June 2016
On July 14 from 12:00 to 1:30 pm EDT, AERA will hold a webinar on “Meet Members of Congress in Your District.” This webinar is being offered only to AERA members. It is directed to education researchers seeking to learn strategies and build skills in communicating research to elected officials in their district offices.
“This new activity is a component of broader AERA efforts in this area that have been developing over the past decade,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “In AERA’s projects and programs, we seek to broaden the connections between education research and its sound uses in policy and practice.”
“All scholars have an important story to tell about their research, its broader relevance and impact, and the students and others they serve,” Levine added. “This new webinar will help our members do it well, and we hope do it early and often.”
Levine noted that AERA Director of Government Relations Juliane Baron will lead this effort and “brings just the right skills and savvy” to make the webinar work. Baron will orient members to how district office visits can help convey the strengths and benefits of research and ways to plan a visit that can enhance congressional appreciation of the value of federal investment in education research.
The webinar will provide guidance on how to best prepare for such a meeting or plan a visit on your campus or at your work site. It will include attention to what information offices or members find most useful and how to talk about your research in ways that will be most compelling to them.
The 90-minute webinar will include opportunities for Q&A. In addition to the session, the AERA Government Relations team has developed materials including sample meeting requests, guidance on good meetings, and background information on federal agencies investing in education research. Tips on planning a visit at your institution also will be provided.
The webinar is being offered in mid-July because the summer span is particularly ripe for planning such visits. All AERA members are welcome to register and can benefit. Federally funded awardees are particularly encouraged to participate. If you have federal funding or rely on federally funded data and research for your work, you have particularly valuable experiences to contribute and the most to gain from making these visits.
This resource is being provided as part of the AERA Virtual Research Learning Center (VRLC). It will be available through the VRLC for those who cannot join live.