Presenting & Speaking At Academic Conferences – A Complete Rundown

A world-class conference presentation doesn’t have to be a keynote; it simply needs to help the audience solve a problem or connect to a narrative. And that means anyone can deliver one, even lesser experienced individuals.

While being given the stage is a chance for anyone savvy enough to apply, the process of being chosen as a presenter/speaker at a 2023 international conference, and following through with a successful presentation, is quite nuanced. There are some things about presenting at conferences that one can only learn by getting their hands dirty. However, this article offers a detailed overview of what those who are eager to present or speak at conferences are in for. 

• Being Picked To Speak At An International Conference
  • The number of speakers varies depending on the funding and popularity of a conference, so they can range from a few to a hundred or more speakers. 
  • A small number of conferences select speakers, but the majority extend what is called a ‘Call For Proposals’ or CFP several months before the scheduled date of the event. 
  • The organisers of such conferences share some general topic categories they seek to highlight and ask potential speakers to submit – 
    • a title, 
    • an abstract, and
    • any material that may clarify or support their topic. 

Applications could be submitted toa voting system or reviewed by a committee. 

• What international conference 2023 planners are looking for – 

• Variety In Topical Expertise
  • A person could be one of the many who submitted similar ideas. 
  • So they should aim to be unique, but ultimately it’s hard to predict whether the topic they offer will overlap with those of other speakers, one with a better professional reputation. 
  • This is where having some speaking experience under one’s belt, even for small events like boot camps, comes in handy. 
  • If one is still pretty green, they can flesh out their resume by contributing to open source projects.

• Expertise Pertinent To The Conference Theme(s)
  • Many conference planners want to end up with a diverse group of speakers who bring a range of experiences to the specific branch of the field they will be speaking about.

• So, this is how one can improve their chances of being selected as a speaker – 

• Offer A Unique Perspective On A Germaine Topic
  • Helping participants see things differently always makes for a remarkable conversation.

• Looking To Speakers Of The Past For Advice
  • Some of the best resources are people who have presented at the same event they want to be selected for. 
  • It might also be possible to contact the conference organisers, but chances are they won’t hear from these popular industry leaders. 
  • The ultimate deciding factor may be beyond one’s control.
  • That’s why it’s worth applying to multiple conferences that match one’s expertise well.

• Addressing Conference Audiences
  • Audience research is crucial. A speaker’s awareness will not only govern the topic they present but also how they present it, the level of detail they go into, etc. 
  • The best way is to have conversations with people who are broadly representative of a conference’s audience. 
  • Those who usually speak at conferences organised around certain niche subjects already know at least a third of the attendees personally. 
  • If a speaker is not lucky enough to know their attendees, they should find a way to connect and chat with them as soon as possible. 
  • They should ask them the questions that will give them the most insight – 
    • What are you struggling with? 
    • What new thing are you keen on learning more about? 
    • What do you find fascinating?.

• Preparing A Highly Engaging Presentation
  • Preparing a stellar presentation is never an easy task. It’s a creative process that takes shape when one says their first word on stage. 
  • Veteran conference speakers and presenters usually start preparing from the moment they are invited to speak until the day of the presentation. 
  • The days leading up to a presentation are vital. 
  • This is an opportunity for aspiring conference speakers to meet other speakers and attendees in person and gauge the general conference atmosphere as well as current trends and topics of interest. 
  • This isn’t the time to rewrite a presentation, but it’s a great time to set the tone for their opening and closing remarks, tweak a slide here and there and add some tastefully humorous comments on other speakers or jokes about the conference itself.

• Forging A Deeper Connection With The Conference Audience
  • Relating with the audience in more than just a professional capacity is extremely crucial. 
  • Humour and levity help the audience (and the speaker) relax, so they are open to what the speaker has to say. 
  • However, creating suspense is even more important. 
  • Creating suspense at the start and resolving it at the end of one’s presentation is crucial to keeping the conference audience engaged. 
  • A conference speaker’s presentation is a performance, after all, and they are part educator, part artist.

• Providing Enlightening Information To Conference Audiences
  • Speakers should seek to teach their audiences something new. 
  • Apart from the social opportunities that conferences provide – which are extremely valuable and cannot be overstated, people generally attend to learn. 
  • Leaving an upcoming international conference in 2023 wanting to know more will be disappointing for the participants of these events.
  • What speakers share should ideally be simple and practical. It doesn’t need to be deep, but it should open up new possibilities, whether inspiring or pragmatic.
  • After all, the conference audience probably spent a lot of money and took a few days off to be there. 
  • Conference speakers should talk about –
    • what they do best, 
    • what they inside out, 
    • what excites them the most. 
  • Speakers shouldn’t try to bluff their audiences or pretend to be something they’re not but instead be as authentic, humble, and themselves as possible. 

• Zeroing On A Great Topic
  • The process of focusing on a topic can be long, but it’s worth the considerable effort to find the one that will have the most impact on an audience.
  • Speakers should try these approaches to focus on their perfect subject – 

• Talking About Something Personal
  • Thinking about the big ideas they’ve been working on over the past few years. 
  • The things they do every day at work may not be exciting to them, but others might find them fascinating. 
  • Those speakers choose to speak about something they did professionally; they may need to approve the speaking engagement with their bosses or legal department.

