Powerful Storytelling for Lecturers and Researchers

Stories are powerful tools for making the complex simple and the abstract real. They are ‘data with soul’. Whether you are applying for funding, helping students to relate to and understand complex concepts, or engaging the public at a conference, your success will depend on how well you can communicate your ideas in an imaginative and compelling way.

Many presentations and teaching sessions are now delivered virtually, and this can make it harder to sustain the interest of an audience and keep them engaged. Storytelling is a powerful way to connect emotionally with a ‘virtual’ audience and sustain their interest in a way that pure fact simply cannot do.

This one-day dynamic and interactive workshop will provide you with the skills for powerful storytelling. You will work in groups on various exercises (including voice and body language), actively presenting and applying your skills to real-life situations where you need to be at your most persuasive.

The following topics will be covered:

• how to engage the audience
• develop body language, voice and gesture to help deliver compelling stories
• present discipline-specific topics, or research in a more original and compelling way
• deliver sections of lectures that relate to students and grab their attention
• powerfully connect with audiences and build the reputation of the own department, faculty and/or university

scientific staff who want to learn more about storytelling and improve their storytelling skills

Participants must have an English level of B2 or above.