Government Relations and Public Relations University

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)’s Government Relations office would like to submit the following abstract for a concurrent session at ICTD 2024.  

Abstract: 

Whether building a persuasive narrative for a lawmaker, communicating with a project developer, or explaining a concept to a reporter, advocacy and communications skills are important for civil engineers. This concurrent session led by ASCE’s Government Relations team will offer an overview of the factors involved in advocacy and media relations, and provide skills and strategies to improve effective communication. These skills are as valuable in a Congressional office as they are in a board room, and this session represents a significant ASCE member benefit that ICTD attendees can partake in. 

Join ASCE’s Government Relations staff for an interactive and informative session that taps into the wealth of experience the Government Relations team has in government advocacy and media relations. Participants will learn how to elevate their public policy presence through the use of ASCE resources and receive guidance for working with the media. Familiarity with ASCE’s Legislative Priorities and strong communication skills are key to success in the engineering practice, and this session will help attendees prepare to successfully promote the profession. Additionally, the session will include information on key transportation-related legislation and opportunities to engage with federal programs, including those supported by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act.  

At ICTD 2023, ASCE Government Relations staff provided this training as a post-conference workshop, which took place on the Saturday afternoon before Father’s Day. The timing was challenging and attendance was low, but feedback from the attendees was extremely positive. One participant said it was the best training he had received on this subject. ASCE Government Relations believes that positioning this training as a concurrent session will allow more people to attend and benefit from this program.  

Learning Objectives:  

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  Identify ASCE’s Legislative Priorities and the tools available to apply basic advocacy strategies to elevate the Society’s position.  
  



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  Determine the best way to communicate with policymakers and use storytelling for advocacy purposes. Interact with elected officials and gain a better understanding of how government relations work is undertaken at state capitols.  
  



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  Identify when an event is newsworthy and engage with reporters to deliver ASCE’s message clearly.  
  



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  Follow and communicate ASCE’s media relations protocol.