Losing the ‘likes’ and ‘ums,’ but finding a community
Shao-Liang Zheng can manipulate the tiniest of molecules, but he has a harder time manipulating words. Zheng, who manages the Center for Crystallographic Studies in the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department, is by his own admission “a little shy.” And his pronounced Chinese accent often makes for unwieldy conversation with Americans. The communication problems Zheng could frequently avoid as an isolated postdoctoral researcher came to the fore when he began teaching others how to use the center’s complex X-ray machinery. “The first time I ran the workshop here, students complained they couldn’t understand me,” he said. Determined to work on his public speaking skills, Zheng sought the help of the masters — specifically, the Crimson Toastmasters. The four-year-old chapter meets every other Tuesday afternoon with the goal of helping Harvard faculty and staff to overcome the nerves, tics, and other barriers to communication that can plague even seasoned public speakers. “It’s given me the...