When The Scientist Presents

What can the scientist who presents learn from Pascal (Part 5)

Jean-Luc — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:33:18 +0000

Of somebody eloquent, people will say “He as a gift with words”. Eloquent is a term associated with great statesmen like US President Obama in our time, or with great preachers like Bossuet in Pascal’s time. But could a scientist … Continue reading →

cartoon on scientific presentation

Jean-Luc — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:11:09 +0000

You got to love Jorge‘s cartoon on scientific presentations (the cartoon opens in a separate window). The scientist plans his talk as if it is a condensed version of a scientific paper, and naturally expects it to go smoothly and be … Continue reading →

The Five Cs of Mike McCurry

Jean-Luc — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 14:22:45 +0000

WARNING: THIS IS AN OPINION PIECE. Our former Press Secretary Mike McCurry was interviewed by Tom Fox of the Washington Post on “good communication and its importance for good leadership.” He described effective communicators in 5 nouns starting with “C”: Credibility, Candor, … Continue reading →

No smalltalk, please – We’re scientists.

Jean-Luc — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:48:18 +0000

The play by Bernard Shaw “Heartbreak House” gives me the opportunity to make a point that separates scientific presentations from others. In the play, a man comes inside the home of the owner and introduces himself so: “Excuse my intruding … Continue reading →

Creating a good first impression starts early

Jean-Luc — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 17:30:33 +0000

Source Flickr; Author Neovain Your presentation is on day 2 of the conference, afternoon session. You follow the recommendations made in the posts in this blog, and you give a beaming smile to the audience right before the start of … Continue reading →

Live probing – Checking the Audience’s Analogue Response to Your Smile

Jean-Luc — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:55:50 +0000

A presenter's smile is the best probe signal to use to assess the good functioning order of the audience - so long as the probe is not faulty! Continue reading →

(TDD) Test-Driven Development – its use in scientific presentations

Jean-Luc — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 04:14:06 +0000

How does one know that everything is going to be fine “on the night”, or at least on the big day of our presentation? Of course, one could cross fingers – but should the index finger be over the middle … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Herbert Simon (Part 2)

Jean-Luc — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 02:00:09 +0000

I heard Nobel Laureate Herbert A. Simon speak at the end of last century (it’s not that long ago) at a conference in San Jose California on future trends. His insights on our information age will forever ring true. “What information … Continue reading →

Learning from Henri Poincaré (part 2)

Jean-Luc — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:32:43 +0000

I am satisfied with taking note of the difficulty, without pretending to solve it, thus ending on a big question mark. Still, it is interesting to state problems even though their solution appears remote. And with that sentence, Henri Poincaré … Continue reading →

Dear reader,

Jean-Luc — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 04:30:28 +0000

A flourishing scientific career is strengthened by a sustained flow of oral presentations. And this is where most scientists may wish that, like bees, they were equipped with a social gene enabling them to dance uninhibited in front of an … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 13 – The body trap

Jean-Luc — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 13:45:27 +0000

We are trapped in our body. Funny thing is, we never knew, but come the day of the presentation and body parts buried in the background of our consciousness surge to the foreground to make themselves known. Arms appear out … Continue reading →

Using images in presentations – the legal issues

Jean-Luc — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:08:50 +0000

First of all, I am not a lawyer. Now that I have completely disqualified myself, and warned you that any information given hereafter may or may not be true in a given country at a given time for given people … Continue reading →

028 Convinced- yes but of what…

Jean-Luc — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 07:57:39 +0000

Convincing with a scientific presentation is of great importance, of course, but how does one convince with impoverished slides from which all complexity has been removed for the sake of being understood by non-experts in the audience? So, if convincing … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 12 – The trap of the introduction slide

Jean-Luc — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 06:37:20 +0000

You are certainly familiar with scientific presentation slides that have all the structural signs of the scientific paper they were extracted from (same headings, same figures, etc). After the title slide, you will often found a slide with the title … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Benjamin Franklin (part 2)

Jean-Luc — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 03:02:36 +0000

You have to admire the scientific mind of Benjamin Franklin and his determination to check all facts for himself in this admirable passage from his autobiography where he tests the range of an orator’s voice. The last time I saw … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 11 – the Q and A trap

