Ignite@AGU: How this thing works…


Here are some pointers for your Ignite@AGU talk.  

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Ignite How-To: 5 min, 20 slides ⏤ exactly.

It is that simple. Each speaker has five minutes and your talk follows auto-advancing slides every 15 seconds. That is the whole talk.

Of course, less is more (work). 

To help, we will send emails with sci comm pointers and ideas to help you fit your big ideas into the tight timeline of an Ignite talk. Today, let's focus on the talk structure and ways to make it feel easy for you and stand out to the audience.

But first…if you have not already, please fill out the Promoting Ignite@AGU 2022 form ASAP. The information you provide will be used on the igniteagu.io website and in social media promotions. We cannot announce the speaker line up until we have everyone's info!

Fill out the form

For folks who learn better by watching, check out last year's Ignite@AGU speakers. Key elements to watch for – big visuals, few words and how different people use personal stories, beautiful imagery, or humor. 


Every talk in Ignite@AGU will follow the same 5-min, 20-slide, 15-sec autoadvancing format. When your talks are ready, we will compile them all into one big slide deck and play the slides during the talk. That way you can focus on holding the mic and sharing your story, no clicks necessary. 

That means, it will help you to map out your story and rely on your slides to help you tell that narrative. Think of your talk like a story with 18-20 lines, which the slides help guide you and the audience through. 
 

Some Basic Tips

  • Images say a lot: Select one big image per slide
  • Few words: Stick to single words, phrases, or maybe a bold sentence
  • Repeat: Need more time? Want to make a point? Simply repeat the same slide and count repeats towards your total 20 (2x = 30 sec, 4x = 1 min, etc.)
  • Tell a story: Think of your talk as a story with 18-20 lines.
  • Get creative: Take risks, be funny, share something alarming. Be human! This is not an academic talk. (And do not repurpose an old slide deck; the audience will know if you try to cram one into an Ignite format.)
  • Titles: Write a bold, pithy title. We can help!  
Lastly, PRACTICE. We have set aside practice sessions for you, but you will feel most comfortable on stage if you give yourself lots of opportunities to mess up, try again, play with this slide, or take out that one. 

Next week, we will share more on the ABT story format and some storytelling tips from our Adler Planetarium hosts! 

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