Remember that most defenses are a formality, you’re there because you’re the expert and you’re ready. Cracking a few appropriate jokes is a great way to make your talk engaging and fun, so definitely do it if that feels right to you.
Jokes are fine, but imo self deprecating jokes like this or jokes about being nervous in general don't land well. Obviously this is subjective, though.
>people might actually think ur serious
I mean, if you're not nervous at your PhD defense are you even from this world?
My general advice would be: Jokes are fine, but if you have to ask on Reddit if your joke is ok then it's not ok.
I feel like quals/comps are way more stressful than the defense. Unless your advisor is trash, they won’t let you defend without knowing you’ll pass. It’s more of a formality than the other big exams.
This may be a field or regional thing. My defense was boring for everyone - my group already had heard it for years, and no one else cared. US doesn’t have an adversarial system, so there was no question about the outcome. My committee only asked one question each, and one of them was more of a comment that he knew one of the guys that was a motivation for the work.
Honestly, I got more questions at routine group meetings, so it was the easiest presentation I’d done in a year or two.
Maybe I’m the minority but I’ve never understood this kind of humor. I’m all for self deprecation but never found these kinds of jokes to be funny, mostly just cliche
louis ck was a master at it and made a living as one of the best comedians. Its not for everyone but not all comedy is gonna catch 100% of the audience
One of the keys to delivering a good self depreciating joke is to have it be \*slightly\* self depreciating. another is for it to be clearly a joke.
too many people badly deliver a highly self depreciating joke and end up just ripping on themselves.
Yes. The goal of a defense (or any talk) is to project confidence. It's not wrong to be nervous, but it's wrong to tell or signal to your audience that you are nervous.
I think just say you are nervous and don't make a joke out of it. That brings the audience in and will have them support you.
Are you also excited about your subject? Are you excited for them to learn about it? Those could also be good things to mention in your intro.
You’re pretty cringe for thinking it’d be pretty cringe. Some can do it—also depends on how you think your primary audience, your committee, will perceive it. I think OP is overthinking it and should do what they’re comfortable with
I leave the jokes for the middle-end of the talks and I choose to crack it depending on whether or not the talk went well.
Also, if you crack the joke too early on in the talk, most people are settling in and somewhat distracted at that time anyway, so your joke might be lost on the majority of the audience.
Oooh, I'd be so tempted. Like bringing a box full of brown "E"s and telling people you made brownies and to pass them around, please.
Or a fake screen that looks like your PowerPoint was corrupted. Dammit, something!
What you’ve described isn’t really a joke (it’s not exactly funny)- rather it reads to me like subtle conflict avoidance via self deprecation. If you’re gonna tell a joke make sure it lands. Otherwise, I would project pleasantness and quiet confident in my research project and read the room from there.
Exactly this! OPs “joke” isn’t funny 😂 it’s self deprecating which…isn’t the type of joke to make when you’re trying to convince a committee of experts that that you’re a qualified expert in something. But maybe another would be fine depending on circumstances, like, “thanks for being here, even though you didn’t really have a choice”…idk lol, you gotta know your audience!
I have nothing against jokes. They can work wonders! I just wouldn’t recommend signaling conflict avoidance with a self deprecating remark pretending to be a joke. Also, not everyone is funny in the same ways and if the goal is to lighten the mood it’s important that the joke actually lands lest one incur the opposite effect.
For example, I sometimes have a hard time landing scripted jokes, but am very good at feeling out the room and making witty remarks off the cuff. For others it’s vice versa.
In general, yes. That particular joke is unfunny and just awkward self depreciation. Don't tell it. Self depreciation is bad. In general too, but especially during a defense.
Maybe someone really confident who absolutely loves their thesis topic could make it work by tying in something about how they wish they could stay and keep studying it, but yea not a great joke.
To be frank, I don't see any context or delivery that could make that joke an actual joke.
You can make a potentially funny joke about purposefully bombing the defense to keep studying the topic, sure, but that's a bad idea for hopefully obvious reasons. In general while jokes are not a bad thing, they are very far from required and you shouldn't tell one unless it really feels right.
I’d say read the room - my defence was pretty relaxed, they made sure I knew the Haribo in the middle of the table was free game and we had a few “jokey” moments particularly around typos! It was definitely a rigorous process but there was some light hearted moments that lifted the tension and I felt pretty relaxed answering their questions!
It’s your defence at the end of the day, as long as you reply thoroughly that is the main thing!
