1. Empower Your Career with Poster Panache
Joan M. Lakoski, Ph.D.
Department of Pharmacology
Office of Academic Career Development
University of Pittsburgh
April 21, 2003

2. The Poster Presentation
Presenting Data at a Scientific Meeting
Characteristics of effective presentations:
Organized
Rehearsed
Visual appeal
Relevant to audience
Demonstrates enthusiasm

3. Presenting a Poster with
Impact!

4. Poster Panache What is a poster?
Components of a scientific presentation
Advantages/disadvantages
Special characteristics of poster presentations

5. Essential Elements of a Poster Presentation
Information
Audience
You

6. A Poster Is… ….More than Presenting Data
Enables your contribution to a meeting
A significant part of professional education
Provides information
Develops your experience
Builds networks and contacts
Tremendous source of feedback

7. Poster Panache: Step One
Prepare and submit your abstract

8. Poster Panache: Step Two Inform Yourself About the Meeting
Consult instructions
Learn about your audience

9. Poster Panache: Step Three
Develop and Construct the Poster

10. Poster Components: The Title
Choose words carefully
Impacts your CV
Source of keywords
Determines who will come to view your results
Size: 120 Point (2 inches height)
Face: Sans Serif

11. Poster Components: The Sections
Introduction
Methods
Results
Summary
Conclusions
Acknowledgements

12. Poster Components: The Results
Pick importance
Effective figures
Simple
Self-contained (figure legends)
Style (color can be useful
Sequence (number to enhance flow)

13. Poster Panache: Assemble Ingredients Top to bottom and left to right
START St 1 5 3 4 2 6
FINISH

14. Poster Panache: Tips for Visual Impact
Labels and Logic
Use of headers
Font size and style
48 PT BOLD TYPE
30 PT Declarative statements
24 PT Text minimum

15. Poster Panache: Important Details
Plan for the space
Travel with your poster (carry-on only)
Practice poster etiquette (bring your own)
Be with your poster all of the presentation time (almost all…)

16. Poster Panache: Step Four
Enjoy Presenting Your Poster!

17. Poster Presentations…
Require
Planning
Preparation
Provide rewards
Can be extremely effective
Provides exposure for you and your data
Brings feedback from the experts

18. Remember….
Participating with a poster in a scientific meeting is a good investment in your professional development!

19. Acknowledgements Dr. Michael Zigmond Ms. Beth Fischer
Survival Skills and Ethics Program
University of Pittsburgh
Dr. Robert Milner
Penn State College of Medicine