Taking the engineering message public: PALC slated for May

Emily M. Smith
ASME NEWS

For any ASME member who's ever complained about how little the general public appreciates the engineering profession, here's a chance to do something about it. Attend the next Public Affairs Leadership Conference in May.

PALC essentially is a training session for members who are interested in learning about the public policy process or gaining insight into public policy issues that affect engineers.

During PALC, which is held every other year, members and guest speakers will discuss emerging issues and trends that affect engineers and opportunities for addressing them. Attendees are introduced to effective strategies for increasing public awareness about, and appreciation of, engineering.

PALC, which is sponsored by the ASME Council on Public Affairs, gives attendees an opportunity to visit with their congressional representatives and participate in meetings with senior government officials speaking about public policy issues that affect engineers.

This year's three-day event, to be held from May 5-7 in Alexandria, Va., was rescheduled from Sept. 23-25 of last year. The 2001 meeting was postponed because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

Several workshops are scheduled during PALC. One of them, "Increasing Public Awareness of Engineering," will offer ideas about how members individually, or through their ASME units, can increase public awareness and understanding of engineering.

In that workshop, special attention will be given to the measures available through ASME and how to use them, including Engineers Week and materials in use in schools.

In a session titled "What is News?" press representatives will explain what qualifies as news and how engineers can improve their chances for getting the message out about engineering.
For more information about the program agenda or to register, visit www.asme.org/gric/palc, or contact Allian Pratt at pratta@ asme.org or (202) 785-3756.

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