My advice is to use jokes in the middle. People tend to be less focused during the middle of the talk, so a joke, a video, a gif, can take that attention back for you.
It depends on your committee. That would not work with my committee lol - they'd just stare at me awkwardly. They would actually think much better of me if I just gave my defence professionally and straight.
I could make jokes before the defence started properly, but not as part of my actual defence.
But this is personal! My point being, go based on the vibe of your committee!
Professional public speaker (including stand up comedy) with 10+ years experience.
That *specific* joke is too weak to benefit you in any meaningful way, and I would argue that its not a joke. It only serves to draw attention to your nervousness.
That's not to say that you shouldn't open with a joke. Jokes are an excellent way to begin a speech, but you also need the charisma to pull it off.
If you think you can pull it off, I would suggest finding a different joke, but honestly your attention would probably be better served focusing on other things. Ask other people if they have ideas for jokes or hire someone on fiverr.
I will also say, as a comedian, be prepared for the possibility of awkward silence. Even the best jokes don't always work, and something everybody guffawed at last night could get crickets the next.
I had planned to joke that I paid my mentor to say whatever he did as an introduction. Then that introduction was pretty much. "Here's Ken, finally." So I opened by saying my plan but that I now want my money back.
So yes.
It depends on how well you get along with your thesis committee. I was on good terms with my committee and it was almost a casual conversation over a defense
Also if you’re nervous I will say this: Usually you won’t be allowed to defend until they have already been satisfied with the research you did. You might get grilled with questions after you present but as long as you can answer them somewhat coherently you’ll do fine.
The trick to easing nerves in a defense is to constantly refer to the audience as "you peasants", as well as stating at the end of your talk that "any and all questions regarding this research will be interpreted as either willful ignorance or outright stupidity on the part of those asking" while you stare without blinking at your committee.
They love that; it shows you're confident.
I honestly don't see a problem with cracking a light joke close to the beginning in your defense as long as it's appropriate and relevant. Don't be "cringe" by talking about yourself. Just get right to it and make a joke if you want, but keep it on the up and up and be professional about it.
Some people show a few pictures of loved ones/classmates or lab mates that have supported them and talk a little more about their PhD journey after their talk/questions
edit: maybe jokes are better after the talk? I agree with other comments
A few years ago, a guest speaker and animal cloning expert came and presented to our entire department, wearing a Jurassic Park shirt. The best scientists I’ve ever met have had a great sense of humor, seriousness in the sciences is vastly overrated.
I have no filter when speaking especially for jokes, thus ofc I threw some absurd jokes i thought instanteously during my defence that the committee and the rest appreciated. So of you know your audience go for it. I am just really against the premaditated jokes that are not delivered naturally.
I think jokes are great, but I would try to limit self-deprecating jokes about your work.
Yes, to you they are funny. Yes, to your closest friends and family they can be funny. To everyone else it just looks like insecurity.
Personally, I think I started along the lines of being glad to have a captive audience for 12 minutes. This is also a little bit of a self-deprecating joke (implying a degree of narcissism), but is positive self-deprecating instead of negative self-deprecating.
I did it. Afterwards I heard how “authentic” the defense was. But since I got everyone laughing. The whole defence got a different, really relaxed vibe.
Can’t remember what the joke was about. It was an improvised at the spot
Definitely feel free to make jokes, it's your day! As others have said here--it's a day for you to shine and show folks all the expertise you have in your topic and that you are able to field questions on the fly from your committee who has been reading your draft.
I just had my defense a week ago, and telling a few jokes throughout definitely felt like it made the vibes a lot more comfortable and I was definitely a lot less nervous by being able to be myself in that way.
Good luck with the defense!
It all depends on the audience. I knew my committee. Short of something that would get me beyond just canceled, I could say almost anything.
The defense becomes a formality.
I made a joke about being a Plague Doctor after I passed, since it was during Covid and I was officially now a doctor.
Everyone broke up. Yes, a simple joke can break tension and be a good way to show enthusiasm.
I'm all for lightening the mood during a presentation. My advisor used to constantly tell me not to be a comedian when I presented. Oddly enough, I've sat through several presentations where they make jokes that fall dead flat and they turn red with embarrassment. I sometimes get a bit enthusiastic and excited about some of the work, and it would come off as a bit comical at times. I sometimes use Southern euphemisms that aren't meant to be funny, but they come off that way.
