Deliver
Final Paper Draft
IRT Slidedeck
The Bat Bomb project was a fun introduction to the research methods I'd continue to use throughout my CAPS project journey. As a LEAP group, we examined the bat bombs of the 1940s, designed as a unique method of attacking the Japanese after Pearl Harbor in WWII. During this project, I learned how to use research tools such as JSTOR and Britannica. I'm appreciative of the relaxed environment provided to explore our research options, and for the opportunity to form strong connections with classmates. I'm really happy we stuck with the animations because they loosened the mood and made the presentation more engaging. I wish I had hashed out my section of speaking more before going up to present because I felt like I was ad-libbing while speaking, which led to rambling. I also think we could have included more graphics (charts, etc.) to highlight the numbers we talked about. Overall I think the topic sparked many great questions and had people curious.
Failure Resume
9/2023: I found the process of creating the resume almost therapeutic because it helped me reflect on some uncomfortable memories that I tend to block out. Now I can use those “failures” as learning opportunities as I continue through life. As a whole, I noticed that no matter how disappointed you may be in yourself, absolutely nobody is perfect. Luckily our cohort is an incredibly supportive group, which made it easy to reflect on these uncomfortable experiences. I think we should celebrate our failures because they are evidence that we are breaking out of our comfort zones. One of my favorite quotes is, “to get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.” Along the journey of doing something new, there will inevitably be some failures.
Moth Story Presentation
As a "captain" for a fly fishing and conservation youth summit in Montana during the summer of 2023, I was responsible for taking a kid fishing on the final day of the summit. The kid, Benton, was new to fly fishing and frankly didn't share the same passion for the sport as I do. As I got to fish in a dream destination, I was frustrated by his indifference to the picturesque settings around him and his infatuation with his phone (despite the fact that we were out of cell service). After some persuasion and guidance, I was finally able to help Benton catch a fish - two, actually - which seemed to really brighten his day. As we drove back to our base camp from the stream, Benton revealed that he had been experiencing some significant hardships at home and school, and that the day on the water had much more of an impact than I had initially realized.
Initially, I felt vulnerable and awkward performing a personal story; it was a weird experience verbally describing the emotions and thoughts I associated with an important event in my life. However, with practice, these feelings wore off. When I was presenting, I was most aware of the body language of my audience. Despite having to constantly think about the story I was sharing, my inner critic constantly noticed when my audience avoided eye contact or seemed disinterested. Noticing this disinterest also made me aware of my tendency to ramble, especially during unimportant sections of the story that could be skimmed over.
3X3 Slides
Giving the 3X3 presentation gave me more confidence about delivering my final presentation, and reassured me about the direction of where my project is headed. Despite the short amount of time we've had so far for primary research, I'm happy with what I've accomplished. The biggest things I need to work on before my final presentation is eye contact and having a strong speaking outline.