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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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      <link>https://rip.trb.org/</link>
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    <item>
      <title> 
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU): Smart Cities Supplement Summer 2027
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2762047</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Since 2020, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has hosted an NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site on Smart Cities focused on advanced mobility technologies, including Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs), and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication. The program attracts more than 100 applicants annually and has trained over 45 students, producing more than one peer-reviewed publication per summer. This project supplements the existing site to support two additional undergraduate researchers working on Research and Education for Promoting Safety University Transportation Center (REPS UTC) safety-related projects.
The project will recruit two undergraduate students from relevant disciplines (electrical and computer engineering, civil engineering, computer science), with emphasis on outreach to institutions with varied student populations. Selected students will complete a ten-week summer research experience under faculty mentorship across the ITS, CAV, and V2X focus areas, complemented by co-curricular training including weekly cohort meetings, enrichment activities, and cohort-building. Key tasks include developing compelling safety research projects with UNLV mentors, national advertising and recruitment, candidate evaluation and selection, mentored summer research, and final reporting through the UNLV Undergraduate Research Symposium and academic publication venues.
Expected outcomes include expanded undergraduate participation in transportation safety research, student projects aligned with REPS UTC initiatives, student reports, presentations, and potential peer-reviewed publications. The project strengthens the pipeline of future transportation professionals and UNLV's research infrastructure in traffic safety, helping develop the next generation of researchers and practitioners equipped to address emerging safety challenges in transportation systems.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 15:59:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2762047</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute- 2027</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2732467</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Mississippi Summer Transportation Institute (MSTI) Program aims at introducing a group of motivated pre-college students (9th to 12th grade) to the transportation industry. During the two-week program, students will participate in academic and enhancement activities designed to improve their skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and leadership.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:46:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2732467</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Flood-resilient Transport System Through Integrated Modeling, ML &amp; Immersive AR/VR </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2732359</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Extreme rainfall events increasingly disrupt urban transportation systems by overwhelming drainage infrastructure and causing localized road flooding that impedes last-mile freight delivery, delays emergency response, and disrupts the broader multimodal supply chain. These disruptions limit access to essential services, delay emergency response, and threaten public safety. Building on the research team's previously developed framework (F25-26), this project advances a data-driven approach for high-resolution prediction of urban road flooding in Jackson, Mississippi, integrating geospatial databases, process-based H-H modeling (aligning with rigorous U.S. Army ERDC methodologies), and machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to identify flood-prone road and railway segments. The ML-based surrogate models will maintain computational efficiency, enable timely identification of vulnerable transportation networks, and support emergency response by feeding into JSU Water Lab’s broader web-based-visualization interfaces. This project introduces an interactive K–12 STEM module, age-appropriate hands-on activities along with STEM curriculum module designed for upper-level Civil Engineering undergraduate and graduate students at JSU. This initiative transforms research outcomes into the classroom to modernize workforce training using integrated Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) and will be tested with summer student exchange programs. Students can explore and 3D print several transportation infrastructure components, such as culverts, bridges, and urban drainage systems, and evaluate their performance under simulated flood conditions, and experience AR/VR based immersive simulators. Using AR/VR tools, including the Meta Quest platform, available in the PI lab, future transportation engineers will visualize flood scenarios in