I ve probably done 170 of these talks and I ve never done one and not met someone who touched my heart. Sometimes it s difficult to show how we re benefiting the public. Through the speakers bureau we can go out and say, Here s what we are doing for you taxpayers, Richards said. Richards said the speaking engagements range from Lions Club and Rotary meetings to elementary schools. Faculty and staff reasons for participating in the program are varied as well.
Some professors enjoy getting the exposure.
There s a multitude of reasons people are doing research and they want the public to understand that. Some are speaking because it helps them get funding. Others speak because it gets them out of the academic environment and forces them to clarify their thoughts for a different kind of audience. Richards said he will recruit new speakers with two mass e-mails this year, just as he did a year ago. He also has plans to encourage area school districts to use the UW Speakers Bureau.