OPA Communication Series: Data Visualization

Mastering communication is not easy, but it is one of the most valuable skills graduate students and postdocs can develop for sharing their research effectively. This Fall, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs is offering a three-part virtual workshop series led by Danielle Hennis from Make it Memorable, focused on strengthening communication and presentation skills. Sessions will cover advanced PowerPoint techniques, the power of scientific storytelling, and effective data visualization strategies.

Each 1.5-hour workshop is highly practical and filled with tips and exercises that you can immediately apply to your own research presentations. Please note: sessions will be live and not recorded, so be sure to take advantage of them in real time.

As a bonus, a pre-series session - Deconstructing Presentations - is available as a limited-time recording through mid-October, providing a foundation on the psychology of audience memory. Learn more about the series and access the pre-series session at research.unc.edu/postdocs.

This session focuses on how to effectively use data visualization and storytelling in presentations to enhance comprehension and persuasion. It emphasizes the importance of avoiding overwhelming slides filled with data, as they can hinder the audience’s understanding. Instead, the session guides presenters on how to highlight key messages using clear, easy-to-process visuals while providing additional resources for those who want more details. Participants will learn which charts and graphs are most effective, how to analyze data for relevance, and how to eliminate unnecessary information. The session also covers the use of infographics and provides practical tips, tricks, and tools for incorporating data visualization in future presentations.

Register