You only have one chance, as the saying goes, to make a good first impression. Because their work is so complex, most scientists could use a little help in simplifying their message when introducing themselves and describing their research.

Scientists often find themselves called on to work with peers in other disciplines, as well as with non-scientists in business or administration, and with the general public. To the uninitiated, detailed descriptions of your work may be incomprehensible.

Avoid the ‘blah, blah, blah’ syndrome by working on an introduction that is concise and memorable. The ability to highlight yourself and your work in an introduction can lead to job offers, funding and generally more engaged conversations.

Starting with your name, make sure your introduction is heard and understood. If it's a long or unusual name, you may have to offer a clue to help the listener remember it. For example, “Karin Smith: that's pronounced Karin, like ‘car in the garage’.” Repetition also helps, as in “Good afternoon. My name is Joseph. Joseph Lonnergon.”

Once past the name, you are on to what you do: a brief, understandable and memorable description. Here, think ‘talent show’. Focus on a skill (talent) and an example of it (show). Mention something you have just completed or are involved in now, such as a project or study.

Take an example from last week's Naturejobs (see Nature 429, 484–485; 2004). Virologist John Alderete might introduce himself in the following way: “Hi, I'm John. John Alderete. I'm co-founder of a biotech start-up that recently created a test for a sexually transmitted disease and took it through to approval by the Food and Drug Administration.” Repeating the first name will help the listener remember, and the ‘talent show’ statement is concise yet meaningful.

Although this approach may initially strike you as contrived, you will be sold once you experience the resulting improvement in communication. A clear and concise introduction of yourself goes a long way in opening the door to more meaningful conversation.