immersive 3D environments built from existing topographical assets in Unity or Unreal Engine. By combining advanced predictive modeling with experiential learning, the project promotes advanced STEM engagement, and high-tech workforce development, aligning with broader goals of improving multimodal transportation system resilience. While the primary focus is on urban road and rail flooding, these transportation corridors serve as critical connectors to Mississippi's inland waterway freight network, including facilities linked to the Pearl River system and regional multimodal freight movements. Roadway disruptions during extreme rainfall events can delay freight access to ports, intermodal terminals, water-dependent industrial facilities, and affect supply-chain resilience. By identifying flood-vulnerable roadway and railway segments, the proposed framework will support more reliable connectivity between surface transportation infrastructure and maritime freight operations]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:34:57 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2732359</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Community Response Enhanced Education on Disasters (CREED): Virtual Reality Training to Enhance Transportation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2732358</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence/Virtual Reality (AI/VR) simulation activities enhance critical emergency management functions—planning, forecasting, threat detection, security, and information sharing—ultimately improving the preservation of life and property. These tools create a safe, immersive environment where participants build problem-solving skills, decision-making ability, and confidence in disaster response. This project will deliver education, professional development, and continuous improvement in emergency preparedness for both aspiring and current professionals. The research team will invite high school and community college students to participate alongside university students and practitioners. Participants will engage in hands-on training and live demonstrations using advanced technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven simulations. The program fosters multidisciplinary collaboration among disciplines: Emergency Management Technology, Meteorology, Computer Science/Engineering, Health Science, and Journalism, and Media Studies. Through classroom instruction, workshops, and interactive training demos, students will work directly with emergency management professionals, strengthening real-world skills, supporting school-to-work transitions, and enhancing career readiness.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:29:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2732358</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Empowering the Transportation Workforce Through Technology Transfer</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2705979</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project strengthens Mid-America Transportation Center's (MATC’s) research, workforce development, and technology transfer objectives by supporting undergraduate and graduate student participation in regional and national transportation conferences. Funding will enable students to present MATC-supported research, engage with professionals, and explore career pathways. The project will also partially support the Midwest Innovation & Development in Transportation Symposium (MIDTRANS) in Fall 2027, including a dedicated MATC research session. Additional activities include collaborative technology transfer and reporting efforts with principal investigators and Kansas DOT to advance the deployment of transportation safety innovations and efficiently track KU MATC key performance metrics required by USDOT.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2026 22:37:34 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2705979</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transforming Transportation with an Innovative and Talented Workforce: A Transportation Careers Workshop</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689410</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed event will be a two-day workshop in Durango, Colorado, at both Fort Lewis College and another community site or high school, featuring several key presentations and a panel discussion. The first day will consist of speakers and presentations. The second day will consist of interactive feedback at separate locations regarding the results of vocational assessment inventories. The target population of workshop participants will be high school and college students interested in learning more about careers in the transportation industry. Participants will complete surveys and career-planning instruments and receive detailed interpretations of their results to help them narrow their career choices. Representatives from trucking, transit, state DOTs, and the supply chain industry will be invited to participate as experts, delivering presentations that describe careers and opportunities in the transportation industry. In addition, there will be an interactive session to help participants prioritize their vocational interests and preferences. Lastly, a networking event with presenters will also be arranged.

