SCIENTIST AND ENGINEER SPEAKER TOOLKIT

Ages 0–5

• Very short attention span
• Should be accompanied by an adult who can help manage behavior and assist with hands-on portions
• Engage children and adults together

Ages 5–6

• Very curious with minimal science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) knowledge
• May need to be reminded that questions begin with who, what, where, why, or how and are not stories they want to tell
• Minimal fine motor skills—will need adult help with cutting, taping, and other fine motor actions
• Attention span of about 10-12 minutes

Ages 7–8

• Curious with some basic STEM knowledge
• Most are able to manage basic cutting, taping, and other fine motor skills
• Able to write simple sentences
• Attention span of about 15 minutes

Ages 9–10

• Curious and most have broad exposure to multiple STEM topics
• Able to use measuring devices, reliably collect data, and perform basic mathematical calculations
• Enjoy building things
• Attention span of about 20 minutes

Ages 11–13

• Able to follow directions and engage in critical thinking, but are easily distracted
• Often high energy
• Much peer pressure to be “cool,” which can manifest as disinterest or clowning around
• Working in small groups can be an effective way to stimulate interest if the educator assigns team members
• Appreciative of kinesthetic (hand-on) learning experiences
• Attention span of about 25 minutes

Ages 14–18

• Academic abilities are similar to those of adults but with a lower social maturity level
• Are easily distracted by smartphones and other devices
• Unless they have an expressed interest in your topic, learners of this age may be more challenging to engage
• Working in small groups is an effective management technique
• Appreciative of humor
• Attention span of about 30-45 minutes

Adults

• Unless academic backgrounds are known, assume no more than a basic knowledge of STEM topics
• Appreciative of storytelling and visual elements
• Long attention span, but may be distracted by other responsibilities

• Expect a less-structured experience than the formal classroom and for kids to be high-energy and tired of “regular school.”
• Be sure to ask in advance and consider:
  • What types of activities or information are participants interested in?
  • How does the presentation fit within the goals of the program?
  • What type of assistance/student monitoring can they provide?
  • What types of facilities or technology is available?
• Kids will leave when their ride shows up, not at a predetermined time, so expect that caregivers will pull learners out of your presentation before it is through.
• Many of the adults coordinating scouting groups or youth organizations are volunteers, not paid staff. Because of this, they may take a bit longer to reply to communications as they likely have other employment responsibilities. Additionally, they may not have much influence over facilities and resources.

• Audiences may vary widely in age (toddlers to centenarians), interest, and prior knowledge.
• If possible, walk through the exhibitions/collections in advance of your presentation and reference resources in the facility. For example, “The Space Gallery has a great example of this.”
• The audience may not be aware of your presentation in advance, so they may not be able to stay for its entirety.

Hosting and Management

• Have the host institution invite you to their online meeting or event room. Do not host the event yourself. This is so the host institution can control who enters the room. This is very important when speaking to minors.
• Be aware that someone in the audience may be recording your talk without your knowledge.
• Have a backup plan in case technology fails. Be sure to get a phone dial-in number in case you can’t connect to the meeting on the day of the event. If this occurs, send your slides to your host so they can share them.

Background and Lighting

• Make sure your background is professional and not distracting. Only use a virtual background if bandwidth permits.
• Use adequate lighting so your face is visible on video. If you will be presenting at night, test your lighting at night in advance of your presentation.

Screen Sharing

• If you plan to share a video, verify that it will share without being choppy. Sometimes the host institution will be able to share video at a higher bandwidth.
• Share your slides in full-screen mode so they will be most visible to the audience. If you need to reference information in the “notes” section of your slides, project your notes on another monitor that is not shared with your audience, or print out your notes. Note that “presenter mode” does not work well for online presentations as it shows your notes to your audience.

Interacting and Taking Questions

• Decide whether you want to take questions during your presentation or at the end and communicate this to your host.
• Ask your host how they plan to manage questions from the audience. Will they be using a Q&A feature? Will they be taking questions in the chat? Will audience members be able to unmute themselves and ask a question?
• Have your host monitor the chat and verbally bring any important questions or comments to your attention.
• Consider using polling software to ask questions of your audience to learn more about them and engage them.

Pros

• Slides can support and reinforce what you are saying, making explanations more understandable.
• Images and video add visual interest.

Cons

• Using slides increases reliance on technology which may not always function properly.
• It’s easy to include too much information on a slide and confuse your audience.

Other Considerations

• Don’t over-use slides. For most audiences, it's better to have fewer slides.
• Limit or eliminate text where possible. Speak to what is on your slides rather than reading from them.
• Make images large (full slide if possible) and generally aim for only one image per slide.
• Confirm that any images, graphs, videos, and other content are cleared for release to the public.
• Confirm that any audio will be played at an audible level, or plan to narrate videos.
• Especially for kids, consider including a picture of yourself when you were about their age.

Pros

• Engaging participants in a hands-on activity or demonstration encourages more interaction and can increase learning.
• Participants get a chance to try their hands at doing science, potentially increasing confidence and self-efficacy.
• There are a number of ready-to-use activities created and reviewed by education specialists available in the Resource Catalog.

Cons

• A hands-on activity or demonstration involves additional preparation time and materials.
• Safety and audience ability must be considered.

