Ask any STEM student what they think the most important skill is, and you'll probably hear them say "coding," "calculus," or "lab techniques." As an Applied Math major with experience in coding and data science, I'm here to tell you: The most important, but most neglected, skill isn't technical; it's communication.
The Flaw in our STEM Education
For many of us in STEM, "communication" sounds simple. Some might think, "It's just talking. I already know how to do that". Others panic and avoid it entirely (trust me, I know this too well. I go to a school that's literally nicknamed "UC Socially Dead", after all).
But here's the harsh truth: if you can't clearly explain your ideas, collaborate effectively, or present your work with confidence, your technical knowledge won't matter. And you will have to do these things in your career. There is no avoiding it.
Communication is not just a soft skill. It's a core skill.
Yet, we don't treat it like one in our STEM education (At least, that's how it is from my experience — your experience might be different).
For example, take a look at my
major requirements:
linear algebra, programming, multi-variable calculus, proofs, statistics and probability.
All of these are essential for the work that I do, but none of them teach how to speak with clarity, lead a team,
navigate through conflicts, or explain technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
Most of us are being deprived of the opportunity to practice this core skill in our classrooms.
Why Communication Matters in STEM
Communication is part of STEM
No matter what STEM field you go into, communication will be part of your job.
Whether you're in a tech interview, writing a report, presenting research, collaborating with a team, or explaining concepts to a non-technical audience, you will need to communicate clearly and effectively.
In fact, many employers list interpersonal skills —
such as communication, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and adaptability
— as some of the most in-demand skills.
You will very likely work with people from different backgrounds,
with different strengths and weaknesses, knowledge levels, and cultural perspectives and norms.
Navigating these differences requires more than just technical skills;
it requires meaningful communication.
Importance of vocal image
Here's another important thing: communication shapes how people perceive you.
We often focus on our visual image — how we dress, how we look, our posture, our accessories — because, after all, that is the first thing people see about us. And from our visual image, they start forming assumptions: Is this person confident? Successful? Competent? Trustworthy? Friendly?
But what many neglect is their vocal image.
Vocal image is the image people form about you based on the way you speak. People will turn those assumptions into beliefs about you the moment you open your mouth. Are you confident? Charismatic? Credible? Intelligent? Do you truly know what you are talking about? Heck, you most likely have a mental image of how I am as a person just from reading this blog post. This happens in seconds, and it's all in your voice.
Your voice is just as, if not more important than, your appearance. So if you want to be seen as competent, credible, and confident in STEM, you need to have strong communication skills.
You're only as good as you can communicate
Here's something most people overlook: You're only as good as you can communicate.
One of my favorite online public speaking coaches, Vinh Giang, explains it very nicely:
Imagine you're a 10 out of 10 in technical skills, but only a 3 out of 10 in communication.
Will people perceive you as a 10 or a 3?
Most likely, they will see you as a 3.
On the other hand, if you're a 3 out of 10 in technical skills, but a 10 out of 10 in communication, people will likely see you as a 10.
The reality is, people see your skills through your ability to communicate them. If you can't explain what you know, people won't see what you are truly capable of.
This is especially true in STEM, where complex ideas and technical jargon can deter, even frustrate, non-technical audiences.
If you can't effectively communicate your ideas,
people will struggle to understand and appreciate your work.
Communication will always be important
Finally, communication will always be important, no matter how advanced technology becomes.
What do I mean by this?
As time goes on, our technology, programming languages, and tools will change.
Python might become outdated and replaced by another language.
New algorithms and frameworks will emerge.
Our mathematics and sciences will evolve.
AI and LLMs may even take over some of the technical tasks we do today.
But no matter how advanced technology becomes, the one thing that has remained consistent and unchanging throughout all of human history — the one thing that has never changed (and likely never will change) — is the importance of effective communication and collaboration.
