Elizabeth Avery, Royal Observatory Greenwich

Discussion Table: Join the Presenter Network

The Presenter Network was set up in 2014 by Liz Avery at the Royal Observatory Greenwich as a way for presenters to share best practice as well as watch others in action to develop their presenting style. The secondary aim of the network was also to develop a way to retain public facing members of staff and help them re-energise their approach to their delivery duties. The network started with 10 members and has grown to over 600 worldwide with 8 UK hubs (plus one in the Netherlands), a national annual conference and an online course reaching 26,000 people and counting. Sessions cover every aspect of presenting you could ever imagine; using comedy effectively, working with challenging audience members, how to look after your voice and everything in between. The response to the network shows us that there is a massive appetite for training in this very niche area.

Biography

Liz is the Senior Manager of Science Engagement at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the Lead Astronomer on ROG First Light and the Presenter Network founder. She has worked all over the UK with people of all ages and abilities talking about how science works. Throughout her career she has written science shows and workshops, teaching resources, books and presented a lot; everything from planetarium shows, TV and radio and academic talks to science theatre shows. She has a passion for training other presenters and helping them to find their groove so they feel confident and comfortable enough to communicate even the most complicated subjects in an inspiring way.