Jean-Luc — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 08:29:45 +0000

Extract from the musical “The Little Prince”, based on the book written by French writer Antoine de Saint Exupery. “Good morning Mr Switchman. What do you do here?”, asks the little prince. “I sort out travelers in bundles of a … Continue reading →

Keep what the audience sees in sync with your speech

Jean-Luc — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 00:58:06 +0000

Take it from me, as a presenter, if you don’t sync, you do not exist. Have you ever wondered why the audience does not pay attention to you, but only has eyes for the beloved PowerPoint slide? Feel like a … Continue reading →

From Presenter Ghost to Presenter Host

Jean-Luc — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:59:40 +0000

To turn a host into a ghost, just add the letter G. And to turn the presenter host into a presenter ghost, just add a computer and PowerPoint. When you invite other scientists to come and listen to you via … Continue reading →

SMILE

Jean-Luc — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 14:01:55 +0000

The best ice breaker that I know of is not “a” smile, but “THE” smile. Not the cheshire cat grin, but the HAPPY smile born out of the sincere happiness of being able to communicate something of value to your audience … Continue reading →

027 Speech first slides second

Jean-Luc — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:34:31 +0000

Dr Rao Machiraju, in the final part of the interview, suggests a provocative way to prepare a scientific talk…. the augmented speech. Be ready for Rao’s final one liner which is so good, it should be carved in stone, or … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Benjamin Franklin

Jean-Luc — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 04:38:22 +0000

Here is a passage of Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, where he gives advice on how to handle people who contradict you. This is particularly applicable to situations you may encounter during your Q&A, or even in scientific discussions with other scientists. … Continue reading →

026 Handling unfriendly questions and comments

Jean-Luc — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 02:43:00 +0000

In this podcast (part two of the interview) Dr Rao Machiraju, CEO of REQALL and past colleague from the Apple days when we both worked in Apple’s Advanced Technology Group (ATG), shares with us his wisdom on how to deal … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Antoine de St Exupery

Jean-Luc — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:15:10 +0000

“It seems that perfection is reached, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” (Terre Des Hommes, Chapter 4) This is so applicable to scientific presentations. The starting point of a … Continue reading →

025 Alternative Q & A techniques

Jean-Luc — Mon, 10 May 2010 13:15:18 +0000

I are delighted to feature a new guest on our podcast: Dr Rao Machiraju. Rao and I belonged to Apple’s Advanced Technology Lab in Cupertino California. He now heads his own company, REQALL, working on a fascinating product: memory recall … Continue reading →

Presentation Traps 10 – The room trap

Jean-Luc — Thu, 06 May 2010 12:32:09 +0000

Doomsday! Your phone rings. The receptionist tells you the Japanese visitors have arrived. You take the elevator down five floors to the ground floor where the two meeting rooms are. Many people use them, and the furniture frequently gets changed to … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 9 – the rehearsal traps

Jean-Luc — Tue, 04 May 2010 10:40:56 +0000

Try and find out what is wrong with the five situations described below. 1) Sylvia is in the University library facing the screen of her laptop. She came here to have a chance to be quiet and rehearse an important … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 8 – the knowledge trap

Jean-Luc — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:04:11 +0000

“And here, you see…” These are the famous words that ring hollow to the blind. But the lack of knowledge leaves us just as blind – a temporary type of blindness, assuredly, but blindness nevertheless. For knowledge only lights up … Continue reading →

The Acknowledgment Slide

Jean-Luc — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 09:39:35 +0000

If you are like most scientists, chances are that you will place the acknowledgment slide at the end of your presentation. But if you watch one of the Hollywood award events, or attend a Nobel laureate award presentation, chances are … Continue reading →

Nothing reveals personal expertise better than questions; therefore,…

Jean-Luc — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 10:31:54 +0000

They were certain that their expertise would be seen through the high density of information on their slides. They were certain that removing an ounce of proof would be like losing a pound of flesh – a tragedy of Shakespearian … Continue reading →

025 Speech Synthesis for the ESL Presenter

Jean-Luc — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 08:29:19 +0000

Do you feel that speaking English is like driving your car on the left side of the road when you are used to driving it on the right? Is your spoken English bad because you are slowed down by researchers … Continue reading →

Look at things as if for the first time

Jean-Luc — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 05:04:55 +0000

While reading the great little book “Advice for a young investigator” by Santiago Ramon y Cajol, Nobel laureate 1906, I stumbled upon a quote the author attributed to another Spaniard, Perez de Ayala: “Look at things as if for the … Continue reading →

023 Speech synthesis and the presenter

Jean-Luc — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 13:14:39 +0000

Rarely do we think about speech synthesis (written text spoken by a computer voice) when it comes to presentations. After all, the presenter is the host. But what if the host had a soar throat, or had an English accent … Continue reading →

Rules of thumb for presentations – how good are they?

