Speaker Guidelines for Volunteers

Volunteer talks are an opportunity for Chicago Chapter Earthwatch Members (and others) to hear descriptions of the kinds of expeditions that volunteers have been on. It helps people decide if they are interested in going on a particular type project or with a particular Principal Investigator. Of course it also is a chance for the audience to share your experience even if they don’t plan on going on a similar expedition. The meeting is very informal; we will supply the screen, slide projector, and we have a sound system if you would like to use it.

In order to insure that all of the speakers get a chance to present their experiences the following guidelines have been developed. Your cooperation in following these guidelines will help to keep volunteer events our most popular programs.

1.   Plan for no more than a 15 minute presentation. This will allow for a few minutes of questions.

2.   Limit the number of slides to about 15. If you have a sequence that goes fast, a few more will work.

3.   Mark your slides to indicate which is the “upside” for the slide, or you can bring your own carousel.

4.   If you don’t bring your own carousel, put an identification mark on your slides to simplify picking them up at the end of the program. (The mark you used in “3” above is probably sufficient).

5.   Give the name of the project, the name of the PI, and also describe where the project is located since this may not be apparent to the audience.

6.   Show the study subject and explain the objective of the work.

7.   Describe the work and training briefly, and an overview of a typical day.

8.   Show the local people and environment if they are unusual.

9.   Mention the living conditions especially if they are unusual.

10.  Share your excitement and enthusiasm but also mention any recommendations on why people may not want to participate in this project, e.g., lifting/carrying heavy objects, strenuous hiking, etc.

11.  If the field rep gives you the “high sign”, your time is basically up so finish up quickly so that the program can continue on time.

12.  Time permitting, you can ask for  questions at the end of your talk. If the questions run on, the field rep will announce “one more question”. (People can also ask you questions after the formal program).

13.  Above all, have fun! People really enjoy hearing about Earthwatch expeditions and are delighted that you are willing to share your experiences!