[MEDIA] Why improv training made me a better scientist

Why improv training made me a better scientist

I stood behind the curtain, my hands shaking. As I listened to the crowd laugh at the host’s jokes, all I could think was, “Why did I believe I could do this?” Two months earlier, I had signed up for improv classes at a local theater, along with four other grad students. We hoped that improv training—which involves acting out unscripted scenes—would improve our science communication skills. That sounded great in principle, and our program would pay the fees. But when the host gave us the cue to come on stage, I seriously wondered what I’d gotten myself into.

When I first heard about the improv classes, I was torn. As an introvert, I feared getting on stage and improvising in front of strangers. However, I knew I wanted to work as a science communicator after finishing my Ph.D., so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to improve my speaking ability and gain confidence thinking on my feet. I signed up, knowing the experience would take me well outside my comfort zone [Read more].