Straightforward and persuasive: The art of public speaking
- Wits University
Carnegie Diversifying the Academy grantees get an opportunity to perfect their research presentation skills and build their professional brand.
The CDTA program is certainly headed in the right direction. The current and former cohort of grantees was inspired and transformed by the recent Public Speaking and Presentation Skills Workshop, which was a component of the scientific communication workshops for the Carnegie Diversifying the Academy (DTA) grantees. Jive Media Africa presented the event at Wits University on August 15th and 16th, 2024.
The workshop, which was intended to provide early to mid-career academics with essential science communication skills, provided participants with the opportunity to hone their science communication abilities under the guidance of professional facilitators.
TEEO Equity Grants Manager Lethu Kapueja, emphasized the workshop's importance in his welcome address, stating that its objective was to improve participants' communication skills and strengthen their professional brands by facilitating the presentation of their research in a plain and compelling manner.
The workshop encompassed a broad spectrum of public speaking and presentation strategies, includingthe development of an engaging talk and the delivery of content with confidence and impact. The sessions were conducted by Jive Media facilitators, who provided advice on how to present intricate scientific discoveries in a manner that engages non-specialist audiences. They also promoted innovative communication strategies, urging grantees to incorporate storytelling, vocal variety, body language, and eye contact to maintain the audience's interest.
The 90-second video segment was one of the workshop's most notable features, during which participants were required to develop a concise yet compelling presentation of their research. This video, which functions as a visual CV, will be a potent resource for grantees to promote their work and themselves in the future. They were able to hone their public speaking abilities and create a tangible resource that enhances their professional visibility and showcases their research through this exercise.
The participants' feedback was predominantly favourable. One participant described the experience as "very engaging and informative," while another observed that the practical activities enabled them to establish rapport with their peers and develop confidence. They also valued the hands-on and engaging nature of the sessions. The feedback indicated that the majority of participants "Strongly Agree" that the training met their expectations, indicating that the facilitators were highly regarded for their expertise and effectiveness.
The capacity to present research straightforwardly and persuasively has become an indispensable skill as research becomes increasingly multidisciplinary and scientists are expected to communicate across a variety of platforms. The workshop provided grantees with the necessary tools to ensure that their work can inspire and inform audiences beyond the laboratory, thereby bridging the divide between the academic community and the public.
Workshops such as these are an essential investment in the survival of academia. The program guarantees that grantees are not only advancing knowledge in their respective fields but also establishing themselves as thought leaders who are capable of influencing policy, moulding public discourse, and leading research teams across disciplines by equipping them with these science communication skills.
This article was written by Lethu Kapueja, Equity Grants Program Manager: Transformation and Employment Equity Office.