First of all, let me second some of the great advice that has already been posted:
- Take the time to schedule your meeting using the Mobile App.
- Make arrangements to meet colleagues and friends NOW.
- Don’t forget to plan social events as well.
In other words, don’t come to ARVO without a plan.
Don’t focus exclusively on your area of research, however. There are opportunities to learn something outside your core area of interest so plan to take advantage of them:
- The keynote session on Sunday afternoon is always well done and gives you the chance to hear a talk on a subject you might not otherwise experience. Who can forget Ray Kurzweil’s “virtual” appearance in Ft. Lauderdale in 2008? This year we will be hear about “How curiosity-driven research can lead to the Nobel Prize” from Barry Marshall on Sunday from 12 - 1:15pm.
- The named award lectures are given by leaders in eye research and these individuals can serve as role models for scientists of all types (basic, clinical) at all stages of their career. This year’s group of awardees:
- Proctor Medal (ARVO’s highest award for outstanding research, Monday evening): Wolfgang Baehr, Membrane Protein Transport in Photoreceptors
- Weisenfeld Award (For contributions to clinical practice, Monday evening): Jose Cunha-Vaz, Phenotypes and biomarkers of diabetic retinopathy
- Friedenwald Award (For outstanding research in basic or clinical research, Wednesday evening): Krzysztof Palczewski, Structural biology of the fundamental steps in vision
- Cogan Award (For an outstanding “young” investigator, 40 years or less, Tuesday evening): Kirill Martemyanov, G protein signaling in the retina and beyond
- If you are in training or early in your career, make sure to seek out the events targeted to you. I found these to be very helpful in my first years at ARVO:
- Pizza with the Experts! (Sunday 1:30pm) or Breakfast with the Experts! (Wednesday 7am). Meet with ARVO members over Pizza or Breakfast. Make sure to sign up ahead of time.
- Authorship Ethics: Credit and Credibility Workshop (Sunday 1:30pm). Learn about what qualifies a person to be listed as an author, and how to appropriately give credit where credit is due.
- Clinician-Scientist Forum (Wednesday 1pm). Hear from successful clinician-scientists.
- Whether you are new to ARVO or not, there are workshops to help round out your experience.
Finally, remember that you are in Florida. Pick one day to wake up early and go to the beach before it is overrun with tourists.