When I began my PhD, my background meant I had to put in a lot of effort to truly grasp the topic. What helped me was trying to re-explain quantitative genetics at different levels to friends and family - from everyday analogies to technical models. This process not only clarified my own understanding, but also revealed where my knowledge was still vague versus deep. 

I often motivate myself by the saying "If you cannot explain to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself". 

Some favourites posters of mine: Even among scientists, backgrounds can be so diverse, and I find the challenge of distilling complex work into clear, punchy messages very rewarding. To me, a poster is never a “second choice” to a talk, but a creative way to communicate science and spark conversations.