It is the holiday season. You are visiting your beautiful hometown and having a good time. Since you are the smart one in the family who goes to MIT, they want to know what kind of cool science you work on. You feel up to the challenge, and start strong. Eventually drawing blank stares from the listeners and fumbling for words, you convince yourself that your research is too complicated and explaining it to a non-expert is just too hard. Sounds familiar? You are not alone!

In this 6-session workshop series, you will learn about the following elements of effective communication:

1. Understand your audience and set communication goals

2. Identify, craft, and shape a clear central message

3. Develop a logical and compelling narrative to support a central message

4. Use appropriate language and helpful analogies

5. Add interest and emphasis using vocal modulation and non-verbal cues

The series will culminate in an authentic opportunity for participants to present their research or another technical topic of their choice to the public via a live virtual/in-person talk or video. More information is available here.

This workshop is for MIT graduate students and postdocs in STEM fields. 

To apply, complete this application form by 11:59pm on Monday, June 27, 2022. The workshop will meet in-person from 4:00PM - 6:30PM on Wednesdays from July 6 through August 10.

The workshop is sponsored by the MIT Communication Lab. For questions or accommodation requests, contact Dr. Deanna Montgomery at dmont@mit.edu