Build slide decks and presentations for research talks. Use this for making PowerPoint slides, conference presentations, seminar talks, research presentations, thesis defense slides, or any scientific talk. Provides slide structure, design templates, timing guidance, and visual validation. Works wit

Scientific Slides Overview Scientific presentations are a critical medium for communicating research, sharing findings, and engaging with academic and professional audiences. This skill provides comprehensive guidance for creating effective scientific presentations, from structure and content development to visual design and delivery preparation. Key Focus : Oral presentations for conferences, seminars, defenses, and professional talks. CRITICAL DESIGN PHILOSOPHY : Scientific presentations should be VISUALLY ENGAGING and RESEARCH BACKED. Avoid dry, text heavy slides at all costs. Great scientific presentations combine: Compelling visuals : High quality figures, images, diagrams (not just bullet points) Research context : Proper citations from research lookup establishing credibility Minimal text : Bullet points as prompts, YOU provide the explanation verbally Professional design : Modern color schemes, strong visual hierarchy, generous white space Story driven : Clear narrative arc, not just data dumps Remember : Boring presentations = forgotten science. Make your slides visually memorable while maintaining scientific rigor through proper citations. When to Use This Skill This skill should be used when: Preparing conference presentations (5 20 minutes) Developing academic seminars (45 60 minutes) Creating thesis or dissertation defense presentations Designing grant pitch presentations Preparing journal club presentations Giving research talks at institutions or companies Teaching or tutorial presentations on scientific topics Slide Generation with Nano Banana 2 The bundled image helper uses google/gemini 3.1 flash image (Nano Banana 2), with google/gemini 3.7 flash for visual review. API contracts, setup, and limitations are in [references/script reference.md](references/script reference.md). Generated images are drafts: verify every claim, label, citation, and scientific relationship. There are two workflows depending on output format: Image Workflow: PDF Slides Generate conceptual or overview slides as complete images, then combine them into a PDF. Use editable PowerPoint or Beamer for quantitative results, exact equations, accessible text, or a user supplied template. How it works: 1. Plan the deck : Create a detailed plan for each slide (title, key points, visual elements) 2. Generate slides : Call Nano Banana 2 for each slide to create complete slide images 3. Combine to PDF : Assemble slide images into a single PDF presentation Step 1: Plan Each Slide Before generating, create a detailed plan for your presentation: Step 2: Generate Each Slide Use the generate slide image.py script to create each slide. CRITICAL: Formatting Consistency Protocol To ensure unified formatting across all slides in a presentation: 1. Define a Formatting Goal at the start of your presentation and include it in EVERY prompt: Color scheme (e.g., "dark blue background, white text, gold accents") Typography style (e.g., "bold sans serif titles, clean body text") Visual style (e.g., "minimal, professional, corporate aesthetic") Layout approach (e.g., "generous white space, left aligned content") 2. Always attach the previous slide when generating subsequent slides using attach : This allows Nano Banana 2 to see and match the existing style Creates visual continuity throughout the deck Ensures consistent colors, fonts, and design language 3. Use the supplied presenter name and affiliation ; omit them if unknown. 4. Include citations directly in the prompt for slides that reference research: Add citations in the prompt text so they appear on the generated slide Use format: "Include citation: (Author et al., Year)" or "Show reference: Author et al., Year" For multiple citations, list them all in the prompt Citations should appear in small text at the bottom of the slide or near relevant content 5. Preserve scientific figures as original assets : Locate the user's figures and underlying data before composing results slides. Embed the original chart unchanged in PowerPoint/Beamer, or regenerate it deterministically from the source data. attach guides the image model; it can redraw points, axes, labels, and logos. It does not paste the original pixels or guarantee quantitative fidelity. Use attachments for style or conceptual layout drafts. For final results, add the original figure and verified text with a deterministic layout tool. Example with formatting consistency, citations, and figure attachments: Before creating results slides: find the original figure and source analysis, check labels, units, sample sizes and uncertainty, then embed the figure without generative redrawing. Numeric claims and placeholder references in these examples are illustrative, not evidence. Prompt Template: Include these elements in every prompt (customize as needed): Accessibility handoff: Full slide PNGs produce an image only deck; their titles, equations, references, and data labels are not semantic text. Supply a transcript with slide numbers and descriptions of results figures. When the audience needs accessible slides, use the editable PowerPoint workflow with real title/text placeholders, reviewed alt text, and verified reading order; run PowerPoint's Accessibility Checker. Visual inspection alone cannot establish screen reader usability. See [Microsoft's reading order guidance](https://support.microsoft.com/en us/powerpoint/make slides easier to read by using the reading order pane). Step 3: Combine to PDF PPT Workflow: PowerPoint with Generated Visuals When creating PowerPoint presentations, use Nano Banana 2 to generate images and figures for each slide, then add