In September, Emily Lakdwalla from The Planetary Society visited OSU and gave a talk on giving better presentations, scientific or otherwise. If you were unable to attend the colloquium her full presentation is now available on YouTube. For more information about Emily and her work, please visit The Planetary Society website.
Abstract: Bad presentation often gets in the way of great science. Professional meetings are an opportunity for scientists to communicate with potential collaborators, employers, or funders about their exciting work. Unfortunately, many people squander their opportunities in the spotlight by delivering confusing, boring, or just plain bad presentations. I’ll provide guidelines on how to prepare a conference talk that will educate and perhaps even entertain, whether your audience is one of skeptical peers or the general public. Much of the advice also applies to writing about your science.