• Preparing A Summarization 
  • Before a speaker responds to calls for submissions and starts creating slides, they should see if they can describe what their speech will do. 
  • They should begin by giving it an exciting title.
  • They can maybe even create several summaries and see which one they like best, or have a colleague take a look and offer them inputs.

• Testing Out The Presentation In Front Of A Smaller Audience
  • Speakers should give their speeches at a local meeting to gauge the response. 
  • If they have the ability to attract members of their target audience, this is the best way to judge the relevance and engagement of their idea.

• Choosing A Passion Subject
  • Speakers should pick a topic that’s close to their heart and feel free to spend hours on it because that’s what they’ll be doing when they’re preparing to speak. 
  • When a speaker is all in, the audience will be able to feel it.

• Striving To Thrill Audiences & Have Them At The Edges Of Their Seats

• Keeping Audiences Captivated
  • Speakers should attempt to –
    • tell their audience a story, 
    • take them on a journey, 
    • take them with new wonder. 
  • That magical, childlike feeling when something seemingly impossible suddenly becomes plausible is what speakers are looking for. 
  • This is by no means making a suggestion that speakers should perform tricks on stage, but a little magic is exactly what will heighten their emotions and leave a lasting impression.
  • Impressing an audience requires creativity and charisma. 
  • This can take the form of a compelling story or a live demonstration. 
  • While live demos can be risky (which is why speakers taking this route should have a backup plan just in case), there’s nothing more engaging or interactive that, when done right, can tick all boxes, like live demos. 
  • Whatever a speaker’s method, it should pique the audience’s curiosity and engage them with their underlying message.
  • Speakers shouldn’t let all the talk of the wow factor distract them from the fact that their message, above all else, is the essence of their presentation. 
  • However, their energy is the vehicle to get that message across to a room full of people. 
  • They should seek to generate –
    • suspense, 
    • wonder, and 
    • emotional engagement.

Practical Tips For Preparing World-Class Presentations

• Structuring A Presentation Well
  • Speakers should –
    • start with a strong opening;
    • create suspense by enticingly describing the “big idea” that they will reveal during your presentation;
    • then introduce themselves by keeping it brief and personal;
    • use a few key points (each backed by a story, to build their case);
    • create a highlight with their “wow moment”, and
    • finally, summarise their message and close strongly.

• Picking A Presentation Style

There are many options for structuring a conversation. The format should be their first big decision after hearing the good news.

Here are some common conference formats –

• Providing A New Solution To A Very Common Problem 
  • Many professionals in the engineering and tech sectors encounter the same hurdles over and over again. 
  • Conferences are among the best places to brainstorm, and problem solve. 
  • Speakers who’ve managed to overcome something that other professionals struggle with can model their speech as a unique way to address a common challenge.

• The Hero’s Journey 
  • This is a classic storytelling trajectory. Speakers can attract the audience’s focus on this by telling the story of themselves as a happy professional doing their job, then hitting a low point, and finally emerging victorious after overcoming a big roadblock.

• Offering A Tech Deep Dive
  • A bit of the opposite of offering a ‘new solution for a common problem’, this format focuses on a new problem. 
  • Speakers can choose to zoom in on the details of a project either they themselves or their colleagues have been involved in.

• Live Demonstrations 
  • The riskiest of all formats, a live demo is only suitable in certain cases. Speakers should, however, be wary of opting for the live demo approach if they’re first-time speakers.
  • Whatever format one chooses, they should make sure it fits their topic and does what their abstract promises. 
  • They don’t want to mis-sell potential audience members who chose to attend the conference because of what they read in the conference program.

• Preparing Appealing, Enticing, & Engaging Presentation Slides
  • A speaker’s slides should support what they have to say, not the other way around. 
  • They should avoid the temptation to jump the gun and design slides right away. 
  • It’s a waste of time and a distraction to do this until they have a very clear idea of ​​what and how they want to communicate. 
  • Veteran conference speakers usually design slides no earlier than a few weeks before a presentation. 
  • Although they should research and collect data for them at an early stage, they shouldn’t make the mistake of building their presentation around their slides.

• Crucial Tips For Designing Conference Presentation Slides

The visuals a speaker uses can make or break their presentation. If there’s not much to see, their audience might tune out. If they’re too busy, they might distract their audience from the important things they’re saying.

• Making Use Of Aesthetically Pleasing Font Types 
  • Speakers shouldn’t overload their slides with words. 
  • The ones they include should be written in a large, readable font.

• Pacing Slide Changes Well
  • Speakers should consider maintaining a reasonable pace when moving through their slides. 
  • A general rule is to plan to spend about a minute on each slide. 

• Including Easy-To-Visualise Assets 
  • Speakers should also consider the size of the screen in the presentation room and use eye-friendly colour contrast.

• Preparing Pre & Post-Conference Slides
  • Speakers shouldn’t forget the pre- and post-conference slides.
  • Speakers should create a cover slide that people can watch while they wait and an end slide that invites people to ask questions or displays their contact information.

