Exceptional Presentations In Spite of PowerPoint: How to Communicate Your Science in the Digital Age

Accepted as a Career Development Workshop: AAAS 2019 Washington, DC

21368: Exceptional Presentations In Spite of PowerPoint: How to Communicate Your Science in the Digital Age

Session Description:

“Death by PowerPoint” is in the lexicon for good reason. Giving a great presentation is about engaging an audience, which requires understanding who that audience is and what they hope to gain by listening to you. In order to deliver a great presentation, you have to create outstanding presentation materials. How do you do this? Workshop presenters will illustrate best practices on how to communicate your science during formal presentations including webinars using storytelling and anecdotes, digital tools such as simple DIY graphics which can also be applied to science communication via social media, for informal verbal presentations and time management skills both for presentation preparation and for execution of the presentation.

Workshop Audience:

Undergraduate

Graduate Student

Postdoctoral Scholars

High-School Teacher

College and University Faculty

Early-Career Scientist

Mid-Career Scientist

Late-Career Scientist

Audience Interest Statement:

It is essential for scientists to possess strong written and verbal communication skills in the workplace with co-workers, when communicating with other researchers for knowledge mobilization, the public using broader impacts and to an audience of other scientists. This workshop will teach scientists how to communicate their science by creating engaging, impactful and interesting presentations for use in front a live audience and for presentation planning for webinars. There will be a graphics content creation tutorial with emphasis on digital and social tools and shortcuts, various what to do/what not to do scenarios, as well as interactive group activities that will require the audience to work together in teams to compete for the title of "The exceptional Powerpoint slide" accompanied by a timed short verbal presentation.

Participants:

Printed Materials:

Yes

Printed Materials Description:

There will be a one page double sided handout that will provide a workshop outline including key points and instructions for the interactive activities.

Coordinator:

Jennifer L. Maclachlan

Managing Director

PID Analyzers, LLC

2 Washington Circle #4

Sandwich, MA

USA

@pidgirl

Co-coordinator:

Mark Jones

Executive External Strategy and Communications Fellow

The Dow Chemical Company

627-, 693 Washington St

Midland, MI

USA

@mjphd