Lakshmi's first international conference experience in Japan
Reported from Sydney with inputs from Ms Lakshmi Bodduluri
July 2015
Every Masters/ PhD student fathoms the importance of attending an academic conference, as it is an excellent opportunity to project their work as well as to understand what other research is being carried out in the field of interest. For Lakshmi Bodduluri (BLSO, 2010; currently a PhD Student, UNSW), the excitement and opportunity to forecast her research work, was at the 23rd Symposium of the International Colour Vision Society (ICVS) that involved vision scientists and clinicians whose research interests are in various aspects of colour vision and colour vision deficiencies. The conference was held in Sendai, Japan from 3rd to 7th July 2015.
She was very delighted to meet and talk to those “famous people”- the authors, whose papers she has been reading, referring and citing and who have been making exceptional contributions to the field of colour vision. Initially, she was hesitant to take the move and talk to them; but she was glad to be accompanied by her supervisor who took the lead and introduced her to some of these eminent people, plus she had a chance to open up during the discussion at poster session. Lakshmi presented her research work as a poster titled “An iPad application to test colour sensitivity”. Being the only person presenting research related to the new area on iPad application, she was concerned about how the results would be received by experts in colour vision research. Fascinatingly, she received positive feedback from a number of conference delegates and from the experts in the field of colour vision. This happiness was further heightened when her poster was selected as one of the best posters and she received a merit award for the presentation.
Lakshmi (left) with Chair of Selection Committee, Hannah Smithson
Besides this, she loved her stay at Sendai, and says “the little islands around are very beautiful”. Lakshmi was captivated by the discipline and helpful nature of Japanese and regards the way they bow to as a token of respect. Lakshmi concludes saying that “my very first international conference experience was brilliant and it is important that PhD students attend international conferences so that it gives students the opportunity to share their research to an international audience and get reviewed by the experts in that field. This experience gave me an opportunity to meet with experts in colour vision, interact with fellow researchers, share experiences and make some new friends from around the world”.
Lakshmi with her supervisor Prof. Stephen Dain