In addition to providing career information on activities, salaries, and other employment and career opportunities in the transportation industry, the proposed workshop will also address two main needs regarding the recruitment of potential entrants to the transportation industry. First, identify a transportation career profile for prospective applicants to target highly congruent candidates for the industry. This profile will provide researchers with an opportunity to develop an interest and preference profile of prospective students whose interests are congruent with the industry. Identifying those persons who are likely to be congruent allows outreach efforts to be tailored and targeted, and limited funds and resources to be used more effectively. Second, a short, easy-to-use web page that could assist students in obtaining information about transportation careers in general, with a brief survey or questionnaire to help narrow down interests in transportation careers, which then directs users to more targeted information. This web page could then be made available to other UTC programs that conduct transportation and career outreach events. The web page will be used to tally hits, and requests for applications will help more accurately measure the impact of the workshop's outreach efforts. This outreach project will also incorporate the development and implementation of a prototype webpage to evaluate the workshop and serve other UTCs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Apr 2026 17:37:26 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2689410</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Advanced Mobility Innovation Lab (AMIL) and Beyond</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666833</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As the United States navigates the Fourth Industrial Revolution - defined by the convergence of physical, digital, and biological technologies - STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education has become increasingly vital to preparing students for the future workforce. Transportation, a sector undergoing rapid technological transformation, is deeply intertwined with STEM and plays a critical role in shaping economic development, public safety, and access to essential services. Yet, many K-12 students, particularly in rural areas, lack exposure to high-quality STEM learning opportunities.  The Advanced Mobility Innovation Lab (AMIL) was established through funding from the CR2C2 REE program to address this gap by providing portable, hands-on STEM experiences that fuse transportation technology demonstrations with project-based learning. This project will expand AMIL’s effort in projects R-EWD-1 and R-EWD-2, and increases the reach and impact by partnering with the University of Alabama’s robust K–12 STEM Education Outreach program, creating a collaborative model for multi-university engagement and STEM education. Together, these programs will deliver enriched STEM experiences that emphasize emerging transportation technologies, autonomous systems, and the STEM principles behind their development and operation. The initiative will culminate in two regional events - one in Alabama and one in North Carolina - featuring autonomous vehicle demonstrations and showcasing student learning outcomes.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:46:44 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2666833</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>University of Miami’s National Summer Transportation Institute (UM)</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663224</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Already inhabited by more than 50% of the population and contributing to more than 55% of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP), coastal regions are still continuing to grow and attract people. At the same time, coastal regions are facing increasing threats from erosion and flooding caused by chronic events  like heavy rainfall, as well as discrete extreme events such as hurricanes. These events put people and properties, as well as the region's economies, in harm's way. It is through deliberate and strategic investments in STEM education, outreach and workforce initiatives, that the USDOT has the workforce to meet challenges, while advancing and maintaining our technological superiority.
The University of Miami (UM) is requesting to host the National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI) program to encourage the younger generations into the STEM disciplines and coastal transportation infrastructure. Activities will include lectures, laboratory hands-on activities, and fun competitions related to coastal transportation infrastructure. Participants will engage in science rich activities, and develop critical thinking, teamwork, and career development skills. The PI was the director of the 2024 CREATE UM NSTI as well as 2015-2017 UM NSTI funded by FHWA and has the experience and expertise in transportation outreach programs. The following points include the goals that the NSTI program at the University of Miami seeks to accomplish. (1) Provide an exciting and effective summer program that will depict the principles, applications and challenges of the STEM fields through use of lessons, teamwork, group activities, competitions and field trips. (2) Create awareness of the coastal transportation industry and its career opportunities. (3) Encourage high school students toward the STEM disciplines by educating them on transportation engineering career opportunities. (4) Develop teamwork, problem solving, computer, writing and reporting skills to enable high school students to excel in their intended STEM field.


