[header] How to network at an international academic conference [title] Do your homework in advance. [step] It is recommended to begin your homework at least one month in advance before the conference date. Doing your homework is the first step towards efficient networking. 
Homework is preparing yourself on how you will network with the people you want to network with. So when you start thinking about networking, you should first answer the question " why? ": why is it that you want to network? Then answer the question " with whom? ".