Notes from The Professor 4

Dear STEM Student,

I presented my first scientific lecture in 1964 and I was nervous wreck so did very poorly! During the six decades since that disastrous lecture, I have learned some “tricks-of-the-trade,” which I would like to share with you. These are important points in delivering an effective presentation that captures the audience’s attention and leaves them with a lasting impression;

• Avoid memorizing your speech or presentation -   Science is more than data, and sharing it requires more than reciting information. Before you attempt to share your work and its significance, you must build understanding and trust with your audience.  Merely reeling off a long string of words and data can build a wall between you and them.   Your audience needs to feel you have understanding for their perspectives.  You must make your audience feel as if you are engaging them in a conversation, not making them mere recipients of why you are presenting. 

• Scientific discoveries mean nothing if they are not shared. Effective communication requires trust, mutual understanding, and dynamic two-way conversations in which audience members help build meaning and find ways to engage with new or complex information.

• Establish rapport - Before presenting the bulk of your work, first establish rapport with your audience via a conversation on any topic. In that way, you can establish the ‘ground rules” of the interaction between you and the audience.  They will be more at ease with you; and you, with them.

• Stay high level - Leave it to your art work, graphics and written materials to be the explainers of details.  Allow yourself to be a friendly guide through your work.   You can pause in the explanation journey should an audience member ask a specific question.  And then, you can assert your understanding via specific and concise data sharing. Stay out of lecture mode and ease into conversation.

• Practice with friends and family - Instead of spending late night hours memorizing data; practice improvisational techniques with family or friends.    It will ease your fear a great deal if you have practiced a conversational way of interacting with your audience.  If they ask you a question for which you have no immediate answer, merely suggest you need to check your reference data and allow them to do so with you, thereby bringing them into the process. Let them feel the joy of pulling an answer out of your data files.

• Encourage feedback - Ask your friends and colleagues to give feedback on your non-verbal communication.     Are you standing solemn with your arms folded across your chest?  Do you avoid eye contact?  Do you frown?   I imagine one of your fears is to receive negative non-verbal feedback from your audience.  Make sure you are not the instigator of it.  Smile ! Stand friendly and welcoming. 

• Know your audience beforehand - In pre-planning your presentation, take into consideration the age, culture and experiences of your audience.  Do not speak above their heads, or in any other way intimidate them.  Make your words as clear and short as possible.

• Set a very specific goal for your presentation - Keep your mind and eyes on that goal.  It will help to keep you from wandering off-topic.  Make sure it is a goal you can achieve.   Having and achievable goal in mind will lessen your nervousness considerably.

• Practice “shifting” back to the topic - It will be easy to go off track. I imagine the main “shifting” you will need to do is shifting back from technical information to conversational discussion.
• In closing, this old professor can talk to any size audience with not a trace of “stage fright.”  It is because I treat the audience as friend; Friends to whom I am so very excited to show something I’ve discovered or done in my work; Friends who are eager to hear what I have to say.

Best Wishes,

The Professor​