IMPROV Your Science: A, #ESA2017 Workshop Building Skills for Effective Communication (SS-3, 8/7)

Start the Annual Meeting off right and join us for a fun and interactive session. Our workshop will focus on building and practicing skills to strengthen public speaking, adaptability, listening, and teamwork. We will provide participants with tools to improve all forms of oral communication, from conference presentations and public lectures to meetings with policymakers and journalists.

Why Improvisation?

Scientists are passionate people eager to share their knowledge with the world. However, the enthusiasm can get lost in translation, and scientists become disconnected with the very audiences they are working to engage with. Practicing improvisation (improv) can help scientists talk about their research more naturally, become more open and direct in their communications, and effectively connect with their audiences. Improv greatly enhances communication skills as it focuses on listening, being present in the moment, adaptability, and engaging with your audience.

Lots of scientists are taking initiative to get SciComm training, including enrolling in improv classes (also check out the improv groups in your local area). There are many resources out there, which requires you to find your own best fit. Improv may or may not be right for you, but it is worth the try! It’s merely one of many creative ways to step out of your comfort zone and tap into your strongest, most authentic voice.

About the workshop leaders: Dr. Annaliese Hettinger is a postdoctoral fellow at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory and current ESA SciComm Section Secretary. Beth Lenz is a PhD candidate at the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology and is an instructor/performer with Improv in Paradise based in Honolulu, HI.

Image credits: Workshop icon by Impact Media Lab; “Improv in Paradise” logo courtesy of Imrov in Paradise.