Jean-Luc — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:29:52 +0000

People like formulas. They are expedient rules of thumb that guard against dangerous extremes. “Plan for one minute and a half per slide”, some say, “and never put more than 5 bullets point and more than 5 words per bullet … Continue reading →

Effective Variant on the Assertion – Evidence Paradigm

Jean-Luc — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:53:45 +0000

The Assertion – Evidence paradigm, promoted by Michael Alley, does indeed force the presenter to limit the information on each slide (and less is mostly more, even in scientific presentations - see limitations). But does Assertion follow Evidence, or Evidence follow Assertion as in … Continue reading →

020 The TED presenter

Jean-Luc — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:51:03 +0000

The Apple flag gives you a hint. Our next guest is from Apple, in Cupertino California. His name is Ken Eddings – and he is the man behind Apple’s DNS. But it is not the IT guru I are interviewing, … Continue reading →

Is “Less is more” a presentation law as universal as the law of gravity?

Jean-Luc — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 04:44:17 +0000

Most people who browse websites covering presentation skills stumble on the maxim “Less is more“. Usually, this principle applies to the content of PowerPoint slides. Less slide (text) content to be read by the audience is seen as more beneficial … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 7 – the cultural trap

Jean-Luc — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:18:57 +0000

I have much respect for authors who go to great lengths to get an attractive title for their paper. “The Inflammatory Macrophage: A story of Jekyll and Hyde”* is a fantastic title… for westerners familiar with Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 6 – the conclusion traps

Jean-Luc — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 09:09:56 +0000

Think about it. You have done your best to gather the interest of your audience around your topic for a full eleven minutes. The chairperson just looked at his watch, and corrected his sitting position to move closer to the … Continue reading →

presentation traps 4 – the mouth trap

Jean-Luc — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:22:11 +0000

It is the 10:15 am coffee break. Outside the meeting room is a long table covered in cream-coloured linen. On it the conference attendees find the traditional offerings: coffee, cream, Ceylon tea, brown and white sugar, and finger food to relieve … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 3 – the joke is on you

Jean-Luc — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:56:46 +0000

“Start with a joke”, “deride the audience”, “make them like you by making them laugh”, the pundits say. And out they go, on a limb as always, the serious presenters whose sense of humour is such that they usually end … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 2 – Forced Audience Interaction

Jean-Luc — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:47:14 +0000

“Probe the audience”, “Interact with the audience”, the pundits say. And out on a limb they go, the misfortunate presenters for whom good advice but poor timing garner nothing but the deathly silence of an unsympathetic audience. I recall the … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 1 – Hazardous comparisons

Jean-Luc — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 08:48:30 +0000

With this, the first of several blog entries on presentation traps, we are entering the quagmires and the quicksands where many presenters get trapped. These traps are mostly concealed and presenters realise they are trapped far too late to fix … Continue reading →

021 Presenting to a lay audience

Jean-Luc — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:49:38 +0000

Today our podcast features Dr Cleo Choong. She had to give a presentation to members of parliament at the British House of Commons as part of a competition for the engineer of the year award. What is it like to … Continue reading →

Who is responsible for communicating the outcome of research

Jean-Luc — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:33:42 +0000

This question is explored in a community forum of the online journal “The-Scientist.com”. You will find it here ->The importance of good communication skills in science (you may need a subscription to access this page). Here was my answer. I … Continue reading →

020 Telecom metaphor for effective scientific communications

Jean-Luc — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:07:51 +0000

Our new guest, Dr Francis Yeoh, CEO of the National Research Foundation, is drawing a useful analogy from the field of telecommunications to clarify the duties of the scientist who presents, and clearly define the conditions under which communication to … Continue reading →

continuity bugs in linear slide presentations

Jean-Luc — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:53:54 +0000

Whenever you take a non linear media and flatten it (make it linear), you introduce problems of two kinds: 1) Discontinuities in logic. The audience needs to remember what was connected to what, earlier in your presentation, to see the … Continue reading →