You might be thinking that AI will eventually be able to replicate human communication. While AI can assist in communication tasks, and while it has become more and more intelligent, it cannot fully replace the nuances of human interaction, the emotional connection, the empathy, and the creativity that comes with it. I believe that AI will certainly become an useful tool, but it will never fully replace the complexity of human communication.
After all, the ability to connect with other humans, share ideas, and collaborate will always be essential in any field. It was through human communication and collaboration that enabled us to build civilizations, create art, and make scientific and technological advancements.
Techniques to Improve Your Communication Skills
Good news: Communication is a skill, and like any skill, it can be learned, practiced, and mastered.
I used to avoid communication and public speaking at all costs. I was once in your shoes. But at some point, I realized that avoiding it was holding me back — academically, socially, and professionally. So I made the decision to try to turn one of my greatest lifelong weaknesses into my strength. I studied great speakers, watched YouTube videos from public speaking coaches (shoutout to Vinh Giang), practiced in front of a mirror, and recorded myself speaking. Slowly but surely, I improved in my communication skills. I am definitely not the best at it, but I am definitely much better than I used to be.
If I could do it, so can you.
Here are six practical techniques I've learned that will make you sound more confident, more credible, and more engaging:
1. Vary Your Rate of Speech
Your rate of speech can change how your message is received.
Speak too slowly, and your audience will get bored.
Speak too quickly, and they'll feel overwhelmed and miss the message.
The key is to vary your rate of speech.
Any default rate of speech — no matter how fast or slow — eventually becomes monotonous,
and your audience wouldn't know which part of your speech is important.
Instead, use rate of speech as a verbal highlighter:
- Slow down to highlight important points.
- Speed up during the less important parts.
So, use rate of speech to your advantage.
Use it as a verbal highlighter, and to keep your audience engaged.
2. Focus on your volume
Volume is another powerful tool to emphasize your message and to show confidence. Speaking too softly can make you look unsure, diminishing your authority and credibility. On the other hand, speaking too loudly can come off as aggressive, or even overwhelming your audience.
Like your rate of speech, you can use volume as a verbal highlighter. Lowering your volume slightly can actually pull your audience in and make them listen more carefully.
Another thing to keep in mind: Match your volume to the size of the room.
- One person? Keep it natural.
- A classroom? Project your voice.
- A large auditorium? Use a microphone, but still project with confidence.
Your vocal presence should match the size of the audience.
Use good volume to show confidence and authority.
3. Incorporate pitch
Incorporating pitch to create melody in your voice can dramatically impact how people feel and perceive your speech.
A monotonous pitch can make even the most exciting content sound boring. Varying your pitch keeps your audience engaged and helps convey emotions.
Think about it this way.
You can listen to a piano song and feel happy, sad, inspired, angry, or scared.
But there are no words in a piano song, so how do you know what to feel?
It's the underlying melody.
By raising or lowering your pitch, you can add emotional depth, signal enthusiasm, or build tension.
Think about the people in your life.
Is there that one person who lights up the room the moment they walk in?
Is there that one person who makes the whole room feel heavy when they walk in?
Pay attention to the way they speak, their pitch, their tone, their facial expressions.
Speaking of songs, Vinh Giang highlighted another great point:
Think of a book, any book.
Can you recite any page word for word?
Most likely, you can't.
Now, think of your favorite song.
Can you sing it word for word?
Most likely, you can.
Now, a page in a book and a song both have roughly hundreds of words.
So, why is it that you can remember a song, but not a page in a book?
It's because a song has melody.
So, when you incorporate melody into your speech, you make it more memorable.
Once again, Vinh Giang has a beautiful metaphor for this:
We have a powerful instrument that we always carry with us — our voice.
Learn to play it well.
Use your instrument to add emotional depth to your speech.
Just like how a piano has 88 keys, your voice has a wide range of pitches.
But most people talk using only 5 to 10 pitches.
Use pitches to make your speech more engaging, memorable, and impactful.