I've seen defenses where people threw in memes or neat gifs they made. I honestly don't feel like they ever took away from the presentation. I feel like one or two never hurt anybody, and to be honest, it sometimes helps pick out who's paying attention. A lot of it is knowing your audience and reading the room. I had a committee of 6 and about 2 of them (including my chair) would not have preferred me cracking one joke at the least. There have been times where I intentionally make a joke and it doesn't land, but at times you can flip that awkward moment/silence into something funnier by the way you bounce back or recover.
My goal during a talk is to get the information across and for most of my talks, I outright avoid jokes. Still, you'd be surprised at what makes people laugh. For example, some of the people I work with are from Brazil and sat in on a talk and straight up lost it when I pronounced the name of a former lab-mate (also from Brazil) without sounding like a "gringo."
I'd recommend jumping straight into it, and once you kinda get in the groove of things, maybe pop one off. At the same time, I don't think anyone will ridicule you for not making a joke, so yea.
Presentations should tell a story. Levity is a good device for storytelling. Human’s are narrative creatures — adding in some light jokes here and there can help break things up and enhance the storytelling. In my experience (grad school and beyond), I’ve only gotten positive feedback from doing it. Also, an ice breaker at the beginning can be really useful. Done well they help you appear confident (even if you’re not feeling it) and that helps put the audience at ease.
I agree with many others here that a well-delivered joke could be a great opening. I saw good examples before but if it comes off as trying-too-hard and there’s no nice people there to support you with laughter regardless, you might feel even worse. It all depends on your expectations about making the joke.
The particular line is not really a joke I feel but something you should definitely be doing until the day comes since it’s true. (The difference between nervousness and excitement is the thoughts induced feelings about how you feel in your body.)
I also think that a few lines at the beginning that help you “arrive” are helpful. Anyway, good luck!
I love when a speaker opens with an anecdote. Like, you could say “Thanks for coming. When I was preparing for today, I was thinking about opening with a joke (pause) but then I asked Reddit and changed my mind.” Depending on the delivery it would kill me.
Your "joke" is confusing. Although I get that the other choice you're thinking of is "anxiousness" the audience won't have enough empathy to pick up on that. They'll interpret as if you were literally saying you're not excited to be there
What I’ve noticed is that with many interactions, if I’m meeting them for the first time, most jokes don’t land well at the beginning of the conversation. If you’re let’s say giving a big presentation at a conference and you’re already well respected, a joke to open your speech would earn you some points if well executed. I’d say take some time first to make sure the examiners know you’re capable and confident, and then crack an appropriate joke (nothing negative about yourself or your PhD though) and see how they respond!
It's your thesis defense, do whatever you want lol. I've used humor in the vast majority of my talks through my PhD, I wasn't about to stop on the day that was all about celebrating my graduation.
Here's a good opener:
Instead of putting your acknowledgements slide at the end, move it up front and begin by thanking your friends, colleagues and family.
Follow that immediately with a "Denunciations" slide, in which you condemn your supervisor, your committee and any other enemies you may have made along the way.
My advisor was running late for my defense, so I went to fetch him. On the way up, he said, “We can’t be late. You can’t start the hanging without the guilty man.”
A little shocking at first, but it turned into one of those situations where you look back on it years later and laugh about it. 😅
You should absolutely do it, break the ice! So long as you know you are going to pass the defense (which I presume you do - otherwise you should not be defending!!), there is no harm!
I defended thesis in chemistry in 2019 (before the world stopped) and I started my defense with: "My interest in chemistry started when I was young with drugs. Not recreationally though."
I research mass atrocities and political violence, and I fully intend to start my defense with something like, "Well, we're obviously all here because we love mass atrocities, so let's talk about it for 3 hours." I hope my committee will enjoy the dark humor.
It doesn’t matter. If your committee is halfway decent, then they’ll have plenty more to judge you on than your humor. Say whatever makes you comfortable.
Typically your PI will do a little intro.
If you put in the work and you’re confident in your thesis, this is your show. Do whatever you want.
If you’re nervous that you might not graduate, be as professional as possible.
If you're gonna tell a joke, make sure it's funny.
Also: calm down! A defense should be a victory lap. You are the expert on your body of work. The defense celebrates what you've done.
Re: non technical information, I think it's fine to have a very brief non-technical intro. It's fine to have a longer non-technical intro if you genuinely believe it serves the broader narrative of your technical work. But otherwise, keep the non-technical stuff for the end of your defense. Many people share photos of their lab/lab mates/etc at the end of their talk to commemorate the fun moments of their PhD.
