¡Hola! A few weeks ago, I presented a poster of my research project results at the 25th annual SETAC conference.

Students Party (photo by K. Newton)

For me, it was the first time presenting a poster at a scientific conference, and I think it went well. I had around four or five people come and ask me questions on my research and a few more leave business cards (which may not seem like big numbers but, for the span of a coffee break, I think was pretty good). The conference can seem a bit overwhelming at times, as there are so many interesting sessions to choose from. What I enjoy is attending talks on topics I know nothing about. Most people listen to the sessions on topics related to their research, but I think as a Master’s student it is a good idea to not only get a taste of the latest research in your specialty but also broaden your horizons a bit and check out other topics as well. Quite honestly, attending a conference is exhausting due to the fact that it is a mix of all work and all play and no sleep. Besides the awesome student party that is a part of the annual SETAC meeting (which this year was hosted in a really swanky burlesque style night club), there was a birthday party on Sunday night after the opening ceremony to celebrate the 25th year of SETAC. It started with all sorts of Catalonian tapas and ended with a rather fun dance party. All in all, these sorts of meetings are a lot of fun and a great way to connect with other scientists in both an academic and a social way.