Duncan Yellowlees
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dyellowlees.bsky.social
Duncan Yellowlees
@dyellowlees.bsky.social
Academic Research talks don't have to be shit!

✨ Researcher trainer
✨ Opinions about research culture
✨ Maker and fan of anything with dragons

Supporting phd's/ecrs/academics to do better more engaged and effective presentations

| He/Him
It's so interesting to me that we have the strange institutional cultural habits around presentation+ rather than doing what is good for the audience.
February 13, 2026 at 7:39 AM
I think the issue here is photo realistic.

There something inherently a bit icky about a thing that looks like a photo but isn't. - no matter how it's made.

If it's more abstract in any way, that implies creativity, imagination - things the bots can't actually do, just fake, and therefore ick.
February 12, 2026 at 8:10 AM
This is foundational to the way we address anything in the skillset. It's all just tools to help you achieve a goal. Different folks have access to and are comfy using different tools.

Doesn't matter how you get the end result of an engaged audience
February 3, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Presentations on the size of aquatic animals and recyclable containers require peak hand gestures.
January 29, 2026 at 8:48 AM
Half agree. For some maybe.

I think most people know it's not great but don't know what to do instead.

Whenever we ask training groups what the biggest slide crime is, they always always come back with too much text.

Some disciplines are worse than others as well.
January 26, 2026 at 8:51 AM