Public Speaking
mikethemadbiologist | March 25, 2011Because that's just good speaking. Chris Mooney has a very good post about the civic obligation scientists have to explain their work and its implications to the public. I recommend it highly. But one small part of the post rubbed me the wrong way (italics original; boldtype mine):
When it comes to scientific topics, citizens--and journalists, and policy-makers--want to know what the bottom line is, in plain language. They want to know why a topic matters, who it affects, what we can do about it. And can you blame them for feeling this way? There is a lot out there to pay attention to. We'…
mikethemadbiologist | March 1, 2011In the midst of a very interesting post by Bora about how the web can break apart the echo chamber, I came across this passage (italics mine):
As all the speakers went substantially over their allotted times all I had left was seven minutes. Fortunately for me, I had all seven (not 3.5) as the other discussant's flight into D.C. was canceled. Also fortunately for me, this was the very last time-slot of the meeting, so nobody was in a rush to go to another session and thus everyone let me talk a few minutes longer and then remained in the room asking even more questions.
Sure, this doesn't…
mikethemadbiologist | September 24, 2010David Dobbs asks a really good question about the effect of scientific (scholastic) publishing on communication of science to the public:
I want to consider another problem with the paper's overvaluation: it discourages scientists from engaging the public. How so? Because many seem to think that when they've finished the paper, they've finished their work.
.....A scientist in the audience said something that always gets said during such discussions: "What if you want to just do the work?" What if you want, in other words, to do the experiment or observation, analyse the data, write and…
grrlscientist | May 2, 2010tags: Using Statistics to Create The Ultimate TEDTalk, statistics, public speaking, Sebastian Wernicke, TEDTalks, streaming video
In a brilliantly tongue-in-cheek analysis, Sebastian Wernicke turns the tools of statistical analysis on TEDTalks, to come up with a metric for creating "the optimum TEDTalk" based on user ratings. How do you rate it? "Jaw-dropping"? "Unconvincing"? Or just plain "Funny"?
After making a splash in the field of bioinformatics, Sebastian Wernicke moved on to the corporate sphere where he motivates and manages multidimensional projects. You can get your copy of…
mikethemadbiologist | April 12, 2010Blogging has been kind of off recently, between catching up from vacation and putting together a talk for a seminar; hopefully, things will return to normal soon.
On the subject of public speaking, one of my weird talk-related habits is that, after I've put together my slides, I'm very nervous about practicing the talk. I don't mean practicing in front of other people, but practicing when I'm by myself and nobody's around. Before the first time I run through it, I will procrastinate and get nervous. After that, my jitters are gone. This can't be stage fright. Maybe early onset stage…
grrlscientist | September 16, 2008tags: powerpoint, How NOT to use Powerpoint, humor, streaming video
Since I've been speaking and attending other people's presentations, I thought this video regarding how NOT to use Powerpoint is appropriate. Not only that, but it is funny, too -- do you recognize any speakers' techniques in this video? If so, tell me all about it -- I won't tell anyone else, I promise! [3:55]