Suggestions for Speakers

If you've never given a chalk talk, you are not alone! Often, the first ever opportunity to give such a talk is during a high-stakes situation like faculty job interviews. However, this engaging seminar format need not be relegated to only faculty hopefuls. Chalk talks are great because, ideally, the stripped-down format (no tech!) forces the presenter to communicate the what, why, and how of their reserach in a clear, concise, and conversational way.

Key things to remember:

  • This is a true chalk talk. The media are chalk and words!
  • While there are 55 minutes allotted, we suggest that speakers prepare no more than 30 minutes of "agenda." That leaves time for a conversational flow with questions and answers during the talk. 
  • The topic for your presentation is completely up to you, but we encourage debate, problem-solving, and knowledge-sharing in this forum.
  • Please do not think of this as a chance to give "a seminar without slides." Instead, you can consider it more akin to a conversation you are having with many friends over many cups of coffee.

Perhaps the best way to get good at chalk-talks is to see great chalk talks, so make sure to attend regularly! For a little more guidance on your first time, you can try adapting the pointers from this article to a scale that is relevant to your career stage and research scope.