Prof. Stephen E Lucas of Communication Arts at University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US had an intensive and warm discussion on “Charm of public speaking and development of speech science” with teachers and students, on invitation of ECNU Communication Dept. and Shanghai Public Speaking Research Society, in an academic salon held in the Science Building in the afternoon, April 15th,
Professor Lucas is well-known as a top scholar of mass communication in America, who is admired as “America’s father of public speaking”. He has directed or participated various kinds of public speaking workshops throughout the US for 30 years. He has made outstanding academic achievements and received Golden Anniversary Monograph Award of the National Communication Association several times. “The Art of Public Speaking”, his representative work, is called “the world’s leading textbook on public speaking”. He had also served as a judge for the “21st Century Cup” and “CCTV Cup” statewide college students English-language public speaking competitions in China consecutively for 5 years since 2002.
After a brief introduction on communication arts and its popularization in America, and teaching system and curriculum of public speaking courses in America’s higher education, Prof Lucas had an intensive discussion with the participating teachers and students on some concerned topics such as public speaking skills training, communication tactics in public speaking, similarities and differences between Chinese and western public speaking, etc. The atmosphere was light and warm. Prof. Lucas’ humorous and vivid explanation in his speech, using examples of how Obama won America’s presidential election, Yaoming’s performance in NBA games, etc., drew audience’s understanding laughter and applause.