Other Considerations

• Not everyone will work at the same pace. Encourage early finishers to add detail or improve on what they’ve already completed. Remind those who haven’t finished that they can continue working on the project later.
• Consider what materials you will need and see what's available at the venue.
• Do a test run of any demonstration or activity you plan to do. Employ friends, colleagues, or family members as an audience if possible.

Pros

• Taking questions engages the audience. Getting their own questions addressed helps learners be invested in the presentation.
• Hearing from audience members helps you understand their level of knowledge about the topic and specifically what they are interested in, helping you to customize your presentation.

Cons

• Someone may ask a question you don’t know the answer to. That’s okay! Be comfortable telling learners, "I don't know." Remind them that no one knows all the answers, and some questions haven’t been answered yet. Encourage them to explore on their own and see if they can find the answer for themselves.
• Some audience members may ask oddball questions that run the risk of derailing your presentation. If this happens, kindly answer if you can and then remind them of the topic you’re taking questions on. For example, “That’s an interesting question, but today we’re talking about [topic]. Who has a question about [topic]?”

Other Considerations

• Let the educator know in advance that you’ll be taking questions, especially if the audience is younger, so they can do some prep work with the learners (e.g., activities to establish knowledge of the topic, writing out questions) and maximize the time they have with you.
• Encourage students to ask questions they can't find online (e.g., “How big is the Sun?”) and instead take the opportunity to ask about your experience (e.g., “What do you think is the most interesting … ?" or "What are some examples of when you … ?”).
• Consider your audience when giving an answer. Will they get lost, confused or bored with a long answer, or will they be receptive to more detailed explanations?
• Give advance notice that you’re wrapping up questions. For example, "I’m going to take two more questions before we finish up."
• If questions begin trending toward silliness or multiple topics you’re not comfortable discussing, switch it up and ask questions of your audience. If all else fails and the silliness gets out of control, wrap up the Q&A and move on to the next part of the presentation.

• Use simple language to explain concepts. Many NASA centers have education or outreach staff who can assist with this.
• Avoid acronyms and instead use more common language. For example, use "mission control" instead of "SFOF" or "infrared" instead of "IR."
• When using technical terms or vocabulary, a few words of explanation, a description, an example, and/or a visual can help clarify meaning.

• Identify the most important thing you want your audience to learn or take away from your presentation and structure everything around that.
• Keep your presentation simple and high-level unless your audience is more technical. Your goal is to give your audience a positive experience and teach them some general information about the topic.
• Consider breaking up your presentation into smaller chunks by taking breaks to answer questions or do a short demo or activity.
• Use clear language about timing. For example, “I’ll break here to take the first three questions,” or “Let’s work on this part of the activity for five minutes.”
• Most people have heard of NASA, but not everyone knows there are different NASA centers or affiliated institutions that do work for NASA. Share a sentence or two about what your center or institution does and where it’s located.
• Audiences of all ages love to hear about you and your career pathway. Share a bit about your background and include personal details and stories when possible.

• Anticipate mobility devices such as wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches, different body sizes, visual limitations, etc. Make sure your presentation and activity are as accessible as possible.
• Consider color-blindness and other visual impairments when designing and presenting slides. Make sure the size and color of fonts and other visual elements are legible. Note that some presentation software includes design templates that support accessible design. When presenting slides, describe visual elements.
• Consider using a mix of presentation styles to incorporate visual, auditory, and kinesthetic (hands-on) elements for different kinds of learning styles.
• If possible, bring something from your work that students can handle. The tools of your profession may be commonplace to you, but they are mysterious, unknown, and possibly fascinating to most of the learners you will meet.

Activity Components

• Does your activity involve small parts? Make sure toddlers don’t get ahold of them.
• Does your activity involve projectiles? Be sure to wear safety goggles and provide safety goggles to anyone within the potential range of projectiles.
• Does your activity involve food? Ask about food allergies.
• Do not use open flame or hazardous chemicals in your presentation.

Physical Space

• Be sure there is adequate space to conduct your activity so audience members can safely participate and see you.
• Ask your point of contact before moving any furniture.
• If space is insufficient, consider breaking the group into smaller groups.

Emergency Plan

• Identify emergency exits and the location of fire extinguishers.
• Have a plan in place in case of a personal medical or other emergency.

• Confirm the date and time of your presentation.
• Ask about parking and entry at the venue, including:
  • Where should I park?
  • Is there a fee to park, and if so, can the organization provide a pass?
  • What time should I plan to arrive?
  • Should I use a particular door or entrance?
  • Will I need to sign in/out? If so, where should I go?
  • What type of identification should I bring? (It's a good idea to bring your NASA badge.)
• Be aware that some venues may inquire about COVID-19 vaccination status or tuberculosis testing.
• If planning to use a computer projector, bring your own power adapter and various dongles for connection. Some projectors may only use HDMI or VGA and others may have multiple connection options.
• Have a backup plan in case technology fails or internet connectivity is unavailable. Have your slides and videos downloaded to your computer and set your cell phone up as an internet hotspot as backup. Consider having a backup plan that requires no technology.
• Relax and have fun! It’s a real treat for most folks to get to meet an expert in a field.

• Confirm the date and time of your presentation.
• Verify that your lighting and background are suitable.
• Confirm with the host how questions will be handled.
• Use a test connection to verify you can connect and share your slides.
• Have a backup plan in case technology fails. Make sure you have the dial-in information handy.
• Relax and have fun! It’s a real treat for most folks to get to meet an expert in a field.