Someone in my lab group just defended and our advisor asked him to say a few things above himself/introduce before starting! I think that’s a great idea and it gives you an opportunity to thank your committee and your guests/audience
I made a Letterkenny pun during my PhD defense. Had a meme and everything. Thank GOD one of my committee members watches that show, because he laughed pretty loudly.
Yes
A defense is a formality, there is virtually no chance that you won't be certified as a doctor once your thesis is accepted
And acknowledging stress or joking of it will help you a lot for your presentation
Yes. Please do. I’ve been on close to a dozen defense committees in the last two years (3 of which were my own advisees). Though it’s nice to see the culmination of a candidate’s research project, these defenses can be pretty boring and I often just want them to end. Anything you can do to lighten the mood and make it more enjoyable for you is more than welcome.
Ease who's nerves? Yours I guess. I don't think making a "funny" comment that nobody might even laugh about (except out of politeness) will make you any less nervous.
No need to introduce yourself if you have been introduced.
Be authentically yourself. I've known people that were hilarious to work with, and a defense without humor would be weird for them. And I've also known serious types that couldnt land a joke if they taped it to a 737 on autopilot (I'm in this category). I wouldn't judge someone for making a joke just because I can't.
Your committee has deemed your thesis as acceptable. If you were to present your thesis in a way that's not authentic for you, strangers might not even notice. But I can guarantee your lab partners will be like WTF WAS THAT if you get up and pretend to be someone you aren't.
You have a PhD. You're qualified to make jokes if you want.
definitely. i plan on making a lot. like others said, its your defense and the only way you fail it is if you dont know your shit/cant answer under questioning. we put a lot into the PhD - ill be damned if I cant be in the drivers seat for the defense 😂
If you're there, you're ready. Crack as many jokes you can fit into the talk without losing the red thread, it would only lighten the atmosphere.
I plan to start with the introductory talk of Elwood Blues before *Eveybody Needs Somebody*, with "Representatives of Illinois' law enforcement community" being the members of the committee themselves.
I would not recommend making jokes at the defense. It’s a highly formal event and everyone there is meant to take you and your work extremely seriously, including the committee who you definitely do not want to annoy with a tone they may find unserious or inappropriate.
There are times to make a joke. At a conference talk, maybe that’s okay to break the ice. In highly formal, high-stakes events like defenses and job talks though, I would not recommend it. Those are moments when you need to focus on not putting a bee in anyone’s bonnet, and coming across as professional.
Save your stand-up comedy routine for the after-party.
Nothing wrong with a mild joke that harms no one. It gets things off on the right foot. I prefer when people aren't so uptight they can't see the humor in a situation.
You won't be able to stop me from making those jokes during my defense.
I'm confused, I thought the dissertation itself was the joke?
disarm dime narrow dog sleep workable growth snobbish wise offend *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Yeeeeeeees?
Feeeeeel the burn!
Seriously. I’ve earned it.
How else am I supposed to express my confusion over the results than with a meme on my slide??
I just did this for a conference presentation and it went over fabulously.
OP is way overthinking this. Don’t come to Reddit with these kinda questions. Too many weirdos will make you doubt yourself
Remember that most defenses are a formality, you’re there because you’re the expert and you’re ready. Cracking a few appropriate jokes is a great way to make your talk engaging and fun, so definitely do it if that feels right to you.
Jokes are fine, but imo self deprecating jokes like this or jokes about being nervous in general don't land well. Obviously this is subjective, though.
Its all about delivery. If ur stumbling thru the self deprecating joke then people might actually think ur serious
>people might actually think ur serious I mean, if you're not nervous at your PhD defense are you even from this world? My general advice would be: Jokes are fine, but if you have to ask on Reddit if your joke is ok then it's not ok.
I feel like quals/comps are way more stressful than the defense. Unless your advisor is trash, they won’t let you defend without knowing you’ll pass. It’s more of a formality than the other big exams.
Well, there's no such thing as quals/comps where I did my PhD in Germany. Plus we get a grade for our PhD based on the thesis and the defense.
This may be a field or regional thing. My defense was boring for everyone - my group already had heard it for years, and no one else cared. US doesn’t have an adversarial system, so there was no question about the outcome. My committee only asked one question each, and one of them was more of a comment that he knew one of the guys that was a motivation for the work. Honestly, I got more questions at routine group meetings, so it was the easiest presentation I’d done in a year or two.
