GETCA 2025

How do you spark a person’s curiosity? Whether you’re engaging a client, a colleague, or a trainee, that first step of getting them to “lean in” can be the ticket for meaningful engagement. In this captivating and humorous talk, Dan Riskin breathes life into the subject of curiosity through storytelling, while sharing his personal journey from insecure science student to Discovery Channel TV host. Initially plagued by imposter syndrome and fear, Riskin quit academics for a time, giving up on his dreams and working instead as a waiter. But something pulled him back, and while doing his PhD on vampire bats, Riskin was bitten — yes, by a few bats but also by a fundamental fact about curiosity that transformed his life. From that moment on, Riskin was unstoppable, publishing his research in top journals, appearing as a science expert on Jay Leno and Craig Ferguson’s late night talk shows, then ultimately taking the helm as the host of his own TV shows on Animal Planet and The Discovery Channel. What’s the secret? It's the profound understanding that people engage best with content when they are emotionally connected to it. (Riskin knows this from experience, but also because he can point to the scientific papers that explain why it happens.) That realization transformed his career trajectory and empowered him to achieve remarkable success. And since Riskin’s talk is carefully crafted to stoke the emotions of your audience, his message has the power to change them, too. That emotional engagement is why Riskin’s talk will be unforgettable for your group, and why it can permanently alter their perspective on their own professional paths.