• Ensuring The Topic Of Choice Has Been Researched Thoroughly
  • Researching a topic is the basis for preparing a presentation. 
  • Speakers should start as early as possible by – 
    • reading, 
    • studying, 
    • experimenting, and 
    • conversing with their peers. 
  • They expose themselves to as many real-world applications and people in the field as possible. 
  • The importance of having a direct conversation cannot be overstated. 
  • It’s the best way for a speaker to get out of their own head and appreciate different perspectives on a given topic – an essential part of building a strong case and delivering a meaningful message.

• Fleshing Out All Errors By Practising Incessantly
  • Practising a presentation is easy, and most speakers just tend to avoid it. By the time they speak on stage, they should be well versed in their performance. 
  • They should choose their words wisely, relax their mood and be lively.
  • Speakers can practice by –
    • visualising themselves going through the presentation; performing their presentations in front of a mirror; 
    • audio or video recording of themselves; 
    • practising in front of people (especially those willing to give constructive criticism). 
  • It is highly recommended that aspiring speakers do them all. Every time a speaker goes through their presentation, they will get valuable feedback.

• Maintaining The Fine Balance Between Overdoing A Presentation & Keeping It Too Lean
  • A bloated presentation is likely to make the audience comatose and obscure the purpose of a speaker’s message. 
  • It may seem blunt, but they should remove any parts of your presentation that don’t directly support the thread of their message- even if they spent days preparing for these specific parts. 
  • Speakers should practice their rhythm so they can move quickly on the less important parts and spend more time on the ones that need extra attention. 
  • They should also time their delivery, so they end up under rather than over the time limit. 
  • It will also give them a buffer for any technical issues that may arise, ensuring they have plenty of time to deliver their jaw-dropping moment and a solid conclusion. 
  • At the same time, speakers should also avoid running through their presentations or skimming down too much on essential information. 

• Comprehending The Mindset Of A Typical Engineering & Technology Conference Audience 
  • Speakers need to understand that how we communicate ideas and concepts is very different from how we receive them. 
  • When we explain a concept, we use a part of the brain called the neocortex.
  • It can deal with complex issues and present them using language and reason.
  • On the other hand, whenever we receive ideas, we make use of a part of the brain called the reptilian brain.
  • This is the part of the brain that carried out the –
    • Filtering of all the messages we receive, 
    • Generation of most of our fight or flight responses, and 
    • Production of powerful, elementary emotions. 
  • As a result, when speakers are on stage, they are not presenting themselves to a room full of attentive, logical, and reasoning intellects, but rather to a group of suspicious, capricious, but sensitive beings.

• Testing The Waters By Presenting At Smaller, Local Events
  • A Scopus international conference 2023 shouldn’t be the first place an aspiring conference presenter delivers their speech at. 
  • The best way to prepare to speak at an international conference is to practice at smaller events – ideally in front of known and trusted people. 
  • Speakers can do this by either – 
    • organising a lunch conference, 
    • meeting colleagues, or
    • finding a smaller event in their area.

• Adding Refining Touches
  • For the most part, the final preparations are self-evident. 
  • Nevertheless, speakers at conferences seem to pay little attention to their physical and mental state on the day. 
  • The final preparations of speakers should help ensure that they are –
    • well-rested, 
    • well-fed, 
    • well dressed, and 
    • mentally alert. 
  • Of course, travel, nerves, and anxiety will affect their mental state, but that’s what mental preparation and mindfulness are for.

• Picking The Right Conferences To Present At

It may require some digging to find out which events an aspiring speaker has a chance of being approved to speak at. Listed below are some details to look for when narrowing down the best and most relevant conferences for one to present at – 

• Relevant Topic
  • This should be an aspiring conference speaker’s first priority, as the best match will be a conference that matches their interests and skills well. 
  • A good topic fit will make them more excited to present and could increase their chances of being selected.

• Convenience Of The Location Of The Event
  • Many conferences help speakers by covering their travel costs, but aspiring speakers should want to assess the logistics of being able to attend.

• Financial Feasibility 
  • Speakers should ask themselves if they can afford to take time off if their application is approved. If the conference does not cover their accommodation, they should try and ascertain the sort of accommodation options available to them.

As one becomes a bit more experienced, they can also start considering the reputation of the conference.

• Learning The Opening Sentence By Heart 
  • This is classic advice that many speakers will tell aspiring speakers. 
  • If one feels a little stuck when they first step on stage, having a prescribed way to start, helps keep things going.
  • Speakers should try not to read their slides. 
  • If it works logistically, they can plan to display their presenter’s notes on the screen.
  • Speakers can use the whole scene and pay attention to their body language. If they don’t know how to do this, rehearsing on video and watching the video helps.
  • Aspiring speakers should experiment with audience participation or humour if they’re brave enough to attempt it. 
  • These are more advanced (and risky) features that are easier to add once one has been a speaker for a while.

Presenting at a high-level engineering and technology conference 2023 is bound to help professionals grow. 

Get the IFERP Mobile App to read up on more insightful blogs on academic research and publication, tech conferencing, career advancement, and more.