Founded in 1999, the Webb Communication Program provides communication training at all educational levels within the Woodruff School. The Program aligns with the Woodruff School’s mission by equipping engineers to effectively communicate solutions and their social implications, driving action and change to address society’s most pressing challenges.
The technical communicator's job is to transfer
information to their audience with the smallest
cognitive load while still being trustworthy and
actionable.
- programmatic tenet
Training in the Webb Program focuses on guiding students as they learn to discern and communicate usable engineering information by focusing on preparing engineers to be communication decision-makers who can assess situations and respond appropriately by doing the following:
- Determining Trustworthiness Threshold
- Determining Actionability Threshold
- Balancing Cognitive Load and Content
- Discerning Usable Information from Extraneous Data
- Leveraging Genre Expectation
Communication Mechanics: A Podcast for Engineers
Released biweekly during the fall and spring semesters, this podcast explores how communication shapes the success of engineers, researchers, and industry professionals. Join us as we share stories of triumphs, challenges, and the strategies that fuel success. Whether you're a seasoned pro, an aspiring student, or simply passionate about engineering, listen as we demystify compelling communication in the world of mechanical engineering.
Resources
General Resources
Frank K. Webb Academic Professional Chair in Communication Skills, Jill Fennell, is available by appointment.
The Georgia Tech Communication Center is available to consult with students on all types of communication projects (e.g. reports, proposals, presentations, visualizations) during any stage.
The Georgia Tech Language Institute hold short-term courses that provide part-time study options for adult learners who are non-native speakers of English. Courses are designed for learners who would like to improve their English communication skills for both professional and social reasons.
Burdell Writing Style Guide
Find the Burdell Writing guide here.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Application Resource
Find the Webb Communication Program’s yearly guide here.
Graduate Resources
Graduate communication courses (one credit hour and beyond) are provided by Center Enhancement - Teach/Learn.
The Naugle Communication Center provides a space for international and multilingual students to socialize and practice their conversational, academic, and professional English in a safe and welcoming space.
News, Press, and Publications
The Woodruff School’s Lab Sequence: Developing Workplace-Ready Engineers Through Scenario-Based Systems Investigation
Work-In-Progress: Using Audience Avatars to Improve GTA Assessment of Student Communication in Large Engineering Classes
Webb-Donnell Communication Competitions
Created in honor of Frank K. Webb, ME 1938, and Jeffrey Donnell, former principal academic professional in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, the Webb-Donnell Communication Competitions aim to highlight the critical need for engineers to communicate their work in a way that is understandable and incites action and change.
Students in the Woodruff School explore the importance of communication in their research by competing in communication-based tasks that push them to demonstrate that engineers can communicate beyond equations.
Information regarding the annual communication competitions will be posted at the beginning of every spring semester.