On October 16, 2026, SMART hosted the course Master Communication with Confidence, led by Dr. Melchior Glatthard, a communication trainer specializing in rhetoric and scientific communication.
The workshop focused on everyday academic interactions: answering questions without preparation, explaining research in short, informal exchanges, and initiating conversations with colleagues. The course addressed the confidence and clarity doctoral researchers need when speaking spontaneously and without slides.
Through practical exercises and guided feedback, participants practiced structuring spontaneous answers and communicating their ideas precisely. The workshop also addressed ways to manage nervousness and use voice, body language, and presence effectively in professional interactions.
Networking was another central topic. Participants explored how to approach others, introduce themselves and their research, sustain a conversation, and move between conversations. Exercises linked these skills to realistic academic scenarios, with attention to the situations researchers encounter and what they want to communicate.
Glatthard combined brief theoretical explanations with individual feedback and repeated practice. He has more than ten years of experience in academic and professional training and has taught public speaking for scientists at the University of Bern for several years. During the workshop, he encouraged participants to develop a communication style that felt natural to them. The session concluded with a discussion of individual strategies for applying the techniques in future academic and professional interactions.
Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics,
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center –
University of Freiburg
