Convocation Advices and Requests
Convocation Advices, Requests, and Reminders from Melanie-Claire:
The network-wide convocation starts soon! At the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia. Everything you need to know is at http://www.nnin.org/reu/current-nnin-reu-year/nnin-reu-convocation-portal
When the time comes, you'll also find there the URL for the live video streaming of the presentations, in case your parents and friends want to tune in.
(Be sure to tell anyone you send this URL to, that the presentations almost always shift a little, a few minutes either way. So if someone wants to see your presentation, they should start watching at least 20 minutes before your talk's start time, just in case.)
On the convocation schedule, I especially want to call out three items:
First: You have eleven minutes on the schedule, NOT eleven minutes to present! That eleven minutes MUST include; one full minute for getting on stage, attaching the microphone to yourself, finding and opening your PowerPoint slides, Eight or Nine minutes for presenting, and a couple of minutes for participant questions and your answers. So as you can see, if you talk for the whole eleven minutes, our schedule will be thrown out of whack from the get-go! You should have 10-14 slides total, NOT including your title and acknowledgement slides, since those are shown relatively briefly. If you have 33 slides, you are never going to be done in time and your presentation will be cut off!
The best way to deal with this short amount of time to present is to seriously think about your introductory slides and slides regarding your initial processes. My experience is that interns spend way too much time telling us the how and the why, and not nearly enough time on the what! I've witnessed interns who spent four minutes explaining the history of nanotechnology and why their research is going to change the world, three minutes on their intended processes, and then about 30 seconds on what they actually made and whether or not it worked.
So my advice to you is -- talk about your RESULTS, what you actually accomplished, and not so much about how you got there. (How you got there is what your final report is for... a presentation is about what worked -- or didn't, as the case may be....) (And a word on that -- sometimes what did not work is more useful to the overall research picture than what did work! Your efforts are never wasted in research.)
Second: The photography session. Please dress your best for the Photography Session! These photos will represent you and the program for all time immemorial. To prepare you for the session, we will take photographs of all the interns together in one huge group. Then we will take three sets of pictures for each site; [1] a serious photo with all the site's interns, [2] a serious photo with the site's interns and and participating staff, and [3] a fun/goofy photo with the site's interns (and participating staff who want to be in a goofy photo). The fun photo can be anything you think up!, but I ask that you avoid posing as though you are punching or attacking each other.
Third: Your presentation and poster MUST be APPROVED by your principal investigator* for distribution and web archiving.
REMINDERS, WITH DETAILS!
Your Presentation Document; Follow these naming rules for your PowerPoint slides -- "TalkNumber-YourLastName-REUsiteInitials-Presentation.ppt" (e.g. B3-Rathbun-CNF-presentation.ppt). AND bring two copies of the presentation on two different media sources. But laptops have been known to fatally crash, so have another copy on a memory stick, or etc. Remember -- once you have turned over your presentation to your site coordinator or the host site folks, you CAN NOT change your presentation. AND once you submit your abstract, you must NOT change your presentation title!
Your Poster; You are welcome to take your poster home with you after the Poster Session and we’ll have extra tubes on hand for safe transportation. Keep in mind, if you take yours with you, your school may well have a spot to put it up, or may host an event where you can showcase your work.
Attire, Especially With Regard to Microphones;
[1] As noted in the convocation expectations, you are required to dress in a professional manner every day of the convocation, whether you are presenting that day or not. On the day that you ARE presenting, be sure to wear a top to which you can easily clip a microphone dead-center on your upper chest. Ties and button-up shirts/dresses are great for this, but avoid clipping the mike to your collar, shirt pocket, or flimsy cloth. The microphone needs to be centered on your body and about four inches from your head, so that no matter which way you look as you talk to the audience, the mike will still catch your voice, and you won’t hit it when you glance around. Remove any lanyards, avoid bulky scarves or necklaces, and if you have long hair, tie it back -- all of these will knock against or muffle the mike when you move. Finally, the clip-on microphone is attached to a small box transmitter, which you will need to drop into a pocket or clip to a pocket, waistband or belt. So make sure you have a pocket or belt!
[2] Even though you are wearing a microphone -- speak up! Project your voice to the audience, specifically to the very last person in the very last row. A quiet voice is still a quiet voice even with a microphone. Please speak up.
[3] Face the audience as you speak, not the screen. Use the cursor pointer on the laptop, instead of a laser pointer. People want to see your face, not your back! See #7 below…
[4] Don’t wander as you talk. Stand in front of the laptop and stay there. You are being web-cast and video-taped! Those watching the presentation online don’t want to be staring at an empty screen where a person should be. Not to mention those watching the video sometime in the future will not be at all impressed by an empty screen. See #7 below…
[5] When you get to your Q&A section -- STOP!! REPEAT THE QUESTION FIRST (summarize if necessary) for the web-watching / video-watching folks. Then answer the question. An answer to an unheard question is very confusing, especially for those watching online / the video. If you are very skilled, you can weave the question into your answer, but in any case REPEAT THE QUESTION FIRST!
[6] When you are all done -- STOP! Close out your presentation before you leave the podium!!
[7] Keep in mind – you have just ELEVEN minutes on the schedule, but it is forever on the web. Prospective graduate schools, prospective employers, prospective PIs -- they will all find your presentation online if and when they look, and how you represent yourself and your work may inform their decision regarding your future! Plan now to represent yourself very well!!
AUGUST EXPECTATIONS REMINDERS:
* Work towards finishing up your research.
* Put the final touches on your presentation. Be sure to practice! Create and print your poster.
* Your presentation and poster MUST be approved by your PI/Mentor before you attend the network convocation! Note--PI stands for Principal Investigator not Principle Investagator!
* For those interns finishing their program before the convocation - finish your draft FINAL REPORT and submit it to your PI/Mentor before you leave your site!
* Attend the NNIN REU Convocation.
* For those interns continuing their REU program after the convocation - finish your draft FINAL REPORT and submit it to your PI/Mentor before you leave your site!
Repeat! You must submit a draft final report to your PI before leaving your REU site!
SEPTEMBER EXPECTATION REMINDERS:
* Submit a FINAL REPORT to your PI, site coordinator, AND me by Wednesday, September 3rd. Even if you have already sent your final report to your PI previously, you MUST send it to ALL THREE OF US by the deadline. I must have proof that the report I have is the report your PI has.
* Your final stipend payment will be released to you as soon as I have confirmed with your PI that your report is approved for publication. If you have that approval already, forward that email to me!
Ok, I think that's it, but again, check the URL at the very top of this page for all the information and updates on the convocation. I look forward to meeting you all on Sunday the 10th!
Melanie-Claire
NNIN REU Program Assistant