Brittany Forte's Conference Summary

    Brittany Forte
     Ph.D. Student
     Cancer Biology GIDP

     Conference Summary
     Molecular Biology of DNA Tumor Viruses Conference (DNA Tumor Virus Meeting)
     Madison, Wisconsin

            My week in Wisconsin at the Molecular Biology of DNA Tumor Viruses Conference provided me with an invaluable experience that will truly enhance my graduate education and future career. The smaller size of this conference, as compared to conferences I have attended in the past, enabled me to connect with a number of PIs, students, and post-doctoral fellows on a much deeper level than if I were at a conference with thousands of other professionals. During each coffee break and meal, I was able to intimately network with leaders in my field; we discussed trending topics in science, and I received valuable feedback on my presentation and research. Because of these interactions, I returned to lab with a myriad of new ideas for my project and ways in which I can add to the “story” to enhance the manuscript on which I am working. Furthermore, I received sound career advice from both PIs and post-doctoral fellows, and I have identified key individuals in which I will likely consider reaching out to next year for post-doctoral opportunities in their labs.

            Being asked to give an oral presentation at this conference also greatly enhanced my personal and professional development. Through this opportunity, I was able to better my presentation skills in front of an audience of a few hundred experts in the field. I also improved my confidence and ability to answer questions, and more importantly, my ability to gracefully admit when I did not know the answer to a question instead of getting flustered. I also enjoyed listening to over 100 other oral presentations and visiting over 50 posters. The information I gleaned from all of these presentations has greatly enhanced my knowledge of the DNA tumor viruses, not just the one virus I study, and I learned about a few new methods which I plan to apply in my own research.

            Overall, receiving the Carter Travel Award provided me with the ability to further my development as a graduate student and young professional at the Molecular Biology of DNA Tumor Viruses Conference. I am forever grateful for being selected for this award – thank you!