Presenting my work

I'm learning that actual research is only half the job of being a researcher. The other half is explaining what you've found to others - in publications, conferences, seminars, and so on. Research doesn't magically disseminate; it's the researcher's job to push it out into the world, and make people take notice. The most successful researchers aren't necessarily those with the best ideas - you need to be able to convince others of the ideas as well.

As part of my PhD, I have to present my work. I have to present it at least twice at conference-type settings (including the research student conferences within the Faculty). I'm also expected to present once or twice in the CoCo seminar series, which is the seminars being given within the research group I'm studying in.

I presented this year in June at the research student conference. It was good - I wasn't yet in The Rut, and it was good to talk about my work to other students (and a couple of staff). I had my usual public speaking nerves, but nothing too much. My next presentation is at the CoCo seminar, and I'm wondering how I'll approach it. I don't want to give the same presentation, since the audience is different. These folks are all very smart, and are experts in the areas around my subject area. I'll need to present some of my data (what little there is), and what I'm doing, but apart from that I've got a lot of options:

• Focus on social networking
• Focus on Design Research
• Focus on design
• Focus on my data
• Give a broad overview, and skip details

It's a tricky set of choices. I should be approaching it as a way of getting good feedback, and therefore exposing all my weaknesses; but as a PhD student, I've got a reasonably strong dose of Imposter Syndrome (heh, I just had a quick read of that wikipedia entry, and it actually says "It is commonly associated with academics and is widely found among graduate students"), and in the annoying recesses at the back of my brain, I'm worried they'll tar and feather me and run me out on a rail. I know it won't be that bad, and folks there will be supportive, so in a way I'm also looking forward to it.

Oh well, I'd better start working on my slides...