Your Nifty One Fifty presentation will likely be one of the most impactful talks you will ever give. It is your opportunity to inspire young people to consider the sciences as a potential career path. Why is this more important than ever?
The world is catching up and even surpassing the U.S. in higher education and the production of science and engineering specialists. China now graduates four times as many engineering students as the U.S., and South Korea, which has one-sixth the population of the U.S., graduates nearly the same number of engineers as the U.S. Moreover, most Western European and Asian countries graduate a significantly higher percentage of students in science and engineering. At the graduate level, the statistics are even more pronounced. In 1966, U.S. students accounted for approximately 76 percent of the world's science and engineering Ph.D.s. In 2000, they accounted for only 36 percent. In contrast, China went from producing almost no science and engineering Ph.D.s in 1975 to granting 13,000 Ph.D.s in 2002, of which an estimated 70 percent were in science and engineering.
"Along with these emerging giants [China/India], countries like Japan, South Korea and Singapore are also challenging America's dominance. If present trends continue, 90% of all the world's scientists and engineers will be living in Asia by 2010." Nobel laureate, Richard E. Smalley
At the middle and high school level, science class is widely perceived as dull - something required but not enjoyed. Most students have no clue about how science impacts their lives. Very few students recognize the vast array of interesting, fun and lucrative jobs in the sciences with upward mobility. Nor do they think about the societal impact that can be made by a career in the sciences.
Regardless of California’s world-class achievement in technology, engineering and research, the unspoken secret is California’s children that are being left behind when compared to their peers in other regions of the country. Based on surveys of states that participate in the National Center of Education Statistics – the “nation’s report card” – California’s fourth- and eighth-graders rank behind 42 states in mathematics and next to last in science.
You have been hand-selected by the San Diego Science Festival to participate in the Nifty Fifty program because of your accomplishments, and your contributions to and passion for the sciences. When you go out to the schools in April, we want you to share that passion and ignite a fire. You, and your Nifty Fifty colleagues, are the Ambassadors of Science in San Diego – and we hope that the following notes will help you create a presentation that will have a long-lasting effect on the students you will be speaking to. Some background about science in today’s schools
You should assume students have had some science, but only starting at the middle school level. They have been exposed to cells, basic chemical reactions, laws of motion, and some earth and space science. Schools are highly focused on state standards, and teachers are focused on ensuring that their students are proficient in those standards. So many students think that science is all about reading the chapter, solving end of chapter problems, doing well defined labs, and writing up lab reports.
It’s important to convey a sense of how the science you do differs from that experienced by most students. Point out that science involves solving interesting and challenging problems that today’s students are passionately interested in, such as improving people’s health, the environment, our energy supply. Emphasize that scientists and engineers make a difference and will be critical to solving the world’s problems and improving life.
Convey to students that science careers are interesting, varied, and financially rewarding. Make them aware that scientists don’t just put on labcoats and work in a lab all day. They travel, socialize with other scientists and students, go to meetings and give presentations, and many run major businesses related to their work, including their own research groups.
Tips for your presentation
1. Make it personal First, introduce yourself, discuss where you work, and give your audience some interesting personal aspect of your life or work that is unique and engaging, something that will hook your audience. This can be a short anecdote about some event in your life that made you want to be a scientist or a moment that was particularly rewarding. If you have traveled an interesting or non-traditional path to your current job, share that with students. They will appreciate hearing about any speed-bumps you encountered along your way. Students rarely hear about difficulties that elite scientist have encountered and they will appreciate your honesty and relate to your challenges.
2. To use or not to use slides If you choose to use Powerpoint, limit the number of slides, minimize the amount of text, but maximize the use of pictures, diagrams, and analogies. (Stimulating visuals and colorful imagery through stories and analogies not only hold students’ interest but will help them remember the contents of your presentation longer.) If you choose to use Powerpoint, please use the San Diego Science Festival design template for your slides: we are planning to make your slides available to audiences through our website, and are striving for a coherent look. Click here to download the template.
3. Avoid unnecessary jargon Don’t use jargon or abbreviations, no matter how commonplace you think they are.
4. Wow your audience If you can, bring something you can share or give to every member of your audience that is related to your research. Or do a demonstration of something that students have never seen before. Or bring something visually impressive to wow your audience. Before you do your sharing or demonstration, ask the students to make a prediction about what will happen in your demonstration or what they think your visual does or how it was made. By asking them to make a prediction, you will engage their natural curiosity and entice them to find out if their prediction was correct, which will keep their interest.
5. Convince them science is sexy Talk about how much you enjoy doing science. Give them a sense of your personal satisfaction, and the thrill of discovery. Find a way to show them that the science you do is sexy, cool, and makes an impact on the world.
6. Have a Q&A session Make sure you leave plenty of time for students to ask questions. If they don’t immediately ask you any, be prepared with questions to ask the students. For example, you could ask them:
• When do you think I decided to become a scientist? • How do you think I chose a major in college? • How do you think I chose a college? • How often do you think I travel as part of my job? • Are any of you planning to become a scientist?
7. Contact your school ahead of time One more important tip: contact your school ahead of time to coordinate with the teacher. This will help make the most of your time with the students.
Questions you might want to ask when contacting your school: Who will be my audience? What grade level will they be? How many students will attend? What kind of science courses have they completed? Have they expressed an interest in science as a career? How much do they know about [my field]? What is the venue like – is it a large auditorium or a small classroom? How long do you want my talk to be? How much time will we have for the Q&A session? To what extent are students aware of the issues I will be talking about?
Share with the teacher what you will be talking about, so the teacher can prepare the students accordingly.
Also, double-check with the teacher to make sure all your AV needs are met, whether you can just bring a memory stick or whether you need to bring your laptop etc. If you are not bringing your own laptop, you might want to send your presentation ahead of time.
8. Golden Rules for Nifty Fifty speakers So, as you work on your speech, keep in mind the 10 Golden Rules for Nifty Fifty speakers: 1. Give one of the most inspiring 30-minute talks of your lifetime: make it different, unique and exciting! (If it’s a boring talk, you will nurture the stereotype most students have in their heads) 2. Make it personal: talk about your own upbringing and career path, touching on your challenges, rewards, obstacles and roadblocks 3. Make it fun and interactive: have students predict the outcome; ask and respond to questions; allow time for Q&A 4. Tell a story 5. Share a great dream, something to take their breath away, or something you have never shared before 6. Show your passion and curiosity for your field of science
7. Make your slides fun: use lots of images and graphics and limit text; and use the San Diego Science Festival slide template, if possible! Click here to download the template 8. Reduce the amount of scientific jargon (ex 10-24 versus very small) 9. Don’t read your speech 10. Stick to the allotted time frame
Timeline * Contact your teacher at least six weeks prior to your presentation. * Provide a copy of your presentation materials to the San Diego Science Festival at least three weeks prior to your presentation
