https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/want-to-be-a-better-scientist-take-an-improv-class/

Six years ago, I was an invertebrate keeper (read: bugs) in the Herpetology Department (read: reptiles) at the internationally renowned Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. As part of my job, I was tasked with presenting a live animal show featuring venomous snakes and lizards. It’s one thing to give a public talk to hundreds of people, another to do it three times a week, and a whole other ball game to do it while (safely) showcasing a rattlesnake!

I struggled. Not just with the public speaking, but also with finding a way to authentically connect with my audience and have a little stage presence. So, I signed up for an Improv 101 class. It was a purposeful and terrifying decision for an introvert, but I’m so grateful I made the leap. I’m now more confident and comfortable on stage, I’m sincere and funny with my audiences, and I’ve had tremendous professional growth due to my enhanced skill set. I became an effective science communicator, and opportunities opened up.