Workshop: Giving an 'Elevator Speech'

In this workshop, we will work on an "elevator speech."  An elevator speech is a clear, concise description of one's project, a sort of oral abstract. It’s typically about 30 seconds to one minute long, the time it takes people to ride from the top to the bottom of a building in an elevator.  It helps to have practiced this “speech” to have prepared for such situations as:  a brief encounter with a scholar at a conference, a conversation at a cocktail party at a conference, or an actual elevator ride with a search committee member.  We will work both on content and delivery, using materials both from academic presentation textbooks as well as from theater and voice workshops.  By the end of the workshop, you should have a good “elevator speech” that you will have rehearsed a number of times.