The University of Miami will conduct recruitment procedures through several media to select interested and enthusiastic high school students to participate in the summer program. The following media will be implemented to recruit students for the summer program: Flyers, Website, social media, school visits, information sessions.

Program Curriculum: (Week 1: 2nd week of July) Weekly Objective: Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of engineering. As the week progresses, the components of transportation engineering will be explored. The focus of this week will be on the explanation of advanced and high-performance construction materials used in the various modes of coastal transportation infrastructure, the importance of safety in transportation engineering, the different types of transportation structures and vehicles, and the new technological advancements in the coastal transportation infrastructure engineering industry. In addition, this week will also discuss the engineering of airport terminals and airplanes. (Week 2: 3rd week of July) Weekly Objectives: Students will learn about the emerging technologies for enhancing safety and resilience in coastal transportation infrastructure. Students will become familiar with the other modes of transportation, including water, and continue to learn about the air transportation.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 31 Jan 2026 10:57:13 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2663224</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Quick-Response Research on Long-Term Strategic Issues. Task 56. Transit Fare Programs for High School and Postsecondary Students</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2636148</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Innovative transit fare programs for high school and postsecondary students may have a range of benefits for transit agencies, educational institutions, and students. Communities in the United States with student fare programs have reported a variety of outcomes, including increased transit ridership and revenue, changes in travel behavior, improved mobility for students, reduced truancy, improved student retention, greater independence for young adults, reduced parking facility needs, and cost savings. TCRP Synthesis 131: College Student Transit Pass Programs (2018) identifies the following benefits: (1) Public transit agencies have experienced increased transit ridership by students, faculty, and staff; increased use of off-peak transit capacity; additional revenue; and improved transit agency performance. (2) Educational institutions, including postsecondary educational institutions, have experienced reduced demand for campus parking and improved affordability, while high schools have realized reduced truancy, increased student ridership during non-school hours, and reduced pupil transportation costs. (3) Students have improved mobility, including for students with disabilities; reduced commuting costs; and reduced education costs. This project expands upon the scope and approach of TCRP Synthesis 131 since it includes high school students and provides greater breadth of information and strategies for transit agencies and stakeholders interested in student fare programs. Despite growing interest in student fare programs, transit agencies lack clear information on which student fare programs, payment methods, funding approaches, partnerships, and promotional strategies are most effective in different operating environments. Research is needed to identify effective program characteristics, funding strategies, stakeholder partnerships, innovations to support program implementation, communications and promotion strategies to enhance adoption, and evaluation methods.  

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to develop guidance for U.S. transit agencies of all sizes and modes and their partners to support the design, implementation, operation, funding, promotion, sustainability, and evaluation of student fare programs for high school and postsecondary students (see Special Note A). At a minimum, the resources should do the following: (1) Describe and analyze different models (or examples) of transit student fare programs applicable to a variety of communities and students with different characteristics throughout the United States. (2) Discuss and examine public transit fare policies (e.g., pricing, eligibility, dissemination, verification, and enforcement) and payment methods and technologies that effectively serve different types of public transit agencies, high schools, postsecondary educational institutions, and students, including those with disabilities. (3) Present and evaluate funding sources and identify circumstances that align with different stakeholder goals, with a particular emphasis on a resource-constrained funding environment. (4) Identify stakeholder roles and responsibilities and partnership structures to develop, implement, strengthen, and sustain student fare programs. (5) Present communication and outreach strategies to help transit agencies increase awareness, communicate benefits, and promote adoption of student fare programs by high schools and postsecondary educational institutions and transit ridership by their students. (6) Provide criteria and methods to evaluate the impacts of student fare programs on high school and postsecondary students including, but not limited to (a) Near- and potential long-term transit ridership and travel behavior impacts; (b) Cost and financial implications for transit agencies, high schools and postsecondary educational institutions, and students; (c) Different outcomes based on program characteristics; and (d) Other intended and unintended consequences. 
(7) Identify potential barriers to effective student fare programs and mitigation strategies for public transit agencies, high schools and postsecondary educational institutions, and students.  

RESEARCH PLAN: TCRP is seeking proposers’ insights on how best to achieve the research objectives. Proposers are expected to describe research plans that can realistically be accomplished within the constraints of available funds and subaward time. Proposals must present the proposers' current thinking in sufficient detail to demonstrate their understanding of the issues and the soundness of their approach to meeting the research objectives. Task descriptions are intended to provide a framework for conducting the research. 

The research plan will describe appropriate deliverables, including the following (which also represent key project milestones): (1) An amplified research plan that addresses comments from the project panel at the subawardee selection meeting. (2) An interim report and panel meeting. The interim report should include the analyses and results of completed tasks, a plan for the remaining tasks, and a detailed outline of the final research product(s). The panel meeting will be virtual (e.g., Teams) and will take place after the panel reviews the interim report. The interim report should be submitted, and the panel meeting should occur after the expenditure of 40 to 50 percent of the project budget. The interim report should include an annotated outline of the resource. (3) 
Final deliverables should present effective practices for developing, implementing, operating, funding, promoting, sustaining, and evaluating student fare programs for high school and postsecondary students, supplemented by a conduct of research report documenting the research process. (4) A technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” (see item IV under the Important section). (5) 
A slide deck of the research findings and conclusions that may be used in webinars. 
Note: The research plan may include additional deliverables and panel meetings via teleconferences. Note: The research plan shall include a schedule for completion of the research, including 1 month for panel review of the interim report and 3 months for panel review and the research team's revision of the final research product(s).

