SC4: Speak Like a Pro: Technical Communication for Geoscientists

Speakers: 

Chris Piela Cox bp; Pineywoods Vineyard

Alex Blizzard S&P Global

Effective communication is a cornerstone of success in the geosciences and beyond. Speak Like a Pro: Technical Communication for Geoscientists is a hands-on short course designed to equip students and professionals alike with the skills needed to confidently deliver technical presentations and communicate complex ideas clearly. This interactive course will cover the fundamentals of technical speaking, including organizing content, crafting engaging visuals, and mastering delivery techniques. Attendees will actively participate in exercises focused on improving voice projection, body language, and audience engagement.

By the end of the course, each attendee will prepare and deliver a short technical presentation, receiving constructive feedback from peers and instructors to refine their skills. Whether you're preparing for a class project, conference presentation, or future professional career, this course will help you speak with clarity, confidence, and impact.

Topics include:

1.The importance of communication in science.

2. The art of storytelling – technical story structures and technical analogies

3. Visual communication – body language, charts, maps, graphs

4. Audio communication – repetition, inflections, silence is a friend, humor, emotion, Q&A recognition, trim the fat

If able, please bring a laptop. Some computers will be available to prepare presentations. 

Date: Sunday, April 6th

Time: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Location: Cole STEM Building, SFASU Campus

Fee: Free

Lunch provided beforehand, courtesy of GeoMark Research