My supervisor has organized a conference which is taking place tomorrow and Saturday. Glancing down the list of speakers I've just realised that about 50- 60% are established, published academics - I don't have a good grasp for names and I recognized most of them straight away. In the nick of time I realised that I have mentioned one of the people on my panel, and one of the other speakers, in my paper (Luckily I was being complimentary in both cases!). So it appears that my sup has done me, 1 year and 4 months into a PhD, a big favour here by letting me present.

I'm one part chuffed to two parts terrfied at the moment. I'm not a confident person at the best of times and although I'm slowly getting better I'm not a very good public speaker. Not really looking for advice here, just perhaps any of you who have had a similiar experiences and how you found it? In fact I'm sure you've all spoken at big conferences millions of times but please humour me!

Hi, I have never presented at a conference but have experience with general public speaking.

Just try to enjoy it, relax and you will do brill. Just think of how good you will feel after the conference! I am sure you have every right to be there and present. All the best and as you name suggests "keep_calm" :-)

Thats great that you're speaking at the conference keepcalm!

That said, I fully understand the fear it entails. Despite my own irrational terrors though I must say that I've never having had a bad experience when presenting. You'll always be the expert on your particular piece of research and most academics are pretty decent to (clearly nervous) students. On the off-chance that you do get a grumpy questioner everyone in the room sees them for the prat they are anyway! I found it helped to check out the room first (mentally peeing in the corners and so on), oh and don't have eggs for breakfast, got that one wrong last time and felt sick as a parrot :s

Damn you! I wanted to make that joke.

I'm sure that if you just remember that they were once lowly PhD students who were nervous presenting at conferences and that the "real" world level of respect for established recognised academics tends to be lower than that of a Daily Mail reporter, you'll be fine.

Thanks a lot guys- and good point, Slizor ;-)

I've presented at conferences before, and I teach, and I know, objectively speaking, that I'll be fine. It just never seems to get any less scary for me! Ach, two days of 'the terrors' and it'll be over and I'll start scouting round for my next one, like the gluttons for punishment we all are : )

Your supervisor obviously has faith in you so that ought to add to your confidence! What I learnt the last time I gave a paper (fortunately at a PG conference) is don't try to present with a terrible hangover. The words in front of you are better if they don't swim! I'd stayed with friends I'd not seen for ages and we had a terrific boozy dinner that didn't seem like such a great idea the next day... Fortunately it went fine and I got good feedback but never again! :$

hi Keep Calm!
I think you will do well! Dont worry! Im sure you will be able to answer any questions thrown your way :-)

My presentations at conferences, so far have always been nice and easy and no complicated challenging questions! Call it luck maybe? I dont know :-)

but I went in for a competition (some time back) and was grilled by the judge. It was a molecular biology award competition and it was really horrible. Another horrible time I had was my masters viva. The examiner asked me something which I was totally unprepared for--and I stood there like a dummy couldnt say anything, nothing came out of my mouth, and my friends even asked me (later) what happened to you? Are you ok?

I think your supervisor has confidence in you and it is a good opportunity for you to make your presentation, and with these 50-60% established academics' presence to hear your work, its a great way to develop and learn. You will be ok.

satchi

Big thanks to everyone who helped me out,

My paper was today. It began terribly- I was late! But I recovered, and I'm pleased to say it went really well. The lady whose work I used in my paper said after I'd given it that it was really interesting and fruitful and we had lunch together afterwards. My head of dept also came up and said it was excellent and as another PhDer in my dept pointed out, he doesn't give praise often! I chaired a panel after that which went fine and I even coped when my sup asked me to stand up at the end of the day during the closing comments and make some off the cuff remarks 8-)

Sorry for blatant showing off but I'm most pleased with myself, and best of all I will get some sleep tonight! : D

Merci mes amis...