Effective Scientific Presentation and Public Speaking

The ability to present your research in a compelling, concise, and engaging manner will enhance your professional career. I will work to convince you that the best way to capture an audience and leave a lasting impression is to tell a story, do a demo, or pick a fight. Virtual presentations make it harder to connect and interact with the audience, and to overcome these obstacles requires getting the most from video, audio, lighting, live vs. pre-recorded content, and virtual posters. So, these elements will also be an essential part of the class. The goal of a talk is not to show people how much work you did, how capable and dedicated you are, or how much you know. We don't care about any of those things. The goal is for the audience to learn something new and important, to change their perspective, to leave a lasting memory, and to influence their research. It is to be inspired, shocked, or moved. The course is taught as a series of stand-and-deliver exercises with class feedback and revision on the fly, supplemented by one-on-one coaching. We will have exercises on conference presentations, job interviews and job talks, departmental seminars, webinars, press interviews, and funding pitches. Grades are optional: 70% in-class exercises, 30% final presentation, such as your upcoming AGU, GSA, or SEG presentation. Take this course when you have research to present. (http://syllabus.stanford.edu). My pledge is that everyone will come away a more skilled and confident speaker than they were before.