Every scientist eventually faces the daunting task of presenting their research to an audience, an intimidating prospect for even the most experienced researchers. This two-day Presentation Skills workshop empowers life scientists to present with confidence and to manage their fear of public speaking. To accomplish this, the workshop combines short practice talks with lessons in the three main topics - body language, slide construction and story-telling. 

Practice Talks
The workshop begins and ends with a presentation from each participant. Video recordings and constructive criticism help participants refine their existing strengths and identify points for improvement. After rehearsing their talk as a homework exercise, participants will showcase their newly developed skills at the end of the workshop.

Body Language
Body language includes instruction in vocal intonation, postures and gesturing. After learning the basics about body language and how it is perceived by an audience, we will explore the latest research into how body language can be used as a tool to improve presenter performance.

Slides
Slideshows are a powerful means to lend visual support to an oral presentation. Participants will learn slide design concepts, enabling the creation of slides that nicely complement the verbal component of their talks.

Story-telling
Presentations provide scientists with the opportunity to personally interact with a captive audience. In this section, story-telling structures will be examined in detail, allowing the presenter to employ techniques that grab and hold the audience’s attention. Using detailed analysis of a real research talk as a guide, we will examine archetypal patterns in story-telling and highlight those relevant to research talks.