The first event back after a break is always a great chance to get back into the swing of academic life and remember why you wanted to do it in the first place. On Tuesday 20 January, we received a Tuesday Talk co-delivered by two of Reuben’s finest, Hattie Warburton (Governing Body Fellow, PERCH) and Sophie Brixton (DPhil student & Graduate Director of PERCH), on public speaking.
Public speaking 101
We started with Hattie’s public speaking 101 - what it is and the diverse locations you might have to do it in, such as conferences, interviews, lectures, asking questions, and public engagement. Being able to explain complex topics clearly and succinctly in these very different environments requires knowing your audience, and pitching at the right level. Not so high that they feel you’re uppity, and not so low that they feel you’re patronising.
Sophie next gave us her top tips on structuring a short, less than two-minute, statement:
- Outline the general Topic,
- Introduce where there’s a Problem,
- The Importance of solving it,
- And the Result of what you/others have done or are doing about it.
Although she couldn’t make it, we heard Governing Body Fellow JC Niala’s words of wisdom: follow the four P’s (Prepare, Practise, Practise, Practise) and Always. Finish. Early.
The audience’s turn to practise
After these fine examples of public speaking, it was the audience’s turn. We each crafted our own two-minute statement around a topic, mostly our research. As I’d been preparing a talk on my research all day, I decided I’d had enough of that, so wrote one about public engagement instead. Others at my table chose topics such as Atomic Clocks, T-Cell exhaustion, and their attempts at understanding how neural networks work.
While we were doing this, and practising in pairs and across the table (three times, as decreed), our pasta and ragu came out, followed by a lemon tiramisu. Both courses were very welcome and good; full marks to the catering staff for another fine effort!
Speaking to the hall
Following our main course, four brave volunteers agreed to deliver their pitches to the hall at large. They covered post-partum haemorrhaging, athlete recovery, improving depression treatment decisions, and predicting financial crises. These pitches successfully inspired further thought and curiosity from the audience. After dessert, the volunteers came back up to answer audience questions. In most cases, the answers extended beyond the original pitch length, giving the questioners in-depth expansion they wanted and allowing the volunteers’ expertise to shine.
Whether it was because of the quality of the talk’s organisation and delivery, or because everyone was sick of speaking to their families over the holidays, this was one of the most engaging and interactive Tuesday Talks I’ve been to. True to the organisers’ own teachings, the session also finished early!
