Teach the Geek Podcast - public speaking for technical professionals

EP. 207: Lindsay O'Leary - from engineer to engineering association director Lindsay O’Leary is the Director of Technical Advancement of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). She was Executive Director of the ASCE – Texas Section before that, and even before that, she worked in varying engineering roles within the civil engineering discipline. We chatted about her motivation to make the switch away from being an everyday engineer, the ways in which her engineering training has prepared her for her current role, and her public speaking journey.  To get in touch with Lindsay, find her on LI or Twitter (her handle is @LndsayAnneO. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com/tips anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, Tik Tok)

Jennifer Hogan, how do I get my first engineering job?  Jennifer Hogan is the Professional Development Coordinator for Clemson University’s Bioengineering department. I wanted to talk to her because she is heavily involved with preparing engineering students for the workforce. I often talk about the importance of public speaking on this platform, but all the public speaking skills won’t mean much if you can’t get a job! We chatted about  how engineering students can best position themselves to get jobs. There was quite a bit of laughter on my part in this episode, too, so it's a can't miss.  To reach Jennifer, her email is jrhogan@clemson.edu. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com/tips anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek (IG, Tik Tok)

Talking plant breeding with Dr. Magan Lewis Dr. Magan Lewis is the first plant breeder I've spoken to. I didn't even realize that was a thing, so we definitely chatted about it. She's also a big proponent of STEM outreach. We spoke about that, too. Because I learned about her from a keynote she gave, public speaking was also on the menu! To get in touch with Dr. Lewis, her instagram handle is @drmagan. ___ TEACH THE GEEK Get public speaking tips at teachthegeek.com/tips Podcast is at anchor.fm/teachthegeek FB and Twitter: @teacthegeek IG and TikTok: @_teachthegeek_

Talking Petroleum Engineering with Zachary Evans Zachary Evans is a reservoir storage engineer. I must admit I had no idea what that meant; I definitely found out during our conversation. He’s also the Regional Director for North America of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). We talked about his interest in petroleum engineering, his work with SPE, and the ways in which public speaking has been useful to him.  To get in touch with Zachary, email him at zachary.evans@gmail.com or find him on LinkedIn.  __ TEACH THE GEEK  teachthegeek.com anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, TikTok)

From Engineering to Journalism with Manjula Selvarajah Manjula Selvarajah is a journalist and columnist on technology and education. She even worked for a time in marketing. But it all started with an engineering degree. We chatted about how an engineer went into journalism, how her engineering background benefits her curren work, and when she realized that public speaking could be of benefit to her. During our conversation, she mentioned a technique she uses to get ready to speak. It involves bending over and an apple... To learn more about Manjula, her twitter is @manjaselva. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, TikTok)

From Operations to Coaching with Gary Smith Gary Smith is a business coach and author. He worked for years in operations management before embarking on his journey as a coach. We chatted about how his engineering background prepared him for life as a coach, why he decided to make the transition, and how public speaking has benefited him. Check out Gary's website at https://garylsmith.com/. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, TikTok)

Nanoengineering professor & podcaster Dr. Darren Lipomi Dr. Darren Lipomi is a professor in nanoengineering, studying the areas of soft electronics for solar cells, biosensors, and artificial touch. He’s also a podcaster and has a YouTube channel, addressing topics related to STEM in academia. We chatted about his journey to becoming a professor, his research, and the ways in which public speaking has benefited his career. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, TikTok)

Becoming a professional engineer with Britt Smith Britt Smith embarked on a civil engineering career that eventually led to him becoming president-elect of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). We spoke about where his interest in Engineering came from, whether the working world was what he thought it would be, and what was the motivation to be involved in NSPE leadership.   To contact Britt, email him at brittsmithpe@gmail.com. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, TikTok)

Inspiring the engineers of tomorrow with Rebecca White Rebecca White is the CEO of Engineers of Tomorrow, an organization whose goal is to talk differently about the STEM professions to kids, with a focus on engineering. She worked in manufacturing positions before moving into the non-profit world. We chatted about the motivation to move from the for-profit  world to the non-profit one, her work with Engineers of Tomorrow, and the ways in which public speaking has benefited her. To learn more about Engineers of Tomorrow, visit https://engineersoftomorrow.ca/. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, TikTok)

How does acupuncture inform burnout, Cait Donovan? Cait Donovan is a burnout coach, a podcast host, and a keynote speaker. It’s her beginnings that I find fascinating, though. Cait’s journey is exactly what this podcast has come to symbolize: just because you start in a certain place doesn’t mean you have to continue down a particular path. She was a pre-med major originally, but left that and eventually became an acupuncturist. We chatted about her decision to leave pre-med and pursue acupuncture, her motivation for focusing on burnout, and the purpose behind her podcast.  Learn more about Cait at https://www.caitdonovan.com/. __ TEACH THE GEEK teachthegeek.com anchor.fm/teachthegeek youtube.teachthegeek.com @teachthegeek (FB, Twitter) @_teachthegeek_ (IG, Twitter)