[US Journey] My First International Conference Presentation in Charlotte

My journey to the United States began on June 19th as I arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina. This trip was especially meaningful to me because it was my very first time attending an international conference and, more importantly, giving an oral presentation.

I spent the first two days, June 20th and 21st, getting to know the city. Charlotte had a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere, and walking through its streets was the perfect way to adjust to the new environment and ease my pre-conference nerves.

The main event, the conference, took place from June 22nd to the 25th. Being surrounded by such brilliant researchers from all over the world was a pivotal experience for me. Attending various sessions was a great opportunity to broaden my academic horizons. In particular, I found the sessions related to Fault Injection and Federated Learning incredibly interesting. My own presentation was scheduled for June 24th. As the day approached, I felt a mix of intense pressure and excitement. While I was nervous to speak in front of a audience for the first time, I am proud to say that I successfully delivered my talk. However, during the Q&A session, I received two questions that I wasn’t able to answer fully on the spot, which was quite disappointing. It made me realize that I still need more preparation and a deeper readiness for these kinds of academic venues. At the same time, I am truly grateful to the researchers who took the time to ask those questions, as their feedback gave me invaluable directions for my future work.

This experience taught me so much more than just how to present my work; it gave me a fresh perspective on my research and a new sense of confidence.

For those interested in the technical details of my work, I have shared my presentation slides below. It was a privilege to share my findings with the community, and I hope they can be useful to others in the field.

Looking back, those days in Charlotte were an unforgettable chapter of learning and growth. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to my advisor, Prof.Jeong, and my best partner and colleague, Chaeyoung, who walked alongside me through the long journey from writing the paper to delivering this presentation. I couldn’t have done it without their endless support.

As the conference came to a close on the 25th, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment. With the major work finished, I was ready to head to Florida to recharge and reflect on everything I had experienced. My next post will cover the relaxation that followed in Clearwater and Orlando.

Most of the photos by Chaeyoung