Communicating Concepts with the Public Competition
Why don’t they understand? Transportation professionals often find it challenging to communicate critical transportation concepts to a non-technical audience. While some have found tools, graphics, or just the right words to convey their message, research tells us that transportation professionals still face a largely uninformed public.
In 2007, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Planning and Environment Group launched a new competition looking for fresh and creative methods for communicating technical transportation issues with “John and Jane Q. Public” to share with others within the profession. The inaugural competition, had an open theme that solicited communication strategies of technical issues. The contest yielded overwhelming results, with 70 entries received and 11 invited to present at the 2008 TRB Annual Meeting. Since then, the competition has featured a different theme, ranging from a focus on sustainability and climate change to emerging technologies. Each of these contests and the recognized organizations are featured in articles on the contest published in the Transportation Research News.
Please click on the links below for information on this year's competition, as well as the winners from previous years.
2024 Competition: Planning & Projects, Policy or Operations - entries due by July 24, 2024!
2023 Competition: Planning & Projects, Policy or Operations
2022 Competition: Planning & Projects, Policy or Operations
2021 Competition: New and Emerging Transportation Technologies
2020 Competition: Successful Communication During Disruptive, Crisis Situations
2019 Competition: Transportation Funding and Related Policy Solutions
2018 Competition: Communicating the Unique challenge of Transportation Resiliency and Sustainability
2017 Competition: Communicating the Value of Long-Term Transportation Planning
2016 Competition: Communicating the Connection Transportation and Public Health
2015 Competition: Communicating Transportation Needs and Issues to Targeted Populations
2014 Competition: Freight Transportation Needs and Issues
2013 Competition: Transportation Modeling
2012 Competition: Transportation Finance and Policy Related Solutions
2011 Competition: Transportation During Emergency Situations