2027 Call for Presentations

The New England Chapter of the American Public Works Association is seeking engaging, educational presentations for its 2027 conferences, workshops, virtual sessions, and other regional events.

Public works professionals, municipal leaders, consultants, vendors, educators, and industry partners are invited to submit presentation abstracts for consideration.

Selected presentations may be featured at:

• Spring Conference in April
• Summer Conference in June
• Fall Conference in October
• New England Chapter Connects virtual sessions
• Other regional events

You may identify your preferred event when submitting your abstract. Providing a second and third choice will help the Education Committee place selected presentations within the 2027 program.

Submit Your Abstract

All abstracts must be submitted electronically through Google Forms by December 31, 2026. Please include a brief biography for every proposed speaker.

Submit Your 2027 Presentation Abstract

Presentation Topics

We welcome practical, timely, and forward-looking presentations that provide actionable value to public works professionals. Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

Public Works Administration

• Workforce development and employee retention
• Public speaking and presentation techniques
• Project financing and budgeting
• Communication with elected officials, residents, and employees
• Media relations
• Ethics in public works
• APWA accreditation
• Public engagement strategies

State-of-the-Art Public Works Operations

• Roads, streets, bridges, pavement management, and work-zone safety
• Traffic engineering, intersection design, traffic calming, and pedestrian safety
• Sustainable winter operations
• Water, wastewater, and stormwater systems
• Regulatory compliance
• Infrastructure funding and grants
• Coordination among public works, police, fire, and EMS
• Sustainable environmental practices
• Facilities, fleet, and construction management
• Solid waste management and recycling
• Urban forestry
• Drone and UAS applications
• Emergency preparedness and infrastructure resiliency
• Electrification and EV charging
• Cybersecurity, technology, and smart cities
• Planning for net-zero communities

Boots-on-the-Ground Topics

• Storm response, recovery, and reconstruction
• Sustainable winter operations
• Work-zone safety
• Equipment and generator maintenance
• Work-order management
• Infrastructure resiliency
• Communication and handheld technologies
• Dealing with difficult people
• Innovative public works practices

Presentations addressing emerging economic, societal, energy, technology, demographic, or political trends are also encouraged. Case studies that highlight lessons learned and explain “how we did it” are particularly valuable.

Presentation Format

Presentations should be approximately 40 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for discussion and questions. Continuing Education Units will be available to attendees.

Presentations designed primarily as commercials for consultants, vendors, products, or services will not be accepted. Consultants and vendors are encouraged to collaborate with public works officials to share real-world project experiences, lessons learned, and successful outcomes.

What Makes a Strong Submission?

Abstracts will be reviewed competitively by members of the New England Chapter Education Committee representing a variety of public works functions.

Strong submissions will:

• Clearly describe the presentation’s learning objectives
• Explain how attendees will benefit from the session
• Provide practical knowledge participants can apply in their day-to-day work
• Introduce emerging trends, innovative strategies, new methodologies, or new ways of thinking
• Meet APWA’s requirements for Continuing Education Units

Abstract Requirements

All submissions must include the following information:

Presenter Information

Please provide the following for each presenter:

• Name
• Title
• Organization
• Address
• Email
• Phone number
• Brief speaker biography

Presentation Abstract

Include:

• Presentation title
• A 200- to 300-word description
• The most applicable topic category

Target Audience

Provide a one-sentence description of the intended audience. This information is required for CEU approval.

Learning Objectives

Provide three measurable learning objectives that complete the following statement:

“At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to…”

Use active, measurable verbs such as identify, evaluate, prepare, design, implement, compare, demonstrate, develop, plan, assess, or apply.

Avoid verbs such as “know,” “understand,” “comprehend,” or “learn,” because they do not describe measurable participant outcomes.

Submit Your Abstract

All abstracts must be submitted electronically through Google Forms by December 31, 2026. Please include a brief biography for every proposed speaker.

Submit Your 2027 Presentation Abstract

Speaker Registration

Speakers must register for the conference at which their presentation is selected. Registration fees may be waived on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the conference chairpersons.

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