Get Ready for Geo-Congress 2024 with NC State Graduate Students!
by Cassie Gann-Phillips, S.M.ASCE, and Marlee Reed, S.M.ASCE
The most wonderful time of year (as a geotech professional) is upon us: Geo-Congress! So get your bags packed, passport checked, and mentally prepare for three full days of networking, learning, and lots of fun!
When preparing for a Geo-Congress as a graduate student, one of the first things on our to-do list is to make sure that we have our research posters and presentations ready to go. At NC State we have many amazing resources available to us to help with designing posters and presentations. One of these resources is our CCEE professional development office, which has great resources online and offers monthly seminars. Another great option is to enroll in the 15-week CCEE Advanced Communication for Engineering Research course, which we highly recommend to all PhD students! Dr. Kittle Autry is an engineering communications expert and has made the writing process easier and a little fun! So make sure to keep up with the resources your University or department has available to you! Last piece of advice regarding posters: make sure to check your airline baggage limitations regarding poster tube transportation… we try to avoid the unnecessary stress associated with checking a poster tube as baggage and hoping it doesn’t get lost on the way. Beyond sharing research ideas, another great benefit of attending Geo-Congress as a student are the networking opportunities. We always make sure to have several copies of our updated resume (on high quality paper) along with some business cards on-hand. Oh, and we can’t forget our NC State Engineering lapel pin - GO PACK!
On the first day of the conference, we recommend checking in at the G-I booth as soon as possible! The Monday night off-site event is usually ticket entry, so checking in early helps ensure you get your ticket. As an added bonus this year, the first 750 people to check in receive a stylish 20 oz. stainless steel water bottle– who doesn't love some free G-I swag? Another thing you can pick up at the registration desk is the full technical program, which contains all the technical and special session presentation topics. On Sunday afternoon I typically spend 15 minutes going through the program booklet and circling all the presentations that I want to attend. Also on Sunday afternoon is the G-I student orientation and professional development workshop. This is a great time to make connections with graduate students from other universities!
One highlight of the conference is the G-I student competitions, which take place on Monday. Our NC State G-I chapter has actively participated in the Geo-Prediction, Geo-Video, Geo-Poster, and Geo-Shirt competitions in previous years, and it has proven to be an enjoyable way to immerse ourselves in the conference experience.
The Geo-Wall competition is always entertaining to watch and it will take place in the exhibit hall throughout the day. Additionally, don’t forget to watch the Geo-Video finalist videos. The winners are selected through a voting process, so remember to cast your vote for the Geo-Video using the Eventsential app!
Attending Geo-Congress presents an excellent professional development opportunity for graduate students, all while being a great deal of fun!
We are especially looking forward to exploring the Vancouver aquarium this year, and there’s a buzz about a ski simulator being featured in the exhibit hall! The conference is jam-packed with exciting events, and we are very grateful for all the meticulous planning that went into making this happen. The NC State G-I members are looking forward to seeing you in Vancouver!