairie Lily (http://www.theprairielily.com/index.cfm).
The weir is located near the Train Bridge, about a 20 minutes’ walk
north of the Biology building by the Meewasin Trail system (bike path). It is a good location for pelican
viewing.
Science-y stuff:
Saskatoon is home to the Canadian Light Source which began operations 10 years ago. The
synchrotron is one of the largest science projects in Canadian history and it’s located right on campus!
http://www.lightsource.ca/
The U of S has an observatory that is open to the public every Saturday evening
(http://physics.usask.ca/observatory/).
If you have young kids with you, or a you’re just a kid at heart, visit the Children’s Discovery Museum in
Market Mall (http://www.museumforkids.sk.ca/).
Experience some Saskatoon culture and history:
Saskatoon has a variety of museums and parks that celebrate SK heritage and local artists, a few are:
http://www.mendel.ca/about/
http://www.glenscrimshaw.com/
http://www.wanuskewin.com/
http://www.stationarts.com/
One of the first neighbourhoods in Saskatoon is Riversdale that brings together local arts, businesses,
and history. You can find just about anything you’re looking for here and it’s a unique area that can’t be
missed! http://riversdale.ca/home
Broadway is another great neighbourhood in Saskatoon. From Saskatchewan’s premiere community
owned, non profit arts and cultural center (https://broadwaytheatre.ca/), to an amazing local shop with
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
to-go snacks and an overwhelming amount of cheese
(https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bulk-CheeseWarehouse/113308815485370), and a great place to grab a cup of coffee
(http://www.broadwayroastery.com/) or a roof-top patio pint
(http://yardandflagon.ca/home), Broadway is a great place to visit any time of
day.
Saskatoon has a flourishing Farmer’s Market that can offer up some fresh
produce for dinner, local handmade trinkets, or a tasty morning treat and
coffee (http://www.saskatoonfarmersmarket.com/).
Unique events:
Saskatoon comes alive in the summer, so there are lots of annual or new events that are occurring
during CSEE and a few days before and after. If you find yourself with a few open days, or a free
evening during the conference these events might be of interest:
The Top of the Hops Grapes and Grains festival features over 200 different liquor samples that makes
this year’s event one of Saskatoon’s largest Beer, Wine and Spirit Expos. This event takes place the
evening of May 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. https://topofthehops.ca/
The Nature City Festival is taking place between May 23rd and 29th. This event is an informal collective
dedicated to the conservation and enrichment of wild lives and wild places in and around Saskatoon.
http://www.wildaboutsaskatoon.org/
May Mayhem is taking place May 22nd and 23rd. This event features many different unique and odd
events, but one of them is a ‘food truck wars’ where many local Saskatoon food trucks are showing off
their best dishes and you vote for your favourite! https://www.facebook.com/groups/542349679152873/
At the Handmade House Gallery on Broadway, Cindy Hoppe’s interpretation of neighbourhood with bits
and pieces of recycled silk, wool, dye and thread are on display. http://www.handmadehousesk.com/
The Bassment is a great place to listen to a range of Jazz music. On
May 21st, Western Canadian music award winners Sweet Alibi (from
Winnipeg) will be playing.
http://www.saskatoonjazzsociety.com/2015/01/roots-series-sweetalibi-winnipeg/. Another show that night is happening at the Broadway
Theatre – guitarist Tommy Emmanuel (dubbed “the best guitarist” by
Eric Clapton) will be playing.
And lastly, one exciting exhibit that is going on at the Western Development Museum (where our
Sunday Banquet will be held!) is Echoes In the Ice: Finding Franklin’s Ship.
http://www.wdm.ca/stoon/exhibits_temp.html
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
TIPS FOR PRESENTING YOUR POSTER OR TALK
Adapted from the Student Survival guide created in 2014 for Genomes to Biomes, a joint annual
meeting from CSEE, CSZ and SCL.
The annual CSEE meeting is an excellent venue for students to present their work because the
societies strongly values the contributions of their student members. Here is some advice to guide you
in your quest to create a great talk or poster (and maybe win one of the presentation prizes!).
