On November 24th 2022, we had the pleasure of hosting Dr Dr Shari Walsh from Resilient Researcher who presented her workshop ‘Spreading the word (presenting & networking).’

Our phd students and post-docs learned tips on how to overcome the all-too-common anxiety that comes with presenting and networking, as well as body language skills to both present confidently and to read networking situations to assert ourselves and make valuable connections.

Some useful tips were:

*Ground yourself before presentations. Carry a stone or favourite object in your pocket to centre yourself. Consider harnessing #deepbreathingand power poses to boost your performance.

*Try to read networking situations and whether groups are open or closed to determine if it is acceptable to make an approach.

*When attending a networking event, try to get access to the guest list and pre-prepare some questions. Asking ‘What made you decide to attend today’s conference?’, or ‘What is your favourite presentation of the symposium thus far?’ are more than acceptable ice-breaking questions.

*Don’t be afraid to approach well-known individuals. Believe in your value as a potential connection and harness their curiosity about your research to make relevant but engaging conversation.

*Following up with people you meet at networking events: A friendly reminder about where you met and what you were conversing about may be enough for them to remember you, even if they don’t remember your face. It’s acceptable to politely follow-up every few months and to share interesting research in your field or upcoming events to keep your connection alive.

As an Australian Research Council funded Industrial Transformation Training Centre, we are always looking to develop the skills of our team to ensure their research make real-world impacts, and to strengthen their career readiness. What a great way to prepare for our 2022 Research Symposium #ITTC2022ResSym, which kicks off tomorrow.