TRB Webinar: Practical Techniques for Successfully Communicating Technical Topics

TRB conducted a webinar on December 2, 2015, from 2:00pm to 3:00pm ET that covered how to present technical information clearly and succinctly. If you are a technical expert presenting at an upcoming conference or meeting, you can learn practical techniques that will make your hard work meaningful to others.

• Know what you want from the audience and what they want from you.
• Simplify the content to make it clear and understandable.
• Design effective visuals that highlight your content.
• Learn ways to practice so that you arrive prepared to engage the audience.

Here are the slides from the presentation.

Webinar Presenter: Shelley Row, P.E., Shelley Row Associates LLC

Moderated by: Lisa Berardi Marflak, Transportation Research Board

This session will be interactive, and attendees are encouraged to email Shelley Row at shelley@shelleyrow.com by November 24, 2015 with examples of difficult-to-present slides. Shelley will provide some real-world solutions during the presentation. 

Registration questions? Contact Reggie Gillum at RGillum@nas.edu

Participants must register in advance of the webinar, and there is a fee for non-TRB Sponsor or non-TRB Sustaining Affiliate employees. A certificate for one Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will be provided to attendees who register and attend the webinar as an individual.

This webinar will not be recorded. 

Webinar Learning Objectives and Outline

• Understand your relationship with the audience and convert “We have a lot to cover” into “We’re here to meet your needs.”
• Untangle your content with an easy-to-follow organizational structure.
• Develop impactful visual presentation materials that enhance retention of technical information.
• Create handouts that complement visual aids.
• Hone delivery techniques so that your presentation becomes communication.
• Command the podium to confidently and positively engage with the audience.

The Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP) categorizes this webinar activity as relating to business practices.


Registration Information
There is no fee for employees of TRB Sponsors or TRB Sustaining Affiliates who register using their work email address. In addition to employees of TRB sponsor organizations, the following are eligible to receive complimentary webinar registration:

• TRB and National Academies employees;
• Chairs of TRB standing committees, sections, or groups;
• Members of the media;
• Employees of tribal governments; and
• Members of Congress or their staff.

Other sites must pay $49 per site. View our pricing page for details.

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.


Professional Development Hour Information
A certificate for 1 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will be provided to Professional Engineers (PEs) who register and attend the webinar as an individual. For groups, only the person that registers and attends the session will receive a PDH certificate.

Individuals registered as Florida PEs are no longer required to email TRB with your license number to report your attendance. Instead, please use your certificate that TRB provides through RCEP.net as verification of your attendance to the Florida Board of Professional Engineers.

Please check with your licensing board to ensure that TRB webinar PDHs are approved by your board.

This webinar was developed in October 2015. TRB has met the standards and requirements of the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to RCEP by TRB. Certificates of Completion will be issued to individuals who register for and attend the entire webinar session. Complaints about registered providers may be sent to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20005. Website: www.RCEP.net.