1. Navigating a Professional Meeting Maria Gini Dept of CSE, University of Minnesota

2. My background Faculty at the University of Minnesota for more than 20 years Faculty at the University of Minnesota for more than 20 years 40 faculty in the Department 40 faculty in the Department Large undergraduate program (~550 students, 130 graduates/year) and large graduate program (~200 PhD students, 15-20 graduates/year) Large undergraduate program (~550 students, 130 graduates/year) and large graduate program (~200 PhD students, 15-20 graduates/year) Research in AI, robotics, multi-agent systems Research in AI, robotics, multi-agent systems

3. Outline We will start with basic information on professional meetings: We will start with basic information on professional meetings: –How to decide where to submit a paper? –What to do when a paper is rejected? –What when it is accepted? We will work through different scenarios and ask you to play different roles We will work through different scenarios and ask you to play different roles –Not much talk by me –some acting by everyone!

4. How to decide where to submit a paper? There are many types of meetings: There are many types of meetings: –Workshops –Symposia –Conferences (national or international) –Society conferences (ACM, IEEE, SIAM, AAAI, etc) and for profit conferences Your advisor is the best judge of the quality of the conference and the relevance of your work to it. Your advisor is the best judge of the quality of the conference and the relevance of your work to it. One important caveat: do not submit unless you plan on attending if your paper is accepted One important caveat: do not submit unless you plan on attending if your paper is accepted

5. What to do when a paper is rejected? Rejections hurt, but forget your pride and take constructive actions. Rejections hurt, but forget your pride and take constructive actions. Learn from the reviewers comments. Learn from the reviewers comments. Discuss with your advisor what to do next. Discuss with your advisor what to do next.

6. What to do when a paper is accepted? Be happy and celebrate your accomplishments! Be happy and celebrate your accomplishments! Plan for final revisions and final submission of your paper. Plan for final revisions and final submission of your paper. Make plans for attending the conference and presenting your work. Make plans for attending the conference and presenting your work.

7. Act I: ask your advisor to attend a conference to present your paper Two roles: Two roles: –Student –Advisor Work in pairs using the first role you are assigned Work in pairs using the first role you are assigned We will then switch roles We will then switch roles We will wrap this up with some discussion We will wrap this up with some discussion

8. Prepare for the conference Prepare your talk Prepare your talk –Prepare your presentation (powerpoint or pdf) –Make sure it looks professional (no spelling errors, no funny color combinations, no funny fonts, large enough fonts) –Practice your presentation  In front of a mirror. Time yourself, look at your body language.  To a group of fellow students. Look at them as you talk. Learn to understand your audience. Learn to answer questions.  To your advisor –Have a backup of the talk (memory stick)

9. Prepare to interact with researchers Prepare your elevator pitch Prepare your elevator pitch Be ready to give a longer more technical description of your work Be ready to give a longer more technical description of your work Be ready to talk about your career plans Be ready to talk about your career plans

10. Act II: interact with other researchers at the conference Two roles: Two roles: –Student –Researcher Work in pairs using the first role you are assigned Work in pairs using the first role you are assigned We will then switch roles We will then switch roles We will wrap this up with some discussion We will wrap this up with some discussion

11. Other professional interactions A faculty in an area close to your research is visiting your department and giving a talk. What shall you do? A faculty in an area close to your research is visiting your department and giving a talk. What shall you do? A fresh PhD is interviewing for a faculty opening in your department. As part of the interview the candidate is giving a talk and meeting with graduate students. Shall you attend? A fresh PhD is interviewing for a faculty opening in your department. As part of the interview the candidate is giving a talk and meeting with graduate students. Shall you attend?

12. For more information email: gini@cs.umn.edu email: gini@cs.umn.edugini@cs.umn.edu http://www.cs.umn.edu/~gini http://www.cs.umn.edu/~gini