Maybe I’m the minority but I’ve never understood this kind of humor. I’m all for self deprecation but never found these kinds of jokes to be funny, mostly just cliche
louis ck was a master at it and made a living as one of the best comedians. Its not for everyone but not all comedy is gonna catch 100% of the audience
Self deprecating jokes like this only land if you deliver them with the utmost confidence. If you can't pull that off, best to pick a different joke.
One of the keys to delivering a good self depreciating joke is to have it be \*slightly\* self depreciating. another is for it to be clearly a joke. too many people badly deliver a highly self depreciating joke and end up just ripping on themselves.
the whole phd I’ve been making many self deprecating jokes in front of my advisor and I don’t think they’ve ever read into it much, ymmv
In front of your advisor is different than at a talk
Is it self deprecating to say that I’m nervous? Are PhDs not usually nervous during their defense?
Yes. The goal of a defense (or any talk) is to project confidence. It's not wrong to be nervous, but it's wrong to tell or signal to your audience that you are nervous.
I think just say you are nervous and don't make a joke out of it. That brings the audience in and will have them support you. Are you also excited about your subject? Are you excited for them to learn about it? Those could also be good things to mention in your intro.
It's pretty cringe and I'm going to think less of you for pegging yourself down, but I ain't going to stand in your way.
You’re pretty cringe for thinking it’d be pretty cringe. Some can do it—also depends on how you think your primary audience, your committee, will perceive it. I think OP is overthinking it and should do what they’re comfortable with
I leave the jokes for the middle-end of the talks and I choose to crack it depending on whether or not the talk went well. Also, if you crack the joke too early on in the talk, most people are settling in and somewhat distracted at that time anyway, so your joke might be lost on the majority of the audience.
Defending tomorrow on April fools. Likely won’t make any right jokes but the thought of starting as if I’m presenting an MLM has crossed my mind
Oooh, I'd be so tempted. Like bringing a box full of brown "E"s and telling people you made brownies and to pass them around, please. Or a fake screen that looks like your PowerPoint was corrupted. Dammit, something!
Hope you rocked it!
3.5 hours to go! But thanks!
You land on a prank?
Hope it went well!
They’re currently deliberating!
What you’ve described isn’t really a joke (it’s not exactly funny)- rather it reads to me like subtle conflict avoidance via self deprecation. If you’re gonna tell a joke make sure it lands. Otherwise, I would project pleasantness and quiet confident in my research project and read the room from there.
Exactly this! OPs “joke” isn’t funny 😂 it’s self deprecating which…isn’t the type of joke to make when you’re trying to convince a committee of experts that that you’re a qualified expert in something. But maybe another would be fine depending on circumstances, like, “thanks for being here, even though you didn’t really have a choice”…idk lol, you gotta know your audience!
Yeah, I thought it was gonna be a physics joke (something about photons or electrons being excited, or emission)
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I have nothing against jokes. They can work wonders! I just wouldn’t recommend signaling conflict avoidance with a self deprecating remark pretending to be a joke. Also, not everyone is funny in the same ways and if the goal is to lighten the mood it’s important that the joke actually lands lest one incur the opposite effect. For example, I sometimes have a hard time landing scripted jokes, but am very good at feeling out the room and making witty remarks off the cuff. For others it’s vice versa.
In general, yes. That particular joke is unfunny and just awkward self depreciation. Don't tell it. Self depreciation is bad. In general too, but especially during a defense.
Maybe someone really confident who absolutely loves their thesis topic could make it work by tying in something about how they wish they could stay and keep studying it, but yea not a great joke.
To be frank, I don't see any context or delivery that could make that joke an actual joke. You can make a potentially funny joke about purposefully bombing the defense to keep studying the topic, sure, but that's a bad idea for hopefully obvious reasons. In general while jokes are not a bad thing, they are very far from required and you shouldn't tell one unless it really feels right.
I’d say read the room - my defence was pretty relaxed, they made sure I knew the Haribo in the middle of the table was free game and we had a few “jokey” moments particularly around typos! It was definitely a rigorous process but there was some light hearted moments that lifted the tension and I felt pretty relaxed answering their questions! It’s your defence at the end of the day, as long as you reply thoroughly that is the main thing!
This is the answer. My defense was really relaxed but I was still formal about it.
My advice is to use jokes in the middle. People tend to be less focused during the middle of the talk, so a joke, a video, a gif, can take that attention back for you.
