Make that connection . People at the meeting are going to be interested in what you deem important for study. You can make invaluable connection with such soul mates at conferences in friendships which can last for decades. Either way, it is heartening to know that others are interested in the same things you are, so take the time to meet new people and enlarge your circle of professional connections. Learn about trends in the profession.
Every profession is a group of human beings.
The cocktail parties and receptions are often the best places to pick up this informal information. Formal papers may not focus on the trendy aspects as much as hallway exchanges. How often have I wished that a young scholar had been present for the information exchanged informally between sessions. Learn about grants. Every national meeting has one or two sessions devoted to grant writing.