This blog is dedicated to helping technical professionals – scientists, engineers, technicians, project managers – improve their public speaking skills.
Let’s face it – the stuff we work on is cool. It doesn’t matter what it is you work on: astronomy, computer science, genetics, mechanical engineering. It’s exciting, it’s neat, it was enough to make us want to dedicate years of our lives to studying it and working on it.
But when we get a chance to share this really cool stuff we’re working on we often fall flat. The excitement, the coolness, the passion – it gets lost somewhere between the lab and the stage.
This blog is here to help you communicate the importance and the excitement of your work. This blog will supply a collection of tips, techniques and commentary that you can apply to your presentations. Whether to your peers at a conference, the public at an open house, or your managers at a review, the contents of this blog will help you deliver your message more effectively, and improve your ability to do the stuff that feel is important and exciting
ABOUT ME
My name is Brad Wallace. You can add a “Dr.” in front of that if you wish, but I usually only do that when I need to out-pretentious someone.
I have a Ph.D. in Astrophysics and have worked for the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics (at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory) and for the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (on the Big Island of Hawaii). I currently do R&D in space systems and satellite tracking.
I have 20+ years of experience in presenting technical content to a wide variety of audiences – scientific peers, the public, government officials, military officers, and management. During that period I have been fortunate to gain a reputation as a gifted speaker.
During this same 20 years, I have been subjected to hundreds – probably thousands – of talks. These talks have ranged from the very good, to the very, very, very bad. Sadly, the latter vastly outnumber the former. As a direct result I have started this blog with the intention to increase the average quality of scientific presentations and, as a result, perhaps make my next conference slightly more pleasant.
I also have started a company to help train scientists, engineers, technologists, and managers communicate science more effectively. Check out Luminance Communications for more.
The Speaking Scientist 