How to Prepare for and Present a Seminar

(Including a Research Proposal)

Diran Apelian

Alcoa-Howmet Professor of Engineering

Director, Metal Processing Institute

WPI, Worcester, MA

Distinguished Visiting Professor

Chemical Engineering and Materials Science - UC Davis

Some Advice…for professional life

OUTLINE

1. Power of communication

2. General and Specific rules in making a presentation

3. Q&A period

4. Research proposal

Leadership Inspire colleagues Power of analysis and synthesis Simplify complex issues … explain Recognition within organization

Power of Effective Communications

OUTLINE

1. Power of communication

2. General and specific rules in making a presentation

3. Q&A period

4. Research proposal

REMEMBER….

•CONTENT

•DESIGN

•DELIVERY

1. KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

GENERAL RULES

GENERAL RULES

2. BE PREPARED- confidence- mechanical issues- notes/no notes?

3. BE ON TIME- slides or no slides?- how many slides?- remember: Effective is

the key word

GENERAL RULES

4. HAVE A MESSAGE

HAVE A STORY TO TELL(make sure it is clear to you!)

GENERAL RULES

Knowledge and know-how determine how well off societies are vis a vis to other societies

Education of engineers is critical to every nation to ensure the prosperity of their citizens

Standard of living hinges on our ability to educate a large number of sufficiently innovative engineers

Follow the Money ! R&D spending fuels innovation

Creation of wealth is related to a nation’s ability to make products that other nations want to purchase

PREMISE

5. TELL THE AUDIENCE WHAT YOU WILL DO

DO IT

TELL THEM WHAT YOU DID

GENERAL RULES

6. NO COMMERCIALIZATION & GIVE CREDITS

- co-authors- sponsors- slides “borrowed”- data

GENERAL RULES

7. LESS IS MORE

(BEAUTY IN SIMPLICITY)

GENERAL RULES

8. NO JOKES- fine line between being entertaining and unprofessional

USE PERSONAL STORIES THAT

STRENGTHEN MESSAGE

GENERAL RULES

9. ENGAGE THE AUDIENCE CONNECT WITH THEM

GENERAL RULES

10. BE EXCITED ABOUT THE SUBJECT; BE POSITIVE

GENERAL RULES

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

1. DO NOT LOOK AT SLIDES/SCREENLOOK AT THE AUDIENCEIMPORTANCE OF EYE CONTACT

2. ATTENTION SPAN OF AUDIENCE (1/3rd RULE)

DO NOT BARRAGE THEM WITH SLIDES

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

3. CLARITY

- in writing- in graphs and tables- color scheme- sentences vs bullets- photos- margins- movies

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

STEAM ENGINEMACHINE TOOLSTEXTILE MACHINERYSTEAMSHIPSTEEL INDUSTRYRAILROADSCOMMUNICATIONSTELEGRAPHELECTRIC POWERCHEMICAL INDUSTRY

WORLD POPULATION ESTIMATES 1700 650 MILLION1800 900 MILLION1900 1.6 BILLION1950 2.5 BILLION

The End of the Cold War Era

USA the only remaining superpower … Our Responsibilities ? Societal context?

RECYCLING/PACKAGING

Is there a correlation here ... Or not!

INNOVATION IS KEY

“Research is the transformation of money into knowledge;

Innovation is the transformation of knowledge into MONEY”

Geoffrey Nickelson, 3M

4. REUSE OUTLINE

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

OUTLINE

1. Power of communication

2. General and Specific rules in making a presentation

3. Q&A period

4. Research proposal

OUTLINE

1. Power of communication

2. General and Specific rules in making a presentation

3. Q&A period

4. Research proposal

OUTLINE

1. Power of communication

2. General and Specific rules in making a presentation

3. Q&A period

4. Research proposal

5. PURPOSEFUL AND APPROPRIATE REDUNDANCY

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

6. POSE QUESTIONS... AND THEN ANSWER

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

Successful Partnerships Between Academia and

Industry

CIEC- February 5, 2015- Palm Springs CA

Diran ApelianDistinguished Visiting Professor – UC Davis

Alcoa-Howmet professor of EngineeringMetal Processing Institute

WPI, Worcester, MA USA 01609

WHAT are the two most important assets of a

successful corporation?

KNOWLEDGE

PEOPLE

WHAT are the two most important products of a successful consortium?

KNOWLEDGE

PEOPLE

www.wpi.edu/+mpi

7. EQUATIONS VS. WORDS

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

8. HANDOUTS OR NO HANDOUTS?

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

9. CADENCE

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

10. VOICE, TONALITY, LOUD ENOUGH?

SPECIFIC SKILL SETS

OUTLINE

1. Power of communication

2. General and Specific rules in making a presentation

3. Q&A period

4. Research proposal

1. UNDERSTAND THE Q2. DID EVERYONE HEAR IT?3. BE HONEST… NO YAWP!4. THINK OUT LOUD5. THANK PEOPLE FOR THE Q6. BUSINESS CARDS7. GET BACK TO THOSE WHO ASKED Q8. SEED QUESTIONS… SOMETIMES?9. DEBRIEF WITH YOURSELF 10. HAVE FUN AND EXUDE ENTHUSIASM

Q & A: THIS IS WHEN YOU SHINE

OUTLINE

1. Power of communication

2. General and Specific rules in making a presentation

3. Q&A period

4. Research proposal

RESEARCH PROPOSALS

ANSWER THE 3 Q

WHY?(scientific gaps in knowledge base)

WHAT?(methodology, experimental, deliverables, timetable, etc.)

SO WHAT?(Impact!)