Solna, September 26 & October 24, 2014

Hi everybody and thank you for your great presentations; I learned a lot! Below are some links and references which you can find useful (and perhaps entertaining).

These are my reflections on the presentations during the symposium.

1. Proper preparations boost self-confidence and increase your freedom of action. The opposite is also true. We saw examples of both during the day.
2. Step out of your comfort zone and into the scary spot on the floor in front of the audience—the spot from where you change the world.
3. Maintain eye contact. It will put you in charge and give you invaluable feedback.
4. Consider the temporal effect when you design your presentation: show your stuff in sequence, one detail at a time.
5. Love your subject and let the world know it!
6. Don’t fear silence; it helps you and your audience to focus and contemplate. Don’t fear questions; this is where you could really shine in front of your listeners. (However, see point 1. above.)

Finally: an applause for you who struggled with your nervousness, but kept yourself together and delivered. It’s your victory, and you should be proud of yourselves! Trust me: it will only be easier for every time you face and conquer your fears. So keep on practising during dinners and parties, giving small speeches in front of your friends and family.

Good luck, and bear in mind what the student Leonidas Georgiou once wrote to me: ”Lets face it: badly communicated science is boring and a big component of doing science is motivation; we can’t expect to motivate people without good communication skills!”

O.

Books

• Schultz, David M.: Eloquent Science
• Carter, Matt: Designing Science Presentations

Åsby ridge, Eskilstuna, October 2014