SPECIAL NOTES: A. For purposes of this research, postsecondary educational institutions include public and private technical and vocational schools, community and junior colleges, undergraduate colleges and universities, and graduate and professional universities.

IMPORTANT: (1) The brochure Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals for the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Programs includes extensive guidance on the preparation of acceptable proposals for submission to CRP. Revisions to these instructions are highlighted in yellow within that document. (2) Proposals will be rejected if any of the proposed research team members work for organizations represented on the project panel. The panel roster for this project can be found at https://www.mytrb.org/OnlineDirectory/Committee/Details/7450. Proposers may not contact panel members directly; this roster is provided solely for the purpose of avoiding potential conflicts of interest. (3) The text of the final deliverable is expected to be publication ready when it is submitted. It is strongly recommended that the research team include the expertise of a technical editor as early in the project timeline as possible. See Appendix F of the Procedural Manual for Subawardees Conducting Research in the Transportation Research Board’s Cooperative Research Program for technical editing standards expected in final deliverables. (4) The required technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products” should (a) provide recommendations on how to best put the research findings/products into practice; (b) identify possible institutions that might take leadership in applying the research findings/products; (c) identify issues affecting potential implementation of the findings/products and recommend possible actions to address these issues; and (d) recommend methods of identifying and measuring the impacts associated with implementation of the findings/products. Implementation of these recommendations is not part of the research project and, if warranted, details of these actions will be developed and implemented in future efforts. (5) The National Academies have an ethical and legal obligation to provide proper attribution whenever material from other sources is included in its reports, online postings, and other publications and products. TRB will review all Cooperative Research Programs draft final deliverables using the software iThenticate for potential plagiarism. If plagiarized text appears in the draft final deliverable, the research team will be required to make revisions and the opportunity to submit future proposals may be affected.

Proposals must be uploaded via this link: https://www.dropbox.com/request/o5hujilwknbnae8ccrgh 
Proposals are due not later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on 8/25/2026.

This is a firm deadline, and extensions are not granted. In order to be considered for award, the agency's proposal must be in our offices not later than the deadline shown, or the proposal will be rejected.

