Speaking Your Brand: Public Speaking Tips and Strategies 138: Scientists Need to Tell Stories Too with Karen Corbin, PhD, RD [Storytelling Series]
If you're sharing something personal in a presentation or a talk, you know that you should make it a story and include stories in your presentations in general.
What about if you're presenting on topics that are more data-driven or research-based?
You should definitely include stories as well.
My guest in this episode is Karen Corbin, PhD, RD, who's a scientist herself and has a company with a great name called Geeks That Speak® to inspire and empower scientists to become powerful storytellers.
Incorporating storytelling into their presentations is crucial, whether they’re presenting at conferences to peers or to the general public.
Stories can help spark curiosity, give context to facts and data, and make the information being presented more memorable.
You don’t have to be a scientist to learn a lot in this episode. What Karen and I talk about applies to any topic.
This episode is part of our Storytelling series, episodes 137-140.
About My Guest: Karen D. Corbin, PhD, RD is the Owner and Chief Geek of Geeks That Speak® and an Investigator at the AdventHealth Orlando Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes. She is an expert in human nutrition and metabolism. Her scientific career is devoted to finding new approaches to prevent and treat diseases like diabetes and fatty liver disease. She is also an expert is scientific storytelling. After spending years traversing the worlds of healthcare and science, she realized that a fundamental gap exists for translating ideas into solutions: the common inability of scientists and other “geeks” to deliver information in a way that is impactful, relevant and inspires action. This led Dr. Corbin to an important conviction: by helping scientists translate complex scientific information in a way that is accessible to a broad range of audiences, she could help advance the innovation that will solve many of society’s most pressing problems So, she created the movement “Geeks That Speak®” to inspire and empower scientists to become powerful storytellers.
About Us: The Speaking Your Brand podcast is hosted by Carol Cox. At Speaking Your Brand, we help women entrepreneurs and professionals create their signature talks and gain more visibility to achieve their goals. Our mission is to get more women in positions of influence and power: on stages, in businesses, on boards, in the media, in politics, and in our communities. Check out our coaching programs at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com.
Links:
Show notes at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/138
Connect with Karen on her website at https://www.geeksthatspeak.com/.
New York Times article: “N.I.H. Head Calls for End to All-Male Panels of Scientists.”
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Related Podcast Episodes:
- Episode 57: How to Use Simple Story Structure to Create Compelling Content with Carol Cox
- Episode 61: A Game Changer for Your Business and Presentations: Developing Your Own Framework
- Episode 76: Why the Stories We Tell Matter with Leena Nasser of The Chopra Institute
- Episode 113: Storytelling Isn’t Enough – Your Content Needs to be E.P.I.C.
JOIN US: Our in-person Speaking Accelerator Workshop is coming up in Downtown Orlando on October 30, 2025. Create and practice your signature talk in one day using our proven framework, so you can confidently share your message and attract more opportunities. It's a fun, supportive environment where you get personalized feedback, professional photos, and more. Limited to 15 attendees. Get the details and secure your spot at https://www.speakingyourbrand.com/orlando/.