SPEAC Workshop

Status of Workshop

This workshop is not currently scheduled for the 2026-2027 academic year. For similar training, please contact DRI Communications for assistance or to schedule an individualized media training.

About SPEAC

The Speaker Performance Excellence in Academic Communication (SPEAC) Workshop explores with faculty how to effectively communicate their research, scholarship and creative activities with the public, the media, the academic community and grant officers. It is a 1-session workshop, about 2 hours in length and offers insights into scholarly communication across various audiences.

This experience will prepare you to have ready answers to the critical questions:

• What are you doing?
• What are you expecting to find?
• What is happening?
• You study something niche, what difference does this make for humans?
• You study a small population, what difference does this make for everyone?
• Why does this matter?
• What interests *you* about this topic?

During the experience, faculty will center using emotional narrative strategies to amplify the impact of their scholarship, using techniques such as:

• Story (Personal, True, Fictitious);
• Metaphor, Anecdote, Parable;
• Thought-Provoking Question;
• Shocking/Scary Statement;
• Invitation to marvel;
• Humor;
• Surprise.