You walk into the opening reception, grab something to drink, pick up a few hors d'ouevres, and ... talk to the people you know?
Meeting peers at a conference can be intimidating,especially at the beginning of an event when you have not yet had any shared experiences; nevertheless, working a room is an important way to build a network and learn new ideas to bring back to your institution. Here are a few strategies to make that interaction a little less intimidating.
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