Do you want to improve your academic speaking?
Save this placeholder as a reminder of the Speak like a researcher workshops. The appointment is for the all of the sessions below so delete the occurrences of any sessions you do not wish to attend.
Speak like a researcher (SLAR) is a three-part, on-campus workshop series designed to help you communicate your research confidently in the situations that matter. You will learn how to build purposeful professional relationships, explain complex ideas clearly to different audiences, and respond credibly when your claims are questioned. Through practical activities, guided reflection and realistic speaking tasks, you will develop strategies for listening, questioning, structuring explanations and handling uncertainty. Each workshop focuses on a distinct communication challenge while reinforcing transferable skills you can use in conferences, seminars, networking events, interviews and vivas. Attend individually or complete the full series.
20.10.2026 & 17.11.2026 12.00-13.00 SLAR 1: making connections visible ~ conversations that create opportunity
Turn conversations into opportunities. Practise starting purposeful exchanges, finding common ground and listening actively. Learn to recognise possibilities for collaboration and finish conversations with clear ways to stay in touch.
27.10.2026 & 24.11.2026 SLAR 2: making complexity visible ~ explaining ideas with clarity and impact
Make complex ideas easier to understand. Practise tailoring explanations to your audience, organising essential information and using examples or analogies to communicate clearly what matters and why it is significant.
03.11.2026 & 01.12.2026 SLAR 3: making expertise visible ~ communicating with authority under scrutiny
Respond to challenging questions with clarity and credibility. Practise building concise answers, distinguishing evidence from speculation, acknowledging uncertainty and adapting or defending your claims under scrutiny in realistic academic situations.
