Presenter Guide
Jump to relevant sections here:
- Presenter Expections and Resonsibilties
- Tips for Planning Your Program
- Tips for Promoting Your Program
- Additional Resources
Presenter Expectations and Responsibilities
We are excited to have you on our team of presenters and want to help you make the most out of your Science Festival experience. We have a few expectations and requirements for festival presenters:
- Programs and events must be free to public and school audiences
- Programs and events must meet MSU Science Festival accessibility guidelines (coming soon)
- Follow and enforce MSU Science Festival Covid-19 safety guidelines
- Promote both the festival and your event on social media and in your communities
We ask that you use the Science Festival logo on any posters, flyers, and social media posts that you create. Please also include the statement "This is a collaboration with the MSU Science Festival" or "This is an official MSU Science Festival event". A Science Festival media package for presenters is coming soon.
Join our Facebook group for presenters to stay up to date on SciFest news!
Tips for Planning Your Program
Define Your Goals
Before designing your educational program, think about what it is you want to accomplish during your presentation. There are many reasons toget involved in science communication and outreach. Consider the following:
- Increasing awareness about a particular topic or cause
- Encouraging the use of scientific evidence in decision-making
- Developing positive public perceptions of scientists and STEAM experts
- Motivating behavior change
- Influencing public policy
Define Your Audience
While the Science Festival aims to offer programming for everyone, designing your program for a specific audience will set you up for success in delivering meaningful and memorable programs.Consider the following:
- Age group
- Educational background
- Experience and interest level in science/your topic
- Cultural background
- Occupation
- Hobbies
Develop a Strategy
With your goals and audience research in hand, you can begin to develop a programmatic strategy. First, determine how you want to deliver your program. What type of program format will best support your goals and appeal to your audience? Learn more about public and school program formats below:
Additional considerations for developing your strategic approach:
- Style and tone: is your presentation light and humorous or serious? Defining the style and tone of your presentation can help inform your decisions around your venue choice and appropriate program elements
- Program elements and activities: decide how you will keep attendees engaged throughout your program and how you will motivate their involvement
- Key messages: leave a lasting impression on your attendees by offering 1-3 key takeaway messages
- Call-to-actions: call your audience to action by inviting them to learn more about your topic, adopt a new behavior, or advocate for a certain cause
- Additional post-program resources: keep your audience engaged after your presentation by sharing additional resources or recommending future workshops, programs, and events
Visit our Additional Resources section below for more science communication tips!
A note about using video in presentations: Please download any video material directly to your computer that you will be embedding on your presentation deck. Using YouTube or other media sites can cause lag, technical issues, and there may be inappropriate advertisements or other unwanted content. All presentation content must be family-friendly.
Submit a Proposal
Before November 4, submit a proposal for each public and K12 program you would like to host. Our team will then review your submission and reach out in early 2023 regarding the status of your proposal. Upon acceptance, we will share venue and scheduling options for both virtual and in-person presentations, as well as next steps for preparation.
Submit a public program proposal
Submit a school program proposal
Tips for Promoting Your Program
As a Festival partner, we ask that you actively promote both the Festival and your individual event on social media and in your communities. Below are Festival logos and graphics you can use to create promotional materials, as well as suggestions on how to promote your event and spread the word.
2023 Promotional Graphics
- Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn poster
- Instagram poster
- Instagram story poster
- Blank graphic templates coming soon
- PowerPoint templates coming soon
Festival Logo Package
Social Media
Follow our accounts below and share information about your programs on your organization's pages. You can use our logos and graphic templates above to create unique graphics and build excitement around your program! More templates and graphics coming soon.
Hashtag to use: #MSUSciFest
Facebook Events
We encourage presenters to create a Facebook event for their events, especially if you are hosting a Tour, Open House, NATM, SWAN, Cafe/Pub, or another signature event. If you are participating in our Science in the Garden event, please share our existing Facebook event (coming soon) on your pages and invite people in your networks.
For a comprehensive overview of how to set up and manage Facebook events, click here.
Press Releases
Build your own new release for your event and send it to your local news organizations two weeks before your event. Check media calendar deadlines for possibly longer lead times. Follow up to ensure the release was received and to answer any questions.
Community Calendars & Newsletters
There are plenty of free online community calendars across the state. Be sure to post in these ahead of time to help promote your event.
Use Your Networks!
Be sure to share information about your events and the festival with your friends, family, colleagues, students, and listservs.
Additional Resources
Science Communication Resources
- AAAS Communication Toolkit
- MSU Libraries Science Communication Guide
- MSU University Communications Presentation Strategies and Tips
- TED Science Speaking Tips
- TED Better Slides for Presentations
- TED Science Told Through Stories
- Public Communication Tips
Design Resources
Graphic Tools
- Canva
- Inkscape: Draw Freely
- Glimpse: A Free Cross-Platform Photo Editor
- How to Create Twitter Poster
Royalty-Free Images
- Pexels
- Pixabay
- PhyloPic — Free Silhouette Images of Life Forms
- SciDraw | Scientific Drawings
- Noun Project: Free Icons & Stock Photos for Everything
Creating visuals
- Chemix - Draw Lab Diagrams
- BioRender
- Lucidchart: Online Diagram Software & Visual Solution
- Create Infographics, Presentations & Flyers
- AutoDraw