Presents groundbreaking approaches for bridging engineering expertise and human-centered communication in infrastructure systems
Infrastructure systems sustain daily life yet are often overlooked until they fail, at which point communication gaps can hinder effective responses and solutions.
The Handbook of Infrastructure Communication addresses this critical challenge by establishing ”infrastructure communication” as a distinct interdisciplinary field. Bringing together insights from engineering, communication science, and social science, this handbook offers practical frameworks for translating complex technical information across disciplinary and stakeholder boundaries.
The Handbook is organized into six parts, covering foundations of infrastructure communication, physical systems such as water, transportation, and energy, digital communication ecosystems, social networks, cross-cultural strategies, and crisis communication during disasters. Each section combines theoretical analysis with applied examples, including discussions of underserved communities, the integration of AI in infrastructure, and the unique vulnerabilities exposed during extreme weather events. The contributors—engineers, communication researchers, social justice experts, and practitioners—offer diverse perspectives while embedding human-centered approaches within infrastructure planning and management. Throughout the book, in-depth yet accessible chapters demonstrate how effective communication can secure investments, enhance resilience, and ensure infrastructure meets the needs of society at large.
Equipping readers to foster collaboration and create infrastructure that is technically sound and socially supported, this reference work:
Examines social and cultural contexts that shape public acceptance and equitable access to infrastructure Provides frameworks for engaging communities in decision-making and addressing systemic inequities Offers practical strategies for communicating numeric complexity and visualizing technical information effectively Highlights resilience strategies for crises, including wildfires, floods, and severe weather events Reviews funding mechanisms and interdisciplinary approaches relevant to current U.S. and global initiatives
The Handbook of Infrastructure Communication is ideal for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and scholars in engineering, communication, and urban planning, as well as professionals in infrastructure policy and management. It is particularly well-suited for courses in systems engineering, organizational communication, environmental communication, and urban design, and serves as an essential reference for engineers, planners, policymakers, and crisis communicators.
List of Contributors ix Editor Bios xiii Part 1 Frameworks, Foundations, and Stakeholders in Infrastructure Communication 1 Changing Nature of Communicating Around Infrastructure 3 Kasey M. Faust and Keri K. Stephens 2 Understanding Stakeholders Involved in the ""Communicating About Infrastructure"" Space 13 Megan A. Rippy 3 Using Mixed Methods to Explore Socio-Technical Infrastructure Systems 29 Amal Bakchan, Shima Nikkhou and Michel Kordahi 4 Federal Infrastructure Investment: Bridging Policy and Engineering Practice 47 Lauryn A. Spearing and John A. Kane 5 Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Infrastructure Communication and Social Disparities 59 Rahul Mitra, Brendan F. O'Leary, Uttaran Dutta, Carol J. Miller and Allison Lucas 6 Making Justice REAL: Bringing Infrastructure Front and Center 81 Daniel Erian Armanios, Hanzelle Kleeman, Nicola Ritsch and Cari Gandy Part II Essential Infrastructure in the Built Environment: Systems and Society 7 Interconnected Energy Systems and Communications Infrastructure 97 Sergio Castellanos 8 Transportation Infrastructure 111 Kyle Bathgate, Shidong Pan and Stephen D. Boyles 9 Public Involvement in Transportation Planning 125 Courtney J. Powers and Susan Howard 10 Is My Water Safe to Drink? 