We all love a good story- whether it’s the latest bestselling fiction book or a cheesy soap. And science is full of stories- stories of discovery, of persistence, of hope. Finding these stories can help take your public engagement to the next level, whatever medium you use to communicate.

By the end of the session, participants will:

- think of their work as a story to be told, rather than a collection of facts

- know what makes a story engaging, and how to use this in their own public engagement

- consider the audience when structuring their story

- have developed their science story, and adapted it to a range of audiences

Whether at a conference, a science festival or in the pub, all scientists need to be able to talk about their work in an engaging and understandable way. This practical, hands-on session will help scientists develop their communication skills, so they are confident talking to diverse audiences in a range of environments.

By the end of the session, participants will:

- understand what makes someone an engaging speaker

- be confident judging whether props, slides etc are appropriate, and using them thoughtfully

- have developed a range of ways to include their audience in a presentation, to make it a two-way interaction

- be able to handle some common “difficult” situations and audience interactions

- take away a short (2 min) presentation they have developed and practiced during the session