Workshop: The Craft of Scientific Presentations

Melissa Marshall is a dynamic speaker who has lectured at Harvard Medical School, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For almost a decade, she’s traveled around the world to work with Fortune 100 corporations, institutions and universities, teaching the proven strategies she’s mastered through her consulting work and as a faculty member with the Department of Communication Arts & Sciences at Penn State University, USA.

PROGRAM:

9:00-12:30: Workshop

“The Craft of Scientific Presentations” workshop helps scientists, faculty and graduate students make their research presentations more understandable, memorable, and persuasive. Administrative staff will also benefit from the workshop. The course focuses on presentations that researchers make to their colleagues and to management at their own institution, at other institutions, and at conferences. The workshop has four goals:

(1) to teach participants effective strategies for structuring their research presentations;

(2) to have participants completely rethink the design of visual aids (and, in particular, presentation slides http://www.writing.engr.psu.edu/slides.html);

(3) to have participants analyze what would be their best delivery style; and

(4) to have participants learn how to translate the passion for their research into confidence during a presentation. These goals are reached through lecture, discussion, analysis of filmed presentations, and exercises.

13:30-17:00: Individual presentation coaching session

Up to 6 participants can give 15-minute research presentations and receive individual critique and feedback on their presentations. This includes one round of initial feedback via email on slides one week prior to the workshop for those participating in the critique sessions. These sessions are an excellent opportunity for participants to receive one-on-one coaching on their research presentations.

Workshop participants are welcome to observe these critique sessions. Much is learned by observing and providing feedback from an audience member's perspective.

Preparation Assignments

The participants in the afternoon individual coaching session will be provided with specific instructions and a slide template ahead of the workshop to be able to prepare their short presentations.

Registration Details & Cancellation Policy

The workshop is free for staff and students at the Faculty of Health Sciences, but registration is binding. Cancellation requests must be received by 4 May. In case of cancellation after 4 May, your department will be charged with 650 NOK.