TIPS FOR CREATING A GREAT POSTER
Your poster is a visual aid and not a full paper rearranged into poster format. By creating a clear,
concise, and visually appealing poster you will attract people to your poster, effectively convey
information, and increase the likelihood of getting great feedback. Here are some tips to accomplish
this:
1) Making your poster the correct size. The poster boards will accommodate posters that are 4 ft
(~120 cm) wide by 3 feet (~90 cm) tall. No audio-visual support will be supplied or available for poster
presentations. Velcro and/or pins will be provided onsite to affix the poster to the board.
2) Choose your key message. You will not be able to include everything from your paper/thesis on
your poster, so choose your key questions you want to focus upon and only include relevant data.
3) General layout & content:
• Make sure your graphics are clear (e.g. no blurry pictures). The best way to test this is to use a
projector to view your poster at full size prior to printing.
• Put lots of space between sections; do not squeeze in as much information as you can. As a rule-ofthumb, your poster should be 50% empty space for maximum visual appeal.
• Lay out your poster with a clear visual flow that guides the reader from point A to point B. One way to
do this is arrange your poster from left to right and top to bottom. You can also number sections or use
arrows to guide the reader.
• You can organize your poster as you do a paper (with an Introduction, Methods, Results and
Conclusions section), but you can also vary this format. For example, combined methods-results or
results-discussion sections can save space and keep the reader engaged. See Smith et al. 2007 (in the
reference list) for a good discussion of what to include in each of these sections.
• A “visual hook”, such as a nice picture of your study species or a map of your study site, will attract
readers.
• Colour is your friend! If you have trouble deciding on what colours to use, use an online colourscheme tool (e.g. Adobe Kuler). If you study something that is best shown with a video or sound
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
recording (e.g. animal behavior, bird song), bring along your computer/phone to present this information
as you go through your poster.
4) Text:
• Minimize the amount of text you use. Aim for < 800 words.
• Aim for a minimum text size of 32 point font for main text, 20 point for references. Your important text
(figure legends, titles) should be easy to read from > 2 m away. Poster sessions can be packed and
you may need to present your poster to a few people at a time.
• Choose a sans-serif font for titles and a serif font for text.
• Choose colors that make your text easy to read. Dark text on light background always works!
• If you can use images instead of text to describe something – do it! This is especially helpful for the
materials and methods.
• Stay away from abbreviations if possible and define them if you do use them.
5) Figures:
• If you are presenting data, make your graphs the main focus of your poster.
• Give your graphs informative titles (e.g. “Figure 1. Nitrogen concentration is positively correlated with
seedling growth”).
• Clearly list your variables and units of measurement on your X and Y axes.
• If you are presenting a ‘proposed research’ poster then consider adding a series of graphs of
‘predicted/possible results’.
• Avoid tables, but if you must include them, keep them simple.
6) Additional suggestions:
• Have someone (ideally many someones!) proof read your poster prior to printing.
• Some people will want the ‘full tour’ of your poster, and others will want a ‘2-minute overview’. Be
prepared to present your poster to both audiences. Feel free to ask the person you are presenting to if
they would prefer a full tour or short version when they arrive. Your audience will have many posters
they want to visit so will be pressed for time.
• It is a good idea to have a few handouts (poster printed on 8.5x 11 paper) for those that would like
one. This is especially helpful for judges!
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
• A good way to prepare for your judges is to think of the ten questions you’d ask yourself and talk with
a friend about how you might answer them.
• Be friendly and professional. Poster sessions are more relaxed than talks, but are still a formal
scientific discussion.
• Posters often provide great audience feedback! Thus, be sure to have a notepad handy to record
comments and suggestions.
• Humor is okay, but remember that many jokes are ‘lost in translation’ when presenting to
international audiences.
• Don't forget to include contact information (your email and university affiliation).
• You can include quick response barcodes at the bottom of your poster to link to your contact
information and lab website.
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
TIPS FOR GIVING AN EXCELLENT TALK
Just as with a poster presentation, you cannot squish all the details of a scientific paper into a 12
minute oral presentation. Nor do you have to follow the same format as a scientific paper! This gives
you the freedom to present your work in the most effective manner and be much more creative than
you can be with a journal article. Therefore, take some time to think about the key message you want to
present in your talk and how you want to present it.
