Hi Explorer! The summary of the failure analysis webinars is available. A new GeoDict event is coming up. And I've included in this issue my go-to resources for presentation skills.
"Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use."
(⇓ Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)
I usually remember this quote after using one of these words. They tend to come out when I'm upset, and using these words tends to make things worse. New Year's resolutions often don't last more than a couple of months, while you might have achieved something you didn't think you could this year. Nothing really is always or never the case.
Failure Analysis webinar recap
Angela and Ted presented a three-part webinar series, Decoding Defects: Failure Analysis Using X-ray CT. They are now available as written summaries in the Let's Talk X-ray Imaging blog section.
If you missed these episodes, you can quickly catch up with these articles. The summary articles include links to the original webinar recordings and resources, too.
As we plan our webinars for 2025, we'd love to hear what topics you want us to cover or anything we think we can do to improve our webinars. It would mean a lot if you could take this short survey and let us know your thoughts.
How are you using AI for CT data analysis? You might use it for image segmentation, but there is more you can do with machine learning.
Do you run simulations using a CT scan as a digital twin of your sample to help the material development process?
The application of AI and simulations in CT analysis is one of the fastest-growing areas in the field. But, it is not easy to stay up to date, and the latest technique you see in publications might not be available as an off-the-shelf tool. If you are nodding, there is a perfect event coming up.
Math2Market is organizing a hybrid two-day event, GeoDict Innovation Conference 2025, for February 11 - 12, 2025.
At this conference, you'll learn how AI and simulations are transforming digital material design, and the tools they demonstrate are available as part of the GeoDict software. Sessions will cover general analysis techniques as well as industry-specific applications, including:
Batteries
Hydrogen energy
Filtration
Core analysis
If you’re interested in exploring the latest developments, this event is a must-attend!
Giving a great presentation is a skill all scientists, engineers, and business people can benefit from, whether you're presenting your research results at a conference or sharing your expertise with your team.
I have been giving presentations for about thirty years. Although I believe I have improved over the years, I am still learning. Here are some of the best resources—videos, articles, and books—from which I have learned a lot. I hope you find something useful, too!
How to Avoid Death by PowerPoint TEDx talk by David JP Phillips This is a must-watch for anyone who gives PowerPoint presentations. You will see several bad practices that annoy you as an audience all the time, understand why they are bad, and learn the alternative good practices. "One topic per slide" is the number one rule I got from this TEDx talk.
How to Present to Keep Your Audience's Attention by Mark Robinson (TEDx talk) Mark Robinson provides simple yet extremely practical advice. "Ask questions throughout the presentation" is another rule I adopted.
Digital Presentation Skills: 5 Key Tips to Sharpen Your Message by Cindy Huggett (Webinar recording) This one is more for teachers, trainers, and online event organizers. You will learn how to prepare for unexpected technical issues, use polling questions, etc., to keep the audience engaged.
How to Speak by Prof. Patrick Winston (MIT lecture recording) If you want a summary of the presentation part of the book Make It Clear, you can watch this lecture recording. The video also has its unique value because you can see Prof. Patrick Winston in action.
Stop Scripting Your Speeches by Joel Schwartzberg (Harvard Business Review article) If you feel the urge to scrip your presentation or convince someone NOT to scrip theirs, this article might help.
Real Scientists, Not Actors
A collection of priceless and embarrassing moments curated by Carlos Astudillo.
Answer: Wendell Johnson
American psychologist, author, and proponent of general semantics, April 16, 1906 – August 29, 1965)
"Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use."
