Communication is the aspect of science that intereststs me the most. Writing papers, giving talks, making posters for conferences, and talking with science journalists is an integral part of the scientific process. The art of elegantly presenting one's ideas can sometimes get lost in the drive to present as much data as possible, but I've learned the most about a topic when I need to explain it to someone else.

As a way to practice my communication skills and promote the public understanding of science, I joined Science in the News last year. Since then I've helped organize several Science Cafes, informal gatherings at local bars and restaurants that allow scientists to talk about their work to a more general audience. I also volunteered with a Model Organism Zoo at the Cambrdige Science Festival, where I showcased fruit flies, zebrafish, and several other organisms that biologists traditionally use in their studies.

I'm always on the look-out for new ways to reach a larger audience and would greatly appreciate any suggestions.

My interest in science communication has gradually grown over the course of a decade, starting with science fairs in high school and evolved over time through various conversations, books, and extracurricular activities. Below are some of the places that I go for inspiration:

• Presentation Zen: the book that crystallized my interest in presentation. I have recommended this book to everyone who has asked me for advice about their won presentations.
• The Craft of Scientific Presentations: a practical guide for giving technical talks. The suggestions about visual outlines and full-sentence summaries are a great starting point for putting together a presentation.
• TED: a fantastic on-line collection for short (20-minute or less) presentations by a truly diverse range of speakers. I went to the first TEDx Cambridge event at Harvard earlier this year and hope that this local group can continue.
• Pecha Kucha Boston: at the TEDx event I met the organizer for the Boston Chapter of Pecha Kucha, a fast-paced presentation format of 20 slides displayed for 20 seconds each. It's typically used by architects and designers, but it has got me thinking about how to conduct presentations differently in the sciences.