MODERN LANGUAGES
Dr. Yvette Fuentes, Associate Professor
In your experience, what is the purpose of a conference? From my experience, the purpose of a conference is a) to share research with colleagues in your field, b) learn about the latest research in your field being conducted by colleagues, and c) network and connect with others who share your same scholarly interests.
In your field, is it typical to deliver Poster Presentations or Oral Presentations? In modern languages/literatures, we share our research via oral presentations. Those in the fields of linguistics /second language acquisition deliver poster presentations and oral presentations.
In your field, do panelists typically read papers or speak without notes? For the most part, we read papers, and/or use Powerpoint/Prezi presentations.
In your experience, what is the responsibility of an audience member? Audience members should clearly listen to the speaker(s), but also take notes, and be ready to ask questions and/or share thoughts with the speaker. An audience member should be respectful and should not be aggressive or dismissive of a presenter.
How would you describe your presentation persona? (or What is an effective presentation persona?) An effective presentation persona is someone who interacts with the audience, maintains good eye contact, and speaks at a steady pace (not too fast nor too slow., A presenter should avoid “reading” their paper /presentation word for word. It’s important to add additional information as needed.
How do you handle performance anxiety? Before any presentation, I always practice what I’m going to present out loud. This helps me time what I’m going to say and helps me ‘imagine’ issues that I might encounter, as well as find ‘errors’ in the presentation. When I present at national/international conferences, I try to steady myself and slow my breathing before starting.
How do you 'network'? During conferences, I try to reach out to people that are in the same field as me, providing my business card or contact information after my presentations and those I attend. If there are informal social gatherings, I try to connect with people I don’t know, as well, asking them about their education/research area.
Any tips you normally give to first-time goers? Try not to be nervous. The first few times are nerve-wracking, but you learn to be more at ease the more you present. Always be sure to practice your presentation beforehand since this will help you gain confidence before the actual event. And finally, enjoy the experience! Be sure to reach out to others at the conference, try to attend as many panels as you can, listening carefully to the presenters, and being supportive to them by asking relevant, insightful questions. Remember that conferences are opportunities to both share your passion and learn from those in your field.