CEE Assistant Professor Eleftheria Kontou was selected to participate in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2026 Legislative Fly-in on March 18 - 20 in Washington D.C., advocating for the civil engineering profession and infrastructure funding and meeting with staff from the offices of U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) as well as U.S. Representative Nikki Budzinski (Ill.).
Every spring ASCE holds its Legislative Fly-In in Washington, DC, an exclusive and intensive two-day event providing participants with professional development in honing their skills in the public policy process and advocacy, as well as valuable peer-to-peer networking with fellow ASCE members.
"Participating in the ASCE Legislative Fly-In solidified my interest in advocacy and scientific communication," Kontou explained. "It also enabled connections with Illinois ASCE and industry leaders who are passionate about improving our state's infrastructure and showcasing the role of our profession in improving the quality of life for all Illinois residents."
As part of the program, participants had the opportunity to Kontou was able to meet with Illinois legislative staffers on key societal challenges in the state.
"The Illinois delegation advocated for continuous funding for transportation and water infrastructure as well as emergency preparedness, talking with staff members from the U.S. Representative from Illinois' 13th Congressional District and U.S. Senators from the State of Illinois. They showed genuine interest and welcomed our feedback and comments."
Kontou said she highly recommends the program to other faculty interested in advocacy and policy, and continuing efforts to create impactful dialogue with Illinois lawmakers.