Learning from Henri Poincaré

Jean-Luc — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:19:57 +0000

Henri Poincaré, the French physicist and mathematician was an outstanding scientist. In his book, La Science et la Méthode (Science and Method – Dover publication translated by Francis Maitland), he states that “to understand” means different things to different people. … Continue reading →

019 Dancing around outputs and outcomes

Jean-Luc — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:19:18 +0000

Did you ever wonder why your presentation, which looked and sounded awfully good, had little impact on your audience? The answer is found in this podcast… It is a matter of being able to tell the difference between a research … Continue reading →

Blessed are the nitpickers

Jean-Luc — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:11:28 +0000

If in every scientist lurks a nitpicker – a person who fusses over details – it is simply because scientific experiments require great attention to details. Nitpicking talents vary from one person to another. But, in any group of twelve … Continue reading →

018Sequencing the scientific talk

Jean-Luc — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:08:45 +0000

What can you expect to accomplish in the typical 12-minute presentation one gives at a conference? Does the expectation of the audience change during the course of a presentation? What do people expect at the start of your talk? Do … Continue reading →

017Presenting patents and formulas

Jean-Luc — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:00:36 +0000

Strangely enough, knowing what is important in a patent presentation enables us 1) to bring light on an age-old question: Should one display formulas in a scientific talk? 2) to learn how to position our scientific contribution in the best … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Herbert Simon (Part 1)

Jean-Luc — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:58:27 +0000

Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon, in a 1969 article entitled “Designing Organizations for an Information-Rich World”, points out the problems created by the wealth of information. A rabbit-rich world is a lettuce-poor world. [...] Now, when we speak of an information-rich … Continue reading →

016Questions from experts and head hunters

Jean-Luc — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 05:03:04 +0000

Our new guest, Dr Leong Mun Kew, reveals what brings senior researchers to your talk. He even mentions the type of questions he would ask when head hunting for his lab. This insider view into presentation outcomes comes from the … Continue reading →

Robert Geroch suggestions applied to the subtitle of your talk

Jean-Luc — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:48:43 +0000

You will find Dr Geroch’s “suggestions for giving talks”, online. The paper is stored on arXiv.org, the open access site managed by Cornell University. I have read this excellent paper many times and recommend you do likewise. My intent is not … Continue reading →

015 personal credibility

Jean-Luc — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:24:29 +0000

Not every piece of research represents a paradigm shift. How is one to present research which is lower on the innovative scale? In this podcast we also discovers that a polished abstract is not enough to bring an audience to … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Santiago Ramon Y Cajal

Jean-Luc — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:49:25 +0000

Santiago Ramon Y Cajal was a neurologist who shared with Golgi the nobel prize in 1906. In his excellent little book “Advice for a young investigator”, translated for MIT press by Neely and Larry Swanson, one finds some remarkable insights on the … Continue reading →

Microphones and how they make you sound

Jean-Luc — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:19:23 +0000

Microphones – you love them because they extend the reach of your voice, and you hate them because they sometimes create problems: they whistle, they break down, they get in the way… Knowing how to handle them correctly and according … Continue reading →

When The Scientist Presents Book Launch in Singapore today

Jean-Luc — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:49:32 +0000

Amazon page for the book and publisher page Praise for When The Scientist Presents: Roald Hoffmann Nobel laureate in Chemistry and writer “This is by light-years the best guide to designing and presenting lectures. Lebrun writes in a lively, direct … Continue reading →

014 Core Competitive Advantage

Jean-Luc — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:45:54 +0000

Can we predict the type of questions a scientist gets from VCs (venture capitalists)? And how would the BCG Matrix be of any use to the presenter scientist who is required to present the competitive advantage of his or her … Continue reading →

Presenters with Foreign Names

Jean-Luc — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 07:21:51 +0000

Lebrun is my last name. Actually, I have no prior name, so my last name is theoretically my first name, but in fact my first name is jean-Luc. Confused? Alright, let’s start again. Lebrun is my family name and Jean-Luc … Continue reading →

choose and handle presentation remotes

Jean-Luc — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:43:17 +0000

Presentation remotes are both a blessing and a curse, depending on how easy they are to use and how familiar we are with them. They do free us from having to constantly stand by the keyboard, but misusing them turns … Continue reading →

