How Oregon State University Doubled Follow-Up Meetings After a Virtual Poster Session

About the Partnership

Oregon State University and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the University of Oregon collaborate on research initiatives and joint academic programming, including PhD poster sessions designed to foster interdisciplinary exchange.

These events are intended to spark conversation between doctoral researchers, faculty, and collaborators across institutions, creating opportunities for feedback, idea-sharing, and future partnerships.

The Challenge: Making Virtual Poster Sessions Actually Interactive

Traditional virtual poster formats, often built around static slides or sequential webinar presentations, limited spontaneous interaction. Attendees couldn’t easily “walk up” to a poster, join a side discussion, or move between conversations at their own pace.

Presenters struggled to recreate the dynamic flow of in-person sessions, where clusters form naturally and discussions branch into new directions. Cross-university networking, in particular, felt constrained in rigid virtual rooms. The teams needed a format that allowed movement, informal side conversations, and fluid interaction across both institutions.

The Solution: A True Virtual Poster Hall

Using SpatialChat, organizers designed an open virtual poster hall where each PhD presenter had a dedicated space. Attendees could freely navigate between posters, engage in small-group discussions using proximity audio, and move organically as conversations evolved.

The spatial layout enabled:

• Natural “walk-up” interactions
• Parallel discussions without formal breakout assignments
• Easy transitions between posters
• Informal 1:1 follow-up conversations

The experience more closely mirrored the flow and spontaneity of an in-person academic poster session.

The Results: Longer Engagement and More Follow-Up Collaboration

The joint session achieved strong participation, with approximately 65–70% of attendees engaging in multiple poster discussions. Average dwell time increased to roughly 35–45 minutes per attendee—more than double the 15–20 minutes typical of prior virtual poster formats.

Organizers also reported:

• Higher-quality research discussions
• Stronger cross-university connections
• Approximately 2× more follow-up 1:1 meetings scheduled post-event compared to previous virtual sessions

Rather than simply presenting research, participants actively exchanged ideas and built relationships across institutions.

A Better Model for Virtual Research Showcases

For joint academic programming, the format matters as much as the content. By replicating the flow of an in-person poster hall, SpatialChat enabled meaningful dialogue, interdisciplinary networking, and measurable collaboration outcomes.

If you're planning a multi-institution research event, poster session, or doctoral showcase, consider how SpatialChat can turn passive attendance into active exchange.