
Teach the Geek Podcast - public speaking for technical professionals
In STEM (science, technology, engineering, math)? Struggle with public speaking? Then you're in the right place! I'm Neil Thompson, engineer and speaker. This is the place to get tips to improve your public speaking, and also hear from others with STEM backgrounds who saw the benefit of public speaking in their careers and the steps they took to get better at it. Think you or someone you know would make a great guest? Email me at hello@teachthegeek.com.
Latest episodes

May 7, 2025 • 30min
EP. 358 - Marcia Alvarado: The Alvarado Experience
Marcia Alvarado: The Alvarado ExperienceMarcia Alvarado is an engineer, speaker, and founder of the Alvarado Experience. She worked as a structural engineer for years and now has her consultancy, working with clients on leadership coaching, marketing strategy, and image consulting. How did an engineer end up doing this type of work? Let’s find out. To get in touch with Marcia, visit https://thealvaradoexperience.com/.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com. Follow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Apr 30, 2025 • 26min
EP. 357: Bob Miller - The Memory Expert
Bob Miller - The Memory Expert Ever forget someone’s name right after they say it? You’re not alone—and today we’re talking with memory expert Bob Miller about why that happens and what to do about it.If you’re in a technical field and remembering names or small details isn’t your strong suit, this episode is for you. We’re sharing practical tips to help you connect better—whether you’re at a networking event, giving a presentation, or explaining something complex to someone outside your field.It’s all about making memory work for you. To get in touch with Bob, visit http://memorymagic.info.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com. Follow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Apr 23, 2025 • 30min
EP. 356 - Chris Whaley: Engineering to HR?
Chris Whaley: Engineering to HR?Chris Whaley is the founder of Escape to Expand, working with teams on topics like resilience, conflict management, and teamwork. He worked in the HR field for years before founding his consultancy. How did a guy that studied Aerospace and Industrial Engineering end up in HR? I’m keen to find out, as well as learn more about his current work.To get in touch with Chris, visit https://escapetoexpand.com/.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.comFollow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Apr 16, 2025 • 29min
EP. 355 - Dr. Corinna Freitag: the Chemical Coach
Dr. Corinna Freitag: the Chemical CoachMy guest is Dr. Corinna Freitag. She’s a executive coach, advisor, and speaker who helps chemists and engineers resolve workplace conflict and build professional communication skills. I’m curious to learn more about her public speaking journey as well as how she came to her current work after having worked in industry. To get in touch with Dr. Freitag, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcorinnafreitag/ or https://www.corinnafreitag.de/.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.comFollow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Apr 9, 2025 • 28min
EP. 354 - Dr. Lori McDowell: Reimaging Speaking and Training
Dr. Lori McDowell: Reimaging Speaking and TrainingDr. Lori McDowell is the CEO of Reimagine U Strategies, providing coaching, speaking and training services. I heard her speak on another podcast and wanted to have her as a guest. I’m keen to learn more about how a PhD in Chemical Engineering ended up as a coach. I also want to learn more about her time in corporate America, particularly how being an effective communicator benefited her. To get in touch with Dr. Lori, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorimcdowell.Welcome to TTG Interviews, Dr. McDowell.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com Follow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Apr 2, 2025 • 28min
EP. 353 - Hang Loi: Engineer & Advocate
Hang Loi: Engineer & AdvocateHang Loi has had quite the career, working in supply chain, manufacturing, and product development. With such a diverse work history, I’m interested to learn more about her journey, especially the ways in which communication has benefited her. So often, as a technical professional, it’s easy to assume that being technical proficient is all you need to focus on, but many of us know that’s not the case. Let’s jump in to her more about Hang’s story. To get in touch with Hang, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/hang-loi.__0:00 Introduction0:59 What motivated you to study Chemical Engineering?3:46 What type of work did you do initially coming out of school?6:24 What didn’t you anticipate about leading others?12:03 What prompted you to make moves into different areas of the business?15:28 I saw that you’re associated with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research as a Global Diplomacy Fellow. What does the organization do and what doe20:31 Have you always been good at public speaking? If not, what have you done to get better? 25:00 Do you ever get nervous before presentations? If so, how do you manage your nerves?26:08 How can people contact you?__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.comFollow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Mar 26, 2025 • 13min
EP. 352 - The Value of Speaker Training for Technical Staff
The Value of Speaker Training for Technical StaffIn this episode of the Teach the Geek Podcast, host Neil Thompson explores why organizations should invest in speaker training for their technical staff. He shares a real-life conference experience that highlights the gap in communication between technical professionals and business development teams. Neil breaks down the key elements of an effective speaker training program, including: ✅ Identifying presentation challenges specific to technical professionals ✅ Structuring presentations with a clear call to action ✅ Mastering essential speaking skills like time management and audience adaptation ✅ Providing opportunities for practice through lunch and learns ✅ Measuring success with feedback and gamification By equipping technical staff with strong presentation skills, organizations can create better industry representatives, improve internal communication, and help their employees advance in their careers. Tune in to learn how your organization can benefit from empowering its technical professionals to speak with confidence! __TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com)Follow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG)Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips.

Mar 19, 2025 • 28min
EP. 351: Colleen Scholl - Engineering & Lifelong Learne
Colleen Scholl - Engineering & Lifelong LearnerColleen Scholl is an executive in the architecture, engineering, and environmental services sector. I heard her speak on another podcast, and was keen to have her as a guest on this podcast. I have a bunch of questions for her, including her choice to pursue engineering, her preparation for the work she does now, and employee expectations. I’ll ask some public speaking questions, too. To get in touch with Colleen, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/colleenscholl89.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com Follow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Mar 12, 2025 • 25min
EP. 350 - Sairan Aqrawi: Engineer & Business Strategist
Sairan Aqrawi: Engineer & Business StrategistSairan Aqrawi is an engineer and business strategist who is passionate about leadership development. I’m keen to find out about her interests in engineering and leadership development, and the ways in which effective communication as a technical person has benefited her work life. To get in touch with Sairan, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/sairan-aqrawi-m-sc-993bb61a3/.__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.com. Follow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips

Mar 5, 2025 • 31min
EP. 349 - Ash Hynie: Cooking up Employee Achievements
Ash Hynie: Cooking up Employee AchievementsMy guest is Ash Hynie. She’s the founder of CountrPT, building a product that will help employees document their achievements. She had a non-traditional path in tech, which I’m interested to learn more about. I’m always keen to learn about the genesis of CountrPT. How does public speaking fit into all of this? That’s a great question, too. To get in touch with Ash, visit https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-hynie/__TEACH THE GEEK (http://teachthegeek.com) Prefer video? Visit http://youtube.teachthegeek.comFollow @teachthegeek (Twitter) and @_teachthegeek_ (IG) Get Public Speaking Tips for STEM Professionals at http://teachthegeek.com/tips