Elevator Pitches for Scientists & Researchers
A short skills session to help researchers craft clear, confident 1-minute spoken pitches for networking, introductions, and informal conversations
In this fast-paced, practical online session, researchers learn to explain their work in informal spoken formats: no slides, no scripts, just clear confident communication. The training covers how to craft effective elevator pitches for networking events, conference introductions, and conversations with non-experts, and how to re-frame pitches for different audiences.
Scientists, researchers, students, and staff will learn transferable skills in this training that they can apply immediately to professional introductions, networking opportunities, and explaining their research in everyday situations.
Approach: Interactive skill-bulding session, with examples, useful theory and frameworks, individual exercises, peer-sharing, and Q&A
Practical component: Participants craft 2-3 versions of their elevator pitch for different audiences, then practice and refine through peer feedback.
Delivery: 2 hours online (Zoom or your preferred platform)
Group size: up 100 participants
What we cover in 2 hours:
- What elevator pitches are and when to use them: networking events, conference corridors, chance encounters, professional introductions
- A proven structure for crafting clear pitches: simple framework that works across audiences and contexts
- How to adapt pitches for different audiences: colleagues, funders, policymakers, industry partners, the public
- What to include and what to leave out: finding the essential message without jargon or unnecessary detail
- How to make pitches conversational and memorable: speaking naturally, not performing
Practical work: Researchers will craft 2-3 versions of their own elevator pitch during the session, then practice and refine through peer review exercises.
Interaction in this Skills Session is designed around guided individual exercises, chat-based reflection, and selected plenary discussion, rather than small-group coaching or personalised feedback.
What this session does NOT cover:
This session focuses on informal spoken pitches, as opposed to formal presentations or written summaries. We don’t cover:
- Flash talks or short presentations with slides
- Written abstracts or research summaries
- In-depth delivery techniques
- Networking skills
- Personal branding or social media profiles
Need those skills too?
See related training options below – or consider our comprehensive multi-day, 1-day, and half-day presentation training options.
Perfect for
- PhD programmes preparing students for conferences where networking is essential
- Graduate schools building professional communication skills across doctoral training
- Research groups and project teams attending networking events, industry partnerships, or stakeholder meetings
- Institutions supporting early-career researchers in building professional presence
- Conference organisers offering networking skills training as part of professional development
This session works well as standalone training before conferences or networking events, or as part of a broader communication skills programme.
Looking for related skills sessions or longer-format training?
Strengthen your researchers’ communication toolkit with other SciComm Skills Sessions like Flash Talks for Researchers, Personal Branding for Researchers, and Getting Started with Science Storytelling.
Working on longer presentations? Our Presentation Messaging & Structure skills session covers strategic planning for full-length talks.
Explore all training topics
Not sure which format or topic you need? Browse our complete catalogue of communication training, organised by category.
Ready to plan a short training session for researchers on Elevator Pitches?
We’d love to help you design the right training approach for your researchers or group.
This 2-hour session can be delivered as:
- A standalone workshop for your researchers, scientists, or staff
- Part of a doctoral training programme
- A mini-workshop or interactive session for a conference
- A component of a custom skills-building series
Curious? Get in touch.