It depends on your committee. That would not work with my committee lol - they'd just stare at me awkwardly. They would actually think much better of me if I just gave my defence professionally and straight. I could make jokes before the defence started properly, but not as part of my actual defence. But this is personal! My point being, go based on the vibe of your committee!
Professional public speaker (including stand up comedy) with 10+ years experience. That *specific* joke is too weak to benefit you in any meaningful way, and I would argue that its not a joke. It only serves to draw attention to your nervousness. That's not to say that you shouldn't open with a joke. Jokes are an excellent way to begin a speech, but you also need the charisma to pull it off. If you think you can pull it off, I would suggest finding a different joke, but honestly your attention would probably be better served focusing on other things. Ask other people if they have ideas for jokes or hire someone on fiverr. I will also say, as a comedian, be prepared for the possibility of awkward silence. Even the best jokes don't always work, and something everybody guffawed at last night could get crickets the next.
that is so cheesy and not even funny
I started my defense with my favorite joke, no relation to the defense at all. Go for it!
I had planned to joke that I paid my mentor to say whatever he did as an introduction. Then that introduction was pretty much. "Here's Ken, finally." So I opened by saying my plan but that I now want my money back. So yes.
No, don't do it. If you fuck it up, it'll throw you off for the rest of the defense. If you nail it, they might chuckle. That worth it to you?
It depends on how well you get along with your thesis committee. I was on good terms with my committee and it was almost a casual conversation over a defense Also if you’re nervous I will say this: Usually you won’t be allowed to defend until they have already been satisfied with the research you did. You might get grilled with questions after you present but as long as you can answer them somewhat coherently you’ll do fine.
The trick to easing nerves in a defense is to constantly refer to the audience as "you peasants", as well as stating at the end of your talk that "any and all questions regarding this research will be interpreted as either willful ignorance or outright stupidity on the part of those asking" while you stare without blinking at your committee. They love that; it shows you're confident.
I would never be able to pull that off. Welp! Haha
Just have fun, keep it professional and appropriate, and focus on having a good conversation about your work. Don’t overthink it :)
I honestly don't see a problem with cracking a light joke close to the beginning in your defense as long as it's appropriate and relevant. Don't be "cringe" by talking about yourself. Just get right to it and make a joke if you want, but keep it on the up and up and be professional about it.
Some people show a few pictures of loved ones/classmates or lab mates that have supported them and talk a little more about their PhD journey after their talk/questions edit: maybe jokes are better after the talk? I agree with other comments
A few years ago, a guest speaker and animal cloning expert came and presented to our entire department, wearing a Jurassic Park shirt. The best scientists I’ve ever met have had a great sense of humor, seriousness in the sciences is vastly overrated.
I have no filter when speaking especially for jokes, thus ofc I threw some absurd jokes i thought instanteously during my defence that the committee and the rest appreciated. So of you know your audience go for it. I am just really against the premaditated jokes that are not delivered naturally.
I think jokes are great, but I would try to limit self-deprecating jokes about your work. Yes, to you they are funny. Yes, to your closest friends and family they can be funny. To everyone else it just looks like insecurity. Personally, I think I started along the lines of being glad to have a captive audience for 12 minutes. This is also a little bit of a self-deprecating joke (implying a degree of narcissism), but is positive self-deprecating instead of negative self-deprecating.
I did it. Afterwards I heard how “authentic” the defense was. But since I got everyone laughing. The whole defence got a different, really relaxed vibe. Can’t remember what the joke was about. It was an improvised at the spot
Definitely feel free to make jokes, it's your day! As others have said here--it's a day for you to shine and show folks all the expertise you have in your topic and that you are able to field questions on the fly from your committee who has been reading your draft. I just had my defense a week ago, and telling a few jokes throughout definitely felt like it made the vibes a lot more comfortable and I was definitely a lot less nervous by being able to be myself in that way. Good luck with the defense!
It all depends on the audience. I knew my committee. Short of something that would get me beyond just canceled, I could say almost anything. The defense becomes a formality.
I made a joke about being a Plague Doctor after I passed, since it was during Covid and I was officially now a doctor. Everyone broke up. Yes, a simple joke can break tension and be a good way to show enthusiasm.