text separately with PptxGenJS. How it works: 1. Plan the deck : Create content plan for each slide 2. Generate visuals : Use Nano Banana 2 with visual only flag to create images for slides 3. Build PPTX : Use PptxGenJS (or python pptx for an existing template) to create slides with generated visuals and separate text Step 1: Generate Visuals for Each Slide Step 2: Build PowerPoint with PptxGenJS Use PptxGenJS to create slides that include: Generated images from step 1 Title and body text added separately Professional layout and formatting See assets/powerpoint design guide.md for the PptxGenJS and template workflows and the rendering check. Visual Enhancement with Scientific Schematics In addition to slide generation, use the scientific schematics skill for technical diagrams: When to use scientific schematics instead: Complex technical diagrams (circuit diagrams, chemical structures) Publication quality figures for papers (higher quality threshold) Diagrams requiring scientific accuracy review How to generate schematics: For detailed guidance on creating schematics, refer to the scientific schematics skill documentation. Core Capabilities Presentation structure and organization, slide design principles, data visualization for slides, talk specific guidance, implementation options (Beamer / PowerPoint / generated PDF), visual review and iteration, timing and pacing, and validation are all documented in [references/slide capabilities.md](references/slide capabilities.md). The staged development process — planning, design and creation, content development, visual validation, practice and refinement, and final preparation — is in [references/presentation workflow.md](references/presentation workflow.md). Prompt writing guidance for both full slide and visual only generation is in [references/prompt writing.md](references/prompt writing.md). Every bundled script's arguments and options are in [references/script reference.md](references/script reference.md). The mistakes that most often sink a talk are catalogued in [references/common pitfalls.md](references/common pitfalls.md). Integration with Other Skills Research Lookup (Critical for Scientific Presentations): Background development : Search literature to build introduction context Citation gathering : Find key papers to cite in your talk Gap identification : Identify what's unknown to motivate research Prior work comparison : Find papers to compare your results against Supporting evidence : Locate literature supporting your interpretations Question preparation : Find papers that might inform Q&A responses Always use research lookup when developing any scientific presentation to ensure proper context and citations Scientific Writing : Convert paper content to presentation format Extract key findings and simplify Use same figures (but redesigned for slides) Maintain consistent terminology MarkItDown : Extract the text of an existing template or prior deck before reusing it ( markitdown template.pptx ) Data Visualization : Create presentation appropriate figures Simplify complex visualizations Ensure readability from distance Use progressive disclosure Reference Files Comprehensive guides for specific aspects: references/presentation structure.md : Detailed structure for all talk types, timing allocation, opening/closing strategies, transition techniques references/slide design principles.md : Typography, color theory, layout, accessibility, visual hierarchy, design workflow references/data visualization slides.md : Simplifying figures, chart types, progressive disclosure, common mistakes, recreation workflow references/talk types guide.md : Specific guidance for conferences, seminars, defenses, grants, journal clubs, with examples references/beamer guide.md : Complete LaTeX Beamer documentation, themes, customization, advanced features, compilation references/visual review workflow.md : PDF to images conversion, systematic inspection, issue documentation, iterative improvement references/slide capabilities.md : presentation structure, design principles, data visualization, talk types, implementation options, visual review, timing, validation references/presentation workflow.md : the six development stages from planning to final preparation references/prompt writing.md : full slide and visual only prompt patterns references/script reference.md : arguments and options for every bundled script references/common pitfalls.md : content, design, and timing mistakes to avoid Assets Templates assets/beamer template conference.tex : 15 minute conference talk template assets/beamer template seminar.tex : 45 minute academic seminar template assets/beamer template defense.tex : Dissertation defense template Guides assets/powerpoint design guide.md : Complete PowerPoint design and implementation guide assets/timing guidelines.md : Comprehensive timing, pacing, and practice strategies Quick Start Guide For a 15 Minute Conference Talk 1. Research & Plan (45 minutes): Use research lookup to find 8 12 relevant papers for citations Build reference list (background, comparison studies) Outline content (intro → methods → 2 3 key results → conclusion) Create detailed plan for each slide (title, key points, visual elements) Target 15 18 slides 2. Generate Conceptual Slides with Nano Banana 2 (1 2 hours): Use verified citations and supplied presenter details. The commands below are illustrative; use the native PowerPoint or Beamer workflow to add original quantitative figures and exact results text. 3. Review & Iterate (30 minutes): Open the PDF and review each slide Regenerate any slides that need improvement Re combine to PDF 4. Practice (2 3 hours): Practice 3 5 times with timer Aim for 13 14 minutes (leave buffer) Record yourself, watch playback Prepare for questions (use research lookup to anticipate) 5. Finalize (30 minutes): Generate

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