After the winter holidays, the SOT Annual Meeting is easily the most wonderful time of year for both veteran and novice attendees alike. It’s a week of exciting science, exotic locales, more networking than anyone ever expects, and far less than the daily recommended amount of sleep—what could be better? However, if this is your first “SOT” (as we grizzled elders call it), you may find the prospect of a week in a weird city with 6,000 of your closest friends rather intimidating, and that’s OK! Let this, the “Beginner’s Guide to SOT,” help ease you into the meeting.
What to Bring
In the mad dash to prepare your presentation or print your poster in the week before your first SOT conference, you probably forgot to pack a few essentials, so here’s a handy list to remind you:
- Business cards—even if you don’t have any for your new job, just bring some of your old ones and make sure you write your current email on it somewhere. If you forgot your cards entirely, you can always make some in a word processor and print and pick them up at a Kinko’s—there’s usually one near the conference venue.
- Comfy shoes and clothes—while SOT is a bit more on the “business casual” side of the dress code than other conferences, you definitely don’t need to be interview-ready at all times, especially if you’re just wandering the ToxExpo or listening to Platform presentations. A comfortable pair of shoes is a necessity. You’re going to be walking around a few miles every day, and no one should have to do that in pumps. Flats are fine, or kitten heels if you absolutely must—just make sure whatever you choose has a decent sole and is weather appropriate to wherever you’ll be visiting. Dress in layers! It gets hot in those Platform presentation rooms.
- Spare dress shirts/tops—on the other hand, you don’t want to be seen (or smelled) wearing the same dress clothes all week. Pants have re-use value, but shirts and tops do not.
- Water bottle and snacks—drinking enough water is important in your daily life, but doubly so at a conference where you’ll be talking with people for four days straight. Also, nothing is more annoying than having to leave an interesting panel discussion because your tummy grumbles are distracting the other attendees. Bring a few granola bars and be the envy of your peers!
Where to Go
The sheer scale of the SOT Annual Meeting can be overwhelming if you’ve never been to a conference this size, so it’s important to find ways to make it a bit smaller to avoid panicking (as I did during my first SOT). Functionally, there are three primary components of the conference that you must contend with: the ToxExpo trade show, the Scientific Sessions, and the networking events. There is a fourth category—society membership events and meetings—but if this is your first time, you probably won’t have to worry about those, so we’ll stick with the big three.
First, there’s the ToxExpo, which has an almost carnival quality to it—the inexplicable music, the long rows of myriad booths filled with strange and exciting objects. And candy. Every booth has so much candy. You will see the candy and you will covet it, but you may feel uncomfortable simply taking the candy without some manner of interaction with the host of the booth. That’s OK. Don’t be afraid to talk to people standing at booths. They’re nice! And if you get overstimulated or tired of walking around, SOT has nice little chillout areas for you to relax in and charge your phone.
The Scientific Sessions are much more straightforward than navigating the ToxExpo floor, because you merely need to think about what it is you want to see, and when and where to see it. My strategy is to scroll through the sessions listed in the SOT Event App (the Event App is great, and it gets better every year) and mark the ones that look interesting. These are added to your “My Schedule” in the app so you can see when and where things are and if anything overlaps. The app also has maps of the convention to help you navigate the conference, which I’ve found to be extremely helpful. Don’t worry about cramming every minute of every day with science, and feel free to take some time here and there to collect yourself and digest all the things that you’ve learned. And if you ever feel like you’ve missed out on something that looked really interesting, you can always just email the presenter and ask for a copy of their presentation or poster.
Networking events are an integral part of the conference experience, often hosted by SOT Regional Chapters, Specialty Sections, or attendees themselves. These events often take place in bars, restaurants, and rooms within the conference center and range from “invite only” to “open to all.” These informal settings are great for having candid chats with other researchers and experts in your field, helping you make connections that will further your research and hopefully your career. Many jobs have been found and research collaborations have been forged during these events, so if you have been invited to one, you should definitely attend. And while you’re there, remember good networking practices: smile when you introduce yourself, ask and use people’s names (the name badges help with this), ask questions that show genuine curiosity, and if you get along well, exchange business cards. Have fun! Networking is one of the most enjoyable parts of the conference.
General Advice
The most important advice for any kind of travel also applies for conferences: remember to take care of your body. Do your best to keep a regular food schedule and eat healthily, get a reasonable amount of sleep or you’ll be a zombie by day two, and don’t overdo it at happy hour. You’ll probably be shaking a lot of hands so be sure wash your hands frequently and properly, or carry a bottle of hand sanitizer. The Past Presidents’ 5K Fun Run/Walk is a great way to get a bit of exercise in, too, if you’re game for a morning jog.
Take copious notes during Scientific Sessions, and if you can, do so by hand—this will reduce the chances of getting distracted by email when you should be note-taking. You may think that you’ll remember that very clever study design for when you get back to your own lab, but I promise you that you won’t—so take good notes!
Lastly, you’ll likely be talking with a lot of people at SOT, which makes for a nice week of conferencing, but if you want to make the most of the experience, you have to follow up with them afterward! Even a short email is better than nothing. Don’t be afraid to drop someone a line and tell them that you liked their research or that you’ve got some follow-up questions. And if you’re worried about tackling a pile of business cards when you get back home, consider sending some of those emails during the conference when you’ve got down time—it show’s you’re engaged, and you won’t have to remember to do it later.
SOT is my favorite conference of the year, and although it can be a little intimidating, it’s always packed with fascinating research, brilliant scientists, and plentiful networking opportunities. Armed with this guide, you’re as ready as you can be, so get out there and have fun!