141 Lynn E. Katz and Matthew R. Landsman 11 Indigenous Water Infrastructure: Lessons from Alaska Native Communities 161 Marcus Nartey, Cristina Poleacovschi and Christina Gish Hill 12 Water Reuse Infrastructure 173 Miriam Hacker, Caroline Scruggs, Anais Roque and Bridget Yusko 13 Colonias with a Lack of Infrastructure 183 Dean Kyne Part III Digital Communication Ecosystems: Networks, Data, and Intelligence 14 The Digital Backbone: Modern Communication Infrastructure's Role in Society 199 Sharon Strover 15 Connecting Humanity from Submarine Cables to Starlink: How to Communicate About the Digital Infrastructures of the Internet 213 Lauren Bevilacqua and Luke Heemsbergen 16 Cyberinfrastructure: Managing and Transforming Big Data for Infrastructure Development 225 Kerk F. Kee and Cassandra Hayes 17 Artificial Intelligence Supporting Infrastructure Decisions 237 Krishna Kumar 18 A New Era for Social Media Analytics in Emergency Management Using a Human-Centered Approach 255 Amanda L. Hughes, Steve Peterson and Hemant Purohit Part IV Infrastructure and Society: Social Networks and Community Engagement 19 Social Care Infrastructure: A Framework for Comparing Municipal, State, and National Investments in the Provision of Social Care 271 Michelle Shumate, Yeha Kim and Marwa Tahboub 20 Creating a Model for Communication to Expand Capacity and Build Infrastructure for Community Environmental Justice Efforts 285 Megan Kenny Feister and Sean Michael Ferguson 21 How to Manage Controversies? Making an AI-Based Corporate Technology, Becoming a Political Player 297 Jean Daniélou, Mohamed Chenene and Julien Merlin Part V Communicating Complex Infrastructure: Strategies Across Formats and Cultures 22 Instructional Communication Messages in Infrastructure 311 Timothy L. Sellnow and Deanna D. Sellnow 23 Persuasive Message Design for Infrastructure Communication 323 Matthew S. McGlone and Claude Miller 24 Using Visualization to Communicate About Infrastructure and Make Decisions 337 Keri K. Stephens, Emaly Aguilar and Suzanne A. Pierce 25 Strategies for Communicating Complex Numeric Information about Infrastructure Projects 355 Daniel A. Chapman, Tingyu Zou and Ellen Peters 26 Incorporating Culture into Messages About Infrastructure 365 Roselia Mendez Murillo 27 Nuances of Multilingual Risk Communication 379 Joseph E. Trujillo-Falcón Part VI Infrastructure in Crisis: Emergency Communication and Resilience Strategies 28 Wireless Emergency Alerts 393 Hamilton Bean 29 Organizational Crisis Communication: The Effects of Social Media Platforms and Beyond 407 W. Timothy Coombs 30 Advancing Flood Resilience Through AI-Enhanced Mapping Strategies 419 'Russell Blessing, Miguel Esparza, Ali Mostafavidarani and Samuel D. Brody 31 Challenges Explaining Wildfire Water Infrastructure Contamination 431 Erica Fischer 32 Severe Weather and Infrastructure: A Case Study in Communicating Extreme Heat Risks with Public Health Professionals 441 Brett W. Robertson, Kirstin Dow, Susan L. Cutter, Julie Salinas, Greg Carbone and April Hiscox 33 Older Adults and Mobility-Impaired Individuals in Infrastructure-Related Disasters: Strategies for Effective Preparedness and Communication 451 Brett W. Robertson and Margot Habets 34 A Framework for Infrastructure Communication 463 Keri K. Stephens and Kasey M. Faust Index 473
Keri K. Stephens is the George Christian Centennial Professor and Co-Director of the Technology & Information Policy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin. An International Communication Association Fellow with over 25 years of interdisciplinary expertise, she has authored more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and award-winning books exploring communication dynamics in crises, infrastructure, organizations, and mobile and AI technologies. Kasey M. Faust is an Associate Professor and John A. Focht Centennial Teaching Fellow in Civil Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research focuses on sociotechnical infrastructure systems, focusing on water sector challenges including insufficient access, resource constraints, and hazard exposure. She explores not only technical espects of infrastructure but also operating environments and institutional conditions having impact on these systems. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, and has received numerous awards, including the Daniel W. Halpin Award for Scholarship in Construction and Best Paper Awards.
