Scientists are trained to focus on accuracy, evidence, and data. But audiences are focused on something else: relevance.
That disconnect can cause even brilliant researchers and technical experts to lose an audience that genuinely wants to understand what they have to say.
In the video below, “Scientific Storytelling and How NOT to Lose Your Audience,” John Skabardonis shares lessons from decades of technical communication and public speaking on how scientists, engineers, and other technical professionals can make complex ideas more compelling, understandable, and actionable.
About John Skabardonis
John Skabardonis was responsible for Technical Marketing to the Electronics & Electrical industry in the Americas, before retiring from Covestro in Aug. 2025. He worked at Bayer, GE Plastics and Covestro in the US for 35+ years, in roles ranging from R&D, to Marketing, Marketing Communications and Technical Marketing.
John enjoys public speaking & refers to himself as a scientific storyteller. Fascinated by the rapid evolution of technology, he is focused on materials and processes which empower this evolution. He is also intensely interested in circularity, in order to maximize resource utilization.
John is a board member of the SPE Pittsburgh Section. He is also a member of the National Speakers Association, a Distinguished Toastmaster, and a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America.
