| Considerations on organizing a successful symposium as a postdoctoral scholar |
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Swetha Murali, Sarah Dykstra, Sandrine Ettou and Yao Zhang
In 2017, the Boston Postdoctoral Association (BDPA) held its inaugural postdoctoral scholar-led professional development symposium, the BPDA Symposium on Careers and Collaboration in Science (B-SoCCS). B-SoCCS was a first of its kind event in the Boston postdoc community and drew over 300 postdoc attendees who presented more than 70 scientific posters. The symposium featured over 100 speakers, panelists and networking guests from across academia and industry who contributed to an array of panels and workshops. Building on the experience and momentum gained from our first symposium, BPDA hosted the second annual B-SoCCS (BSOCCS2018.org) on June 8-10, 2018, at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, MA. Over the course of planning and executing two large symposia, the BPDA and its committee organizers have learned valuable lessons in project management and event planning that may be useful to others planning a large-scale meeting or symposium.
Developing a vision Before you begin, it is important to have a clear vision for the event. BPDA’s symposium theme was developed through extensive discussions with Boston area postdocs and in consultation with academics and industry professionals. The symposium’s mission was twofold: to facilitate increased collaboration among scientists and engineers in academia and industry and to provide practical professional development tools for early career researchers. Along with the mission, BPDA used the theme of “academic-industry collaboration” as a guide for all subsequent planning.
Designing your organizational structure To ensure the success of this large-scale symposium, it was important to consider many organizational factors. First, BPDA set clear timelines for various aspects of the planning process. As the BPDA’s symposium was a hybrid meeting with both professional development and scientific content, BPDA created a series of committees responsible for executing content across these spheres. Committees were dedicated to a distinct task including
Each committee was composed of postdoc volunteers and led by one or more chairs who determined the workflow and timelines. A core group of organizers led the committees, allocating tasks to committees and ensuring that the overall goals were achieved.
Maintaining records and communicating effectively With the organizers were geographically distributed throughout the greater Boston area, BPDA used organizational tools to facilitate the planning. For instance, cloud-based tools like OneNote and Google Drive efficiently handle project management tasks such as distributing information on speakers and sponsors, and aligning resources for volunteers and speakers. Organizing and maintaining a cloud-based storage system allowed BPDA to create a record for future organizers of all logistical details and contacts. As meeting in person can be challenging across large distances, BPDA used Slack for short group messaging and teleconferences for organizer meetings. In addition, BPDA used a shared symposium email that was copied in all communications for archival and quality-control purposes. Finally BPDA shared content with panelists and attendees using cloud-based storage such as Google Drive and Dropbox.
Content is key The two critical factors in the success of BPDA’s symposium were the infusion of workshops and panels with relevant content and the recruitment of a diverse range of engaged, enthusiastic speakers. As Boston-area postdoc population is diverse and the BPDA overall theme was academic-industry collaborations, the symposium planning committee created three sub-themes for the sessions:
In consultation with the planning committee, each sub committee generated a list of panels and workshops around each theme. BPDA developed a written workshop/panel agenda which both contained the goals and desired outcomes for each workshop or panel, and included a list of potential speakers from our network. Speakers were selected from this pool based on trusted recommendations and first-hand experience. BPDA called each each candidate individually to discuss the session and overall symposium goals and to determine whether they would participate.
The planning committee invited senior and experienced professionals to deliver a keynote and plenary talks for the symposium. The committee found it necessary to contact potential speakers six to eight months before the event because speakers often have limited availability. The keynote and plenary set the tone for the event, and it is important to recruit inspirational and energetic speakers who are committed to the overall mission.
Developing a budget Many volunteer-run organizations are dependent on donations. It is important to determine a budget early and coordinate sponsorship, venue costs, catering and speaker accommodations accordingly. There are many things to account for, and it is easy to overlook small things that add up quickly. BPDA maintained clear financial records to account for major expenses like venue rental and catering. In addition BPDA kept close tabs on expenditures on smaller items like stationery, poster boards, speaker gifts, and nametags. It is very helpful to work in close collaboration with a sponsor who has the capacity to host the event. For instance, BPDA has generous support from the Broad Institute, who sponsor the venue-related expenses. And provided invaluable guidance in choice of preferred caterers, serving of alcohol and insurance requirements.
Finding sponsors and champions Sponsorship for symposia come from a range of sources: research institutions, scientific supplies vendors, professional bodies, and other industry partners. BPDA utilized multiple sponsorship levels to allow a diversity of sponsors and partners to support the event. Only a small part of the funding can be generated through ticket sales. Career symposia price tickets modestly out of consideration for financial restraints faced by postdocs and instead rely on external sponsors. It is important to offer sponsorship benefits relevant to any potential donors and work with sponsors to tailor offerings, making the collaborations mutually beneficial.
Organizing a symposium is a major undertaking, but the planning is made easier with careful consideration of all the factors involved. It is important to consider the needs of the attendees and other stakeholders, and to identify priorities early. Thanks to all these efforts, both the BPDA symposium organizers and attendees enjoyed last two year’s symposium! < Sarah Dykstra, PhD, is a postdoctoral scholar at Tufts University, the co-president of the Tufts University Postdoctoral Association, and one of the lead organizers of the Boston Postdoctoral Association. Swetha Murali, PhD, is the co-chair of the Boston Postdoctoral Association Career Development Committee and the co-organizer of the 2017 and 2018 B-SoCCS. Sandrine Ettou, PhD, is a postdoctoral scholar at Boston Children’s Hospital, the treasurer of the Boston Postdoctoral Association Career Development Committee, and a committee chair of the 2017 and 2018 B-SoCCS. Yao Zhang, PhD, is a postdoctoral scholar at Sanofi Genzyme and a committee chair of the 2018 B-SoCCS.
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