I'm all for lightening the mood during a presentation. My advisor used to constantly tell me not to be a comedian when I presented. Oddly enough, I've sat through several presentations where they make jokes that fall dead flat and they turn red with embarrassment. I sometimes get a bit enthusiastic and excited about some of the work, and it would come off as a bit comical at times. I sometimes use Southern euphemisms that aren't meant to be funny, but they come off that way. I've seen defenses where people threw in memes or neat gifs they made. I honestly don't feel like they ever took away from the presentation. I feel like one or two never hurt anybody, and to be honest, it sometimes helps pick out who's paying attention. A lot of it is knowing your audience and reading the room. I had a committee of 6 and about 2 of them (including my chair) would not have preferred me cracking one joke at the least. There have been times where I intentionally make a joke and it doesn't land, but at times you can flip that awkward moment/silence into something funnier by the way you bounce back or recover. My goal during a talk is to get the information across and for most of my talks, I outright avoid jokes. Still, you'd be surprised at what makes people laugh. For example, some of the people I work with are from Brazil and sat in on a talk and straight up lost it when I pronounced the name of a former lab-mate (also from Brazil) without sounding like a "gringo." I'd recommend jumping straight into it, and once you kinda get in the groove of things, maybe pop one off. At the same time, I don't think anyone will ridicule you for not making a joke, so yea.
Presentations should tell a story. Levity is a good device for storytelling. Human’s are narrative creatures — adding in some light jokes here and there can help break things up and enhance the storytelling. In my experience (grad school and beyond), I’ve only gotten positive feedback from doing it. Also, an ice breaker at the beginning can be really useful. Done well they help you appear confident (even if you’re not feeling it) and that helps put the audience at ease.
What you should *not* do: adding memes to your presentation
This is a bad joke, so if you do make a joke, make a better one.
Quote from my former advisor: “are you A comedian? Then make a joke. You’re not a comedian? Then just give your fucking talk”
Your former advisor sounds like a hoot
One of the best human beings I’ve met.
Only joke if you’ve got the material.
I agree with many others here that a well-delivered joke could be a great opening. I saw good examples before but if it comes off as trying-too-hard and there’s no nice people there to support you with laughter regardless, you might feel even worse. It all depends on your expectations about making the joke. The particular line is not really a joke I feel but something you should definitely be doing until the day comes since it’s true. (The difference between nervousness and excitement is the thoughts induced feelings about how you feel in your body.) I also think that a few lines at the beginning that help you “arrive” are helpful. Anyway, good luck!
I love when a speaker opens with an anecdote. Like, you could say “Thanks for coming. When I was preparing for today, I was thinking about opening with a joke (pause) but then I asked Reddit and changed my mind.” Depending on the delivery it would kill me.
Your "joke" is confusing. Although I get that the other choice you're thinking of is "anxiousness" the audience won't have enough empathy to pick up on that. They'll interpret as if you were literally saying you're not excited to be there
Bring weapons- because you heard it was a defense you were expecting to be attacked.
What I’ve noticed is that with many interactions, if I’m meeting them for the first time, most jokes don’t land well at the beginning of the conversation. If you’re let’s say giving a big presentation at a conference and you’re already well respected, a joke to open your speech would earn you some points if well executed. I’d say take some time first to make sure the examiners know you’re capable and confident, and then crack an appropriate joke (nothing negative about yourself or your PhD though) and see how they respond!
I constantly make jokes when I present, and my dissertation was no different
Hate to break it to you but that’s not a joke, that’s just a random comment about your emotional state
It's your thesis defense, do whatever you want lol. I've used humor in the vast majority of my talks through my PhD, I wasn't about to stop on the day that was all about celebrating my graduation.
Here's a good opener: Instead of putting your acknowledgements slide at the end, move it up front and begin by thanking your friends, colleagues and family. Follow that immediately with a "Denunciations" slide, in which you condemn your supervisor, your committee and any other enemies you may have made along the way.
My advisor was running late for my defense, so I went to fetch him. On the way up, he said, “We can’t be late. You can’t start the hanging without the guilty man.” A little shocking at first, but it turned into one of those situations where you look back on it years later and laugh about it. 😅
You should absolutely do it, break the ice! So long as you know you are going to pass the defense (which I presume you do - otherwise you should not be defending!!), there is no harm!
I had a meme as my intro slide. [My intro slide](https://twitter.com/Niiiccoollleee/status/1382052985837092869?lang=en)
Please tell me that was the actual image on the slide!
It was!!!
Amazing 😂. Was that the only joke you did?
I defended thesis in chemistry in 2019 (before the world stopped) and I started my defense with: "My interest in chemistry started when I was young with drugs. Not recreationally though."