013Three audience irritants

Jean-Luc — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:02:59 +0000

Our new guest, Dr Motiwalla, Professor in the practice of Entrepreneurship at the national University of Singapore, takes scientific presentations in the realm of venture capital. He tells us three ways to keep the audience listening… to you of course. … Continue reading →

12 pearls of presenter wisdom

Jean-Luc — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 08:12:06 +0000

This podcast will not explain why the word “pearl” has been associated with the word wisdom, but it will give you tips you probably can’t live without. For those of you who are interested, the expression “pearls of Wisdom” might … Continue reading →

PowerPoint effects without effects

Jean-Luc — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 10:23:28 +0000

When navigating back to an interesting slide during the Q&A session, things do not always happen as the scientist who presents would like them to! Instead of going straight to the place of interest, the desired slide releases its contents, … Continue reading →

011 Benefits of Presenting

Jean-Luc — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:27:56 +0000

Why do these benefits vary according to the type of conference? Are these benefits broader than the communication of your scientific findings in a journal? Dr Mark Sinclair and Dr Alastair Curry enumerate a long list of benefits, some of … Continue reading →

010 Powerpoint and Shakespeare

Jean-Luc — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 08:44:14 +0000

What is the potential of PowerPoint, or for that matter, the potential of any software used in presentations? Does PowerPoint present an improvement over other methods of presentations? What is the danger of PowerPoint? Find out from our presenter experts, … Continue reading →

Pan through images with PowerPoint

Jean-Luc — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:33:22 +0000

With this technique the presenter moves seamlessly and precisely inside a document larger than a slide by imitating a camera panning through the document, as if the hand moved a transparency across an overhead projector (Powerpoint inch-based offset technique).

Buy your way out of troublesome questions

Jean-Luc — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:07:12 +0000

Preempt. Nice verb, but little used. It is composed of two parts: “pre” which means “before”, and “empt” which comes from the latin “emere” – ”to buy”. In essence, to prempt is to buy your way out of a potentially … Continue reading →

009 not so expert audience with distracting laptops

Jean-Luc — Sat, 23 May 2009 15:25:30 +0000

Most conference proceedings now come in CD or DVD format instead of paper. How does that change the behaviour of the audience? Presenters often assume that the audience they are facing is made up of experts in their field. Is … Continue reading →

Pan through images with Keynote

Jean-Luc — Tue, 19 May 2009 12:48:31 +0000

Two questioners raise their hand – who you’re gonna choose?

Jean-Luc — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:00:57 +0000

Your formal presentation is over. You are now taking questions from the audience. Two people raise their hand at the same time. Who are you going to choose? Is it the woman – if the two people are a man … Continue reading →

008 Presenter Mistakes

Jean-Luc — Fri, 08 May 2009 15:01:25 +0000

Dr Sinclair and Dr Curry share their favourite presenter “crimes” against the audience, and in the process, article one and article two of the universal rights of scientific audiences are drafted.

Scaling a group image+ text – PowerPoint & Keynote

Jean-Luc — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:49:25 +0000

To resize a group that includes image and text, the group must first be converted to an image; alternatively, the group can be ungrouped and text can be be resized separately from the image.It is possible to reduce the decrease … Continue reading →

007 Dealing with Accent

Jean-Luc — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 06:48:37 +0000

Do British or american scientist-presenters have the advantage over people for whom English is the second language (ESL)? How does one reduce the impact of one’s accent? How can native English speakers make things difficult for the rest of us … Continue reading →

Learning from Peter Feibelman

Jean-Luc — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:11:48 +0000

In his marvellous little book, “A Ph.D. Is Not Enough”, solid state physicist Professor Feibelman uses a metaphor near and dear to my heart, that of the fugue. “But in giving your talk, you should just tell a story. Its … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Pascal (Part 4)

Jean-Luc — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:21:40 +0000

Blaise Pascal, the scientist philosopher, has good advice immediately applicable during a Q&A when faced with a questioner who disagrees with the presenter. (Thought 9) When one wishes to correct to one’s advantage, and reveal how mistaken someone is, one … Continue reading →

Visible map and invisible shortcuts – navigation tools

Jean-Luc — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 08:56:38 +0000

“Keep to time” is good advice, but how? Since slide contents are the greatest time-consuming factor, it makes sense to adjust them until the presenter no longer faces the approaching wall of time with the fear of crashing into it. … Continue reading →

