Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
www.molbio1.princeton.edu/labs/bassler/
In her 2009 TED talk, Dr. Bassler showed how bacterial “chatter” is not exceptional
behavior as was once thought. In fact, most bacteria chatter, and most do it all the
time. Dr. Bassler and designer Todd Reichart (who is also her husband) worked
together to make the concepts visual for the TED audience.
Dr. Bassler is a wonderful speaker. She says she has a passion for trying to get
laypeople to like science, and to not think it's scary or too hard or boring. Her talk
was one of the best presentations I attended at TED in Long Beach, California. I
was amazed. Dr. Bassler is very good at speaking in a down-to-earth,
conversational manner. There is great clarity to her narrative. For example, she
often says, “The question is then...” or “So the question is this:...” Along the way she
also answers the two questions we often have as listeners but that too often go
unanswered: “So what?” and “Why does this matter?”
I love her style. She never relies on bullet points (there are none), but instead she
moves her eyes naturally around the room, clearly engrossed in what she is
explaining but also very much in the moment. She references the screen often but
only to illustrate her point. She uses her hands a great deal to explain processes,
just as you would in ordinary, natural conversation.
