Giving Better Talks Episodes

Public speaking is hard. Let's get better at it!
47
Oct. 13, 2026

Giving better talks part 5: Panels!

Welcome to a “special edition” of giving better talks: panels! And if you don’t think this applies to you…chances are good that if you stick around in one field long enough, you’re going to be asked to be on a panel or moderate a panel! Whether you’re the moderator or a panelist, there are some elements in common with giving a solo talk along with some unique elements. I find panels (both moderating and speaking) to be a lot of fun and a lot less pressure than solo talks. Let’s talk about how to...
46
Oct. 6, 2026

Giving better talks part 4: Come with me, not watch me

It’s another episode on giving better talks! Science talks, conference talks, research talks, defenses of your Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, or Doctorate of Engineering work….all of these talks have the potential to invite your audience to come along with you and learn or to simply watch you in befuddlement and zone out. Let’s talk about getting better at talking :) Find all episodes for Giving Better Talks here! Song of the week: another Lykke Li double header! Lucky Again by Lykke Li Lucky Agai...
32
June 30, 2026

How to get better at talks part 3: Bringing notes

There’s no right way to give a fantastic talk and yet there seems to be a stigma in STEM against having written notes with you when you’re giving a talk at a conference or other large speaking engagement. There are so many other situations in which people are reading off of written scripts (audiobooks! acting!) so let’s drop the stigma. There are ways to easily set yourself up for giving a wonderful, engaging talk even if you script out almost every single word, so let’s dig into how to do it we...
8
Jan. 27, 2026

How to get better at talks, Part 2: Getting past the nerves

There’s almost no way to get most of our pulses racing faster than the thought of public speaking. We all have to give talks, both big and small and for many of us, talks of any size spiral us into fear and self-doubt. There are a lot of tools out there to deal with nerves, and this episode goes into several practical tools you can deploy to move from panic to ease when speaking. This episode is the second of two parts with part one diving into how to level up your talks by treating them like p...
7
Jan. 26, 2026

How to get better at talks, Part 1: Talks as a performance

We all have to give talks - whether it’s a big conference talk in front of hundreds of people or quick meeting presentations. And even though we only spend a small fraction of our time speaking in front of others, our talks are one of the main ways people we don’t directly work with can get to know us. Talks are also one of our fastest ways to communicate the amazing things we do - and can be the most engaging way to get others’ attention! So why shouldn’t we treat talks like any other performa...