006 Presenting Limitations of Research at conference Talk

Jean-Luc — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:53:13 +0000

Should one present research limitations during the ten minutes of a scientific talk at a conference? Would one be breaching academic honesty and integrity if one did not present them? What has this topic got to do with how well … Continue reading →

Animate using motion path or action builds

Jean-Luc — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:15:48 +0000

The oral presentation surpasses the journal paper in many respects, but surely, one of the key differentiators has to be the use of animation to explain. Finally, a method can come alive on your screen whereas, on paper, it is mummified, … Continue reading →

005 Attitude of audience towards presenter

Jean-Luc — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 12:23:41 +0000

What is the chemistry between the scientist who presents and the audience? When the presenter who precedes you gives a bad presentation, does that affect you? When you work in a field where people are divided into camps of divergent … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Pascal (Part 3)

Jean-Luc — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:01:36 +0000

Modesty, respect for others, are often found in famous scientists. Sir Isaac Newton (a contemporary of Pascal) did not say “If I have seen further, it is because they were all as blind as a bat”. He wrote ”If I have seen further it … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Pascal (Part 2)

Jean-Luc — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:33:06 +0000

Should one apologise in front of the audience? After all, the presenter is hosting scientists to the talk, and a host shows great respect towards his or her guests. Pascal, the great philosopher and scientist, has a few insights worth … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Pascal (Part 1)

Jean-Luc — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:57:20 +0000

Pascal is a seventeenth century scientist who –like Watt, Volt, Ampere, Joule, Newton– has his name forever associated with Science via a Standard International unit of pressure, the Pascal (Pa). But Pascal is also a great philosopher, and his famous … Continue reading →

004 Keeping to time

Jean-Luc — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:50:16 +0000

Saved by the bell? Not the presenter. You may be cut off mid-sentence by the chairperson if you exceed the given presentation time . Your punch line may never be heard. Where in your presentation are you most likely to drift? And … Continue reading →

The “B” key or the Black slide

Jean-Luc — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:07:46 +0000

Did you know that, while presenting your PowerPoint of Keynote presentation, you can press the letter “B” on your keyboard (or the little grey square on your presentation remote) and watch a miracle take place. At that precise moment, you, … Continue reading →

003 The chairperson and the presenter

Jean-Luc — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:50:38 +0000

What is the relationship between a chairperson and a presenter? What can the presenter expect from a chairperson? Find out from a chairperson, Dr Mark Sinclair.

002David Peebles’ argument

Jean-Luc — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:16:30 +0000

Depth of Conviction counts more than height of logic, and enthusiasm is worth more than knowledge. This quote attributed to David Peebles may not seem to apply to the scientist who presents. After all, Science is all logic and knowledge. The … Continue reading →

Presentation traps 5 – the title trap

Jean-Luc — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:53:31 +0000

Time after time, presenters repeat the same mistake: the title slide is on the screen behind them, they turn towards the screen, read the title, and possibly also read their name (why stop now), then immediately move on to the … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Churchill (Part 2)

Jean-Luc — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 11:34:11 +0000

Are you frightened to speak because you have an accent or a speech impediment? Consider Churchill’s problem, as described by his granddaughter Celia Sandys in the book “We shall not fail”. “Churchill had to overcome a speech impediment that might … Continue reading →

What can the scientist who presents learn from Churchill (Part 1)

Jean-Luc — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 05:27:48 +0000

In her book We Shall Not Fail the granddaughter of Churchill comments on her grandpa’s speaking skills. Here are sentences that are of immediate value to the scientist who presents. “[...]strike when the voice or pen is hot.” If you … Continue reading →

“Society still cherishes its gifted speakers”

Jean-Luc — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:33:11 +0000

I am very much indebted to Lisa B Marshall, a colleague working in another part of the world, for introducing me and her blog readers to an interesting 1922 resource now in the public domain. In the 14 October 07 entry, you … Continue reading →

001What does the audience remember

Jean-Luc — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:40:32 +0000

What do people in the audience remember once your presentation is over? The answer may surprise you! Our two guests, Dr. Mark Sinclair and Dr. Alastair Curry share their experience. Dr. Sinclair suggests that the presenter, not just the audience, … Continue reading →