4. Focus on tonality
Tonality is the emotional quality of your voice (e.g. enthusiastic, happy, inspiring).
There are many factors that impact your tonality, including your body language and facial expressions.
Want to know how to sound more enthusiastic? Focus on your facial expressions.
Your facial expressions communicate emotions before your words do. A well-timed smile, raised eyebrow, or look of concern can enhance your message, and make your tone more authentic.
Try this quick exercise:
- Say "good morning, everyone" with a happy expression.
- Now, say it again with a sad expression.
- And again, but with a disgusted expression.
Same exact words, completely different tone.
That's the power of facial expressions.
A common reason people sound monotone is that their face is monotone.
If your face is blank or tense, your voice will reflect that expression.
But when you bring your face to life, when you smile more, your voice becomes more expressive and engaging.
Most people are afraid of a monotone voice, but fail to realize that a monotone body creates a monotone voice.
Pay attention to your body language, your facial expressions. Smile more.
5. Use Pauses Effectively
Pausing is one of the most underrated, simple, yet powerful communication techniques. When you pause:
- It gives your audience time to process what you just said.
- It gives you time to process and collect your thoughts.
- It adds emphasis to your speech.
Use pauses strategically:
- Before important points to build anticipation.
- After key points to let your audience process it.
- To create a rhythm in your speech, making it more engaging.
Furthermore, pausing can help you avoid filler words, such as "um", "uh", "like", "you know".
Most people use filler words because they feel the need to replace the silence with something,
even if that something adds nothing to their message.
But filler words diminish your credibility and authority,
and make you sound less confident and less competent.
Next time you feel you are about the say a filler word,
replace it with a pause instead.
Do not run away from the silence. Embrace it.
A well-placed pause speak louder than words.
6. Hand Gestures
Don't buy into the myth that gestures are distracting. When used intentionally, they actually improve understanding and engagement.
When used well, hand gestures make you more clear and engaging.
Humans are visual communicators.
Gestures help emphasize key points and make abstract ideas easier to understand.
Use hand gestures to:
- Illustrate concepts (e.g., to show size or shape or action).
- Emphasize important points.
- Direct audience attention.
- Convey enthusiasm and energy.
Be mindful of your gestures; they should be intentional and match what you're saying.
For example, saying "I'm so excited to be here" while keeping your arms stiff at your sides sends mixed signals.
Worse, repeating the same gesture over and over can become distracting.
Make sure to vary your hand gestures.
And keep those hands out of your pockets.
Recap
To recap, the six techniques to help improve your communication skills are:
- Vary your rate of speech
- Focus on your volume
- Incorporate pitch
- Focus on tonality
- Use pauses effectively
- Use hand gestures
Of course, there are way more to mastering communication skills than just the ones that I've outlined.
However, just by mastering these six techniques, you will become a much more effective communicator.
Conclusion
Communication is fundamental in STEM.
Whether you're in a tech interview or company meeting, explaining an algorithm, presenting a research paper, collaborating with cross-functional teams, or teaching others, your communication skills will define how your work is received, and how it impacts people. The truth is, people don't just evaluate what you know. They evaluate how well you can communicate it.
So no, communication is not optional. It's not "just talking." It's not something you can neglect just because you are a STEM major. It's a skill that deserves just as much time and effort as your technical skills, just as much as your Python skills, your differential Calculus knowledge, or your PCR techniques. I hope that in the future, STEM education will place a greater emphasis on communication skills, and other soft skills, because they are just as important as our technical skills.
Even in this day and age of AI, no matter how advanced technology becomes, the one thing that remained consistent and unchanging throughout all of human history is the importance of communication and collaboration.
Don't neglect it. Practice it. Because in STEM (or in any field), you're only as good as your ability to communicate. Your voice matters just as much as your technical skills.
And that, my fellow STEM nerds, is the most important — and most ignored — skill of all.