So You Would Like to Give a SERC Speech

A basic guide on how to wow the crowd, impress your peers, and sell your ideas to the world.

What is a SERC Speech

The SERC Series is a modern symposium where friends and neighbors gather to discuss world changing issues, share their expertise, or share a topic that they think is just plain interesting. During the course of the night there will be several speakers who will give a 10 minute presentation, followed by a 5 min question and answer section. The SERC series has been affectionately described as somewhere between a TED Talk and a cocktail party.

What Should I Talk About

If you are considering speaking you may have a variety of things you would like to discuss or perhaps you are having a hard time thinking about a topic. There are some guidelines to help you make a great speech.

1. Pick a topic of which you are very knowledgeable; This is fairly straightforward, as we are all individuals with very different experiences, we all have different levels of skills and knowledge. A good starting point is your career, what are some insights you see at work that people might not know about? Other examples may be subjects you’ve studied, hobbies and interests, or charity work you’ve been involved with. 

2. Pick something you are passionate about; while you may not be an expert on a topic you may have a very strong curiosity. This can add to the dynamism of your speech. It's possible that a very factual presentation could land flat, an impassioned one will assuredly captivate your audience. Feel free to add some personal anecdotes or share your emotional attachment to the topic.

3. Keep it highbrow: your speech should be contributing to some greater knowledge or discussion. The audience is here for intellectual discourse and subverting that expectation could be a waste of time. If you are discussing a complex topic like AI or jet engines, assume the audience has at least some college education. Understand that they may not be experts in your field but intelligent enough to grapple tough topics. It is a good idea to continually keep tabs on your audience, ask questions yourself, and do things to keep them engaged.

What Should I Not Talk About?

 While you can discuss practically anything it may not be the best idea to dive straight into controversial topics. However, the spirit of The SERC Series is in intellectual discussion and discovery which means some controversial topics may arise and some sacred cows may be slaughtered. If you do go down this path it is very important that there is respect for the people in the room, as well as the subject you are discussing. An important thing to remember is that you are representing yourself in front of your friends, neighbors, and community, reputations can take years to build and minutes to be destroyed. 

Additional Tips for a Great Speech

1. Make it fun; Its an intellectual event as well as Saturday night

2. Show Up, If you don’t come you can’t give a speech

3. Dress to Impress; You are selling yourself and your ideas at a fancy event

4. Coordinate with others speakers; getting a theme for the night could be fun

5. Know your audience; Cater your speech for the people there

6. Be prepared; practice you speech, have all materials ready before arriving

7. Relax, public speaking can be intimidating but the idea of the SERC series is that big ideas can occupy an intimate space.

Confirmation

Once you have your topic it's very important that you reach out and reserve your spot as well as ensuring you can commit to that date. As an organizer we are doing our best to make the best event as we possibly can for speakers and attendees. This means planning for the future and delivering a consistent experience, and this can only be done with your excellent contribution. 

We are all looking forward to seeing you at the next SERC Series.

-JT Schultheis