1) What to include in your talk:
• Think about your audience. The annual CSEE meeting will bring together evolutionary biologists,
ecologists, physiologists, parasitologists, developmental biologists, and limnologists. Therefore, you
should make your presentation understandable to a broad scientific audience.
• Give enough background to pique the audience’s interest in your introduction. Clearly state the
questions you will study and how they relate to the larger questions in the field. If you have clear
hypotheses, state them.
• In your methods and results, be as clear and concise as possible. This means you will have to
simplify some of your methods and ideas (but not ‘dumb them down’). Examples and metaphors can be
powerful ways to convey complex ideas to a broad audience.
• A picture/video is worth a thousand words and helps maintain audience interest (especially if you
have a charming study species).
• When displaying graphs always verbally introduce the X and Y axes to help orient your audience and
walk them through the major data points you want to discuss.
• Inform the audience of how your data and findings fit into the broad field of study and take time for
your conclusions and summary. Many scientists rush through the conclusions as they feel that they are
being repetitive. However, this is the first time most of your audience has ever seen the data you
presented, so it is new to them and they need to be reminded.
• Acknowledgements – you don’t need to read through every name on your list. Just present the slide
and thank the major contributors, the audience can read the other names.
2) Making your slides:
• Present clear, easy to read slides by following the same tips listed above for posters (minimize text,
make sure slides and graphs are readable from the back of the room, and have text with good contrast
to the background). If in doubt, always use dark text on a white background.
• Don’t present an outline in a 12-15 minute talk.
• Stay away from animations/gifs that distract from your message.
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
• Unless you are a very talented designer, simpler is always better.
3) After you have your 1st draft, get feedback - Practice your talk a week or two before the
conference so that you have lots of time for corrections. It is common practice to completely rearrange
a talk during the first feedback session, so don’t take this personally.
4) Practice, practice, practice - Practice the key points you want to make on each slide. Some people
write out what they are going to say verbatim and others only write out major points in their notes. Do
whatever works best for you. Do not read from notes if at all possible.
5) Do not go over-time - This cannot be stressed enough. There are going to be concurrent sessions
at the meeting, so if you do not stay on time your audience may leave early and miss out on your
conclusions and be a bit annoyed. You will also miss out on your questions. While questions are a
source of stress to many students, they are critical for improving your research. Society members are
well aware you are a student and ask questions because they are genuinely interested in your research
and want to help you make it even better!
6) Answering questions - Listen. Too often nervous scientists don’t actually listen to what is asked of
them. Ask for clarification if you need it and then respond to the best of your ability. If you can’t answer
the question it is okay to be honest and say, “Excellent question and I am not sure of the answer right
now but will look into this right after this session and get back to you as soon as possible”. A great way
to prepare for questions is to think of the top ten questions you would ask yourself.
7) Prepare for technical glitches - Save your presentation in many places. Save your presentation as
a pdf, just in case there are compatibility issues. Load up your presentation early and look at your
presentation on the computer you will be using. Take the time to visit the room you are presenting in
prior to your talk, so you can familiarize yourself with the space.
8) Presenting - Speak clearly and slowly and make eye contact with your audience. Try to minimize
distracting movements (jangling coins in your pocket, waving around laser pointers) and vocal ticks
(“Ummm”, “Uh”, “So”) and act professionally.
FURTHER RESOURCES ON GIVING GREAT PRESENTATIONS
For more information, check out the following websites and articles:
Charles Krebs. Hints for giving an effective talk or poster.
Kendall Powell. 2012 “Billboard science” Nature, 483: 113-115.
Jamie Smith et al. 2007 “Ecology 101: Tips for Effective Communication in Ecology” Bulletin of the
Ecological Society of America, 88 (2):206-215.
Colin Purrington’s website on poster design.
What not to do during a talk, from Bethany Brookshire’s Blog, Neurotic Physiology
This post on giving a good talk from the Gonzalez lab at McGill University
This video from Neil Dodgson on giving a great presentation
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CSEE’s 10th Annual Meeting
May 2015, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
HAVE A GREAT MEETING!
Picture by Jesse Siemens—Saskatchewan Scenery
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