Learning to Communicate Effectively

Charles Darwin may have shaped how people think about evolution, but when Laura Pigozzi quotes Darwin, she opts for an anecdote from Francis Darwin — the seventh child of the famous naturalist.  

“In science, the credit goes to the man that convinces the world, not to whom the idea first occurs,” Francis Darwin was quoted as saying in an April 1914 publication. 

The same principle holds true in project management, Pigozzi said.  

“No matter how spectacular your ideas and designs are, if you can’t communicate them effectively to a wide variety of audiences, they will not be recognized,” said Pigozzi, a new adjunct lecturer in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Project Management (MPM) program. “Effective communication is the vehicle to get your work documented, legitimized, recognized, and utilized.”  

While new to the MPM program, Pigozzi is not new to Northwestern. She came to the University as a visiting professor in September 2018 and is an assistant professor in the Cook Family Writing Program, which offers a variety of courses to undergraduates to ensure they learn the necessary skills to write clearly and persuasively.  

Pigozzi teaches a section of the two-part MPM capstone, where students write a 15-20-page report and deliver a poster presentation for industry professionals. The goal is for students to demonstrate their project management proficiency and communication competency.  

“Good communication skills, both written and oral, are essential if you are going to succeed in the workplace," Pigozzi said, "including success in project management."  

Pigozzi works with students to enhance their research skills, understand how to create an argument, learn the writing process and key writing tactics, and develop oral communication capabilities.  

"Under Professor Pigozzi's guidance, I improved my ability to construct well-organized arguments, adhere to proper citation styles, and develop a coherent and engaging writing style," said Jinggang Deng (MPM '23). "These skills not only served me well in my academic pursuits but will also prove to be invaluable in my future career."  

To grow, Pigozzi believes it is important for students to understand the intersection points of their messaging and how it coincides with their audience. It's a lesson she has honed throughout her career, which includes a PhD in rhetoric, scientific, and technical communication with a bioethics minor. 

Her research is based on the intersections of the rhetoric of health and medicine, technical and professional communication, intercultural communication, and immigrant health. 

Her hope is that her students will draw upon their own identities and experiences to build belief in their abilities to accomplish their goals – both personal and professional.  

"I come to teaching with a variety of identities: a Latina, an academic, an engineer, a businessperson, a technical writer, a community volunteer, and a parent," she said. "In various ways these identities play a role in my pedagogy, just as the frameworks of the ethics of care and social justice help shape the way I teach."  

Deng appreciated Pigozzi's approach to the class. 

"During my time in the course, I feel that I experienced significant growth in both my academic writing and communication skills," Deng said. "By encouraging me to build on my personal experiences and providing valuable insights, Professor Pigozzi helped me gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter and develop a more meaningful connection to my capstone project."