Dr. John Ray Invited to Present at EPA's Community Involvement Training Conference

Dr. John W. Ray of Montana Tech’s Liberal Studies Department was recently invited to give a presentation at the EPA’s Community Involvement Training Conference to be held this summer in Atlanta.  The title of Dr. Ray’s presentation is “Effectively Communicating Technical Information to Non-Technical Audiences.” This is the third time Dr. Ray has been invited to participate in the EPA’s bi-annual Community Involvement Training Conference.

Also, this spring, Dr. Ray was invited to serve as a peer reviewer for the Political Communication Division of the National Communication Association.

The EPA gives this description of the Conference: This dynamic conference brings together more than 450 people from EPA and the Agency’s partners and stakeholders who plan and implement environmental community involvement, partnership, stewardship, outreach, and education programs.

Regarding the EPA Conference, Dr. Ray notes: The technical complexity of environmental issues addressed by the EPA is often a major barrier to effective community outreach and engagement.   Unless these communication obstacles are overcome, effective community relations will be impossible. Without effective communications, community needs and concerns go unanswered leading to the conclusion that the EPA doesn’t listen.  The heart of effective community involvement is good communications.

Dr. Ray is a member of the National Communications Association’s Political Communications Division and this is the second year that he has been selected to be a peer reviewer. Professor Ray teaches courses at Montana Tech in political science and communications.