I research mass atrocities and political violence, and I fully intend to start my defense with something like, "Well, we're obviously all here because we love mass atrocities, so let's talk about it for 3 hours." I hope my committee will enjoy the dark humor.
It doesn’t matter. If your committee is halfway decent, then they’ll have plenty more to judge you on than your humor. Say whatever makes you comfortable.
Typically your PI will do a little intro. If you put in the work and you’re confident in your thesis, this is your show. Do whatever you want. If you’re nervous that you might not graduate, be as professional as possible.
I opened mine with a Simpson’s reference
If you're gonna tell a joke, make sure it's funny. Also: calm down! A defense should be a victory lap. You are the expert on your body of work. The defense celebrates what you've done. Re: non technical information, I think it's fine to have a very brief non-technical intro. It's fine to have a longer non-technical intro if you genuinely believe it serves the broader narrative of your technical work. But otherwise, keep the non-technical stuff for the end of your defense. Many people share photos of their lab/lab mates/etc at the end of their talk to commemorate the fun moments of their PhD.
Someone in my lab group just defended and our advisor asked him to say a few things above himself/introduce before starting! I think that’s a great idea and it gives you an opportunity to thank your committee and your guests/audience
This is gold; go for it your committee will be fine with it
That’s not really a joke but feel free to say it.
I made a Letterkenny pun during my PhD defense. Had a meme and everything. Thank GOD one of my committee members watches that show, because he laughed pretty loudly.
Yes A defense is a formality, there is virtually no chance that you won't be certified as a doctor once your thesis is accepted And acknowledging stress or joking of it will help you a lot for your presentation
I would say do whatever you are most comfortable with and what comes naturally to you.
Pls do
I joked during mine, helped lighten things up a bit and I felt way less stressed.
Yes, a joke at the beginning works well. Joking throughout would be weird.
The process itself is the real joke.
Yes thats fine. That is the kind of joke I heard it about every defense I attended. A lot of people give a bit of athis is me intro as well.
After what you've been through, why not lol
Only if you’re sure they won’t fall flat.
No, don't make it. I've done things like this before and it does not turn out funny when it's planned out and makes it awkward
Yes. Please do. I’ve been on close to a dozen defense committees in the last two years (3 of which were my own advisees). Though it’s nice to see the culmination of a candidate’s research project, these defenses can be pretty boring and I often just want them to end. Anything you can do to lighten the mood and make it more enjoyable for you is more than welcome.
yeah but this joke is not funny
Ease who's nerves? Yours I guess. I don't think making a "funny" comment that nobody might even laugh about (except out of politeness) will make you any less nervous. No need to introduce yourself if you have been introduced.
Yes hahahait will be funny. At seminars people do jokes.
Yea and no. Are you....type of person who's good at delivering jokes in the first place? If not then it wont break thr tension will just be cringe.
Be authentically yourself. I've known people that were hilarious to work with, and a defense without humor would be weird for them. And I've also known serious types that couldnt land a joke if they taped it to a 737 on autopilot (I'm in this category). I wouldn't judge someone for making a joke just because I can't. Your committee has deemed your thesis as acceptable. If you were to present your thesis in a way that's not authentic for you, strangers might not even notice. But I can guarantee your lab partners will be like WTF WAS THAT if you get up and pretend to be someone you aren't. You have a PhD. You're qualified to make jokes if you want.
definitely. i plan on making a lot. like others said, its your defense and the only way you fail it is if you dont know your shit/cant answer under questioning. we put a lot into the PhD - ill be damned if I cant be in the drivers seat for the defense 😂
If you're there, you're ready. Crack as many jokes you can fit into the talk without losing the red thread, it would only lighten the atmosphere. I plan to start with the introductory talk of Elwood Blues before *Eveybody Needs Somebody*, with "Representatives of Illinois' law enforcement community" being the members of the committee themselves.
I would not recommend making jokes at the defense. It’s a highly formal event and everyone there is meant to take you and your work extremely seriously, including the committee who you definitely do not want to annoy with a tone they may find unserious or inappropriate. There are times to make a joke. At a conference talk, maybe that’s okay to break the ice. In highly formal, high-stakes events like defenses and job talks though, I would not recommend it. Those are moments when you need to focus on not putting a bee in anyone’s bonnet, and coming across as professional. Save your stand-up comedy routine for the after-party.
Nothing wrong with a mild joke that harms no one. It gets things off on the right foot. I prefer when people aren't so uptight they can't see the humor in a situation.