2 radio interviews 🎙️, one conference 🏢, one presentation 📊, and 1 award = the summation of June
It started with two radio interviews where we discussed viruses, their inactivation in water, water decontamination, plasma, and much more (https://ars.rtvslo.si/podkast/podobe-znanja/526/175050860; https://www.raiplaysound.it/audio/2024/06/Hevreka-del-17062024-1f3f988c-231e-41aa-95dd-91ba23c3776b.html). Then, I traveled to incredible Japan for the ISFEV virological conference where I had a lecture about the inactivation of viruses in water with a combined plasma-supercavitation device. As a cherry on top 🍒, I was awarded Summa cum laude 🥇 by the The Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School for the great work we produced during my PhD. All in all, quite an amazing month! 🌟
Fun Science: Slovenian Big Bang Theory
I had the pleasure of being among the fantastic participants at the round table “Fun Science: Slovenian Big Bang Theory” organized in March. We discussed whether scientific communication and presentations would benefit from being more fun. The short conclusion was yes, yes they would!
Why? Because when we present something in a new, interesting, and fun way, there’s a higher chance your audience will actually listen and remember what you were saying.
Sometimes you teach, and sometimes you do!
In February, I did! I participated in two public speaking events, The First Slovenian-Indian Day of Science and Innovation and the 15th International Symposium of Chemical Engineers (SMLKI), where I had the honor of being among the invited speakers.
Photo by Hrvoje Baudoin
“What if they hate me?”
It’s common to fear that the audience won’t like you when you’re presenting.
Let’s try a quick exercise. Remember the last time you were in the audience—maybe a lecture, workshop, or a show. If not, think about the last video, movie, or podcast you watched. Picture that moment. Were you hoping for a good time, like learning something new or being entertained? Or were you hoping it to be awful, with nothing to gain?
As humans, we value our time too much, so when we invest it, we hope for something worthwhile.
Fear
That crippling fear, accompanied by all those nagging ‘what ifs’ (what if they say no, what if I fail, what if I embarrass myself…)—it’s often the very reason we hesitate to even try. It’s what makes us shy away from fantastic opportunities to speak in public.
Photo by Byalicia on DevianArt
Silence. The absence of noise.
It’s interesting how many presenters fear the idea of being silent, even for just a second. But why? Those short silent pauses are like magic—equally crucial in presenting as commas are in writing. Without them, things can get a bit awkward (just look at the picture). When you are presenting, pauses can be your secret weapon. Use them when you share something crucial, giving your audience a moment to truly appreciate what you just said. Let them soak it in. Or when you crack a joke, let them savor the laughter.
Do you ever wonder what is one of the super important things when crafting an awesome story?
Read about it here.
Photo by Headway on Unsplash
Workshop In science we trust so let’s present it properly
The last workshop for this year was a big one – six hours in two days for my colleagues at NIB. At the workshop “In science we trust so let’s present it properly” we discussed how to present scientific data to either a scientific or a wider audience. We looked at different aspects of a good presentation, from the importance of presenting to preparing a good story and delivering it, preparing a good PowerPoint presentation and dealing with the fear of public speaking.
Workshop Science for All – Present it so everyone will listen
I November 2023, I held online workshop with for the fantastic audience, which included over 30 participants, from students to professors, many of whom work or study in medicine. In the workshop Science for All – Present it so everyone will listen, we discussed how to prepare a compelling story and deliver it effectively at events for the broader audience such as the Scientific Slam or TEDx. I had a great time and, according to the participants, so did they. The workshop would not have been possible without the collaboration with Science on the Street and the European Flamin-Go project (thank you for the invitation).
Workshop Towards fearless presenting, Science edition
I recently had the pleasure of leading an online workshop Towards fearless presenting, Science edition, for an amazing group of over 30 scientists, researchers, and educators. This group included participants with varying levels of experience in public speaking, from early career scientists to seasoned communicators from all over Europe (and beyond).
Pitch-off winner
Now that I have received the certificate, it is also official: I was one of the winners of the Pitch-off (i.e., the best presentation) during the Equals Summer School, which took place in three different countries (Latvia, Switzerland and Spain) over the course of three weeks in June. This win has opened some great doors for me and I can not wait to see where they lead. Preparing a great presentation is not only beneficial for you, but also for your audience because you never know how you can entertain, educate or inspire someone and make their life a little better.
“I can say with certainty that Arijana’s workshop CHANGED MY LIFE”
At the end of March, I had the pleasure of giving a workshop for TEDxUniversityofLjubljana. Last year I was one of the speakers at the event, while this year I participated in a different role, as a coach, and I held a workshop “Present like a Pro”. After the workshop and the main event, I received a beautiful review from Zala, one of this year’s speakers:
“I have become a better speaker in ways I didn’t know were possible!
Arijana is truly amazing at her job and she has an incredibly fun vibe”