General Notes: (1) Regarding non-discrimination practices and policies, proposers are required to comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations (including without limitation, federal civil rights laws, regulations, and requirements) and follow applicable federal guidance, except as the Federal Government determines otherwise in writing. Without limitation of the foregoing, proposers agree to prohibit discrimination as prescribed by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (2) The essential features required in a proposal for research are detailed in the current brochure entitled "Information and Instructions for Preparing Proposals". Proposals must be prepared according to this document, and attention is directed specifically to Section IV for mandatory requirements. Proposals that do not conform with these requirements will be rejected. (3) The total funds available are made known in the project statement, and line items of the budget are examined to determine the reasonableness of the allocation of funds to the various tasks. If the proposed total cost exceeds the funds available, the proposal is rejected. (4) All proposals become the property of the Transportation Research Board. Final disposition will be made according to the policies thereof, including the right to reject all proposals.
(5) Potential proposers should understand that follow-on activities for this project may be carried out through either a contract amendment modifying the scope of work with additional time and funds, or through a new contract (via sole source, full, or restrictive competition).]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:08:55 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2636148</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>SAFE Schools For Safer Future
</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2628212</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Seatbelts Are For Everyone (SAFE) is a Kansas state initiative program launched in 2008 by DCCCA Inc. (Developing Caring Communities Committed to Action) to increase teen restraint compliance through education, positive reinforcement, and enforcement. This teen-led, peer-to-peer program aims to reduce the number of teen motor vehicle injuries and fatalities. The SAFE program has been a component of the Kansas Traffic Safety Resource Office (KTSRO) for over a decade. The program was expanded to Oklahoma and Missouri in 2014 and 2016 respectively, and Iowa adopted the program in 2021. 
The goal of the current research project is to understand the efficacy of the SAFE program through a multifaceted approach. This project will be conducted in two parts; the first part includes surveying high school students on the topics of seatbelt, traffic laws and other safe driving behaviors covered by the SAFE program that can help in understanding their attitudes, perceptions, knowledge and experience regarding road safety and how it differs between students participating SAFE and non-SAFE schools. In addition, this part will also include socioeconomic analysis to determine the influence of equity factors on the driving behaviors and perception of Kansas teen drivers. The second part of the study will include conducting literature review, examining Kansas fatal and serious injury crashes involving teens over a 13-year period, from 2010 to 2023, and their potential contributing factors, identifying various safety programs, best practices and initiatives across the nation focused on improving teen safety and emphasizing the importance of educating and training young drivers during their early driving phases. It is critical to instill safe driving behavior for young people from an early age to foster a safety culture and better mobility in the future.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:27:17 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2628212</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Multi-State Assessment of Advanced Mobility Innovation Lab</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2571989</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project will consist of testing the implementation of the Advanced Mobility Innovation Lab (AMIL) program in multiple states to reach underserved K-12 students in rural and urban core areas of the southeast. The portable STEM lab will fuse transportation technology demonstrations with project-based STEM activities to expose students to advanced technologies and educate them about the STEM principles used to develop and operate such systems. The project will include the refinement of tools and plans developed in a prior project (R-EWD-1), the enhancement of this partnership with other CR2C2 consortium members along with two test events one in Tennessee and one in North Carolina that includes the demonstration of an autonomous vehicle.  

This project will continue the development of the AMIL program. AMIL’s are mobile STEM laboratories used to demonstrate existing and newly developed mobility technologies and serve as a resource to teach STEM content using advanced transportation technology-themed problem-based learning activities. The concept is analogous to “Bookmobiles” or “Libraries-on-Wheels” that have been used for decades to take books to underserved areas to inspire children to read, but the AMIL program focuses on developing STEM skills rather than reading.  
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2025 14:24:54 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2571989</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Transformative and Innovative Work in Transportation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2567114</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The proposed project is designed to increase participants’ likelihood of accepting a position in the transportation industry with the potential for developing innovative and transformative approaches and solutions to transportation challenges and opportunities. To achieve this goal a one-day workshop attended by undergraduates and prospective students interested in learning more about the transportation industry will be conducted. The workshop will consist of invited addresses by transportation professionals, university faculty and others who have a deep knowledge and understanding of the transportation industry. The participants will also be asked to complete a series of vocational interest inventories designed to assist in matching interest’s preferences and values with the opportunities, task, mission, and activities of transportation companies and agencies. Interactive exercises, group discussion, and short videos will be utilized to convey information and increase awareness of opportunities in the industry.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 23 Jun 2025 14:56:05 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2567114</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Inspire Future Transportation &amp; Civil Engineers: Summer Camp at the University of Hartford</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2566909</link>
      <description><![CDATA[In recent years, the field of transportation and civil engineering faces a critical challenge in attracting and inspiring young students, specifically those in high school and middle school, to pursue careers in these disciplines. The number of students choosing these majors at universities is declining. As stated in 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) president note: “The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a need for about 25,000 new civil engineers each year throughout this decade. However, this number is based on the need to replace workers; … Moody’s estimates that infrastructure projects will create 883,600 jobs by 2030 and per capita income will increase by 10.5% as a result.” There is a growing need for skilled professionals in these fields to address the evolving infrastructure demands of society. To improve the workforce shortage situation, the proposed project is to organize a civil engineering summer camp, with a focus on transportation engineering, at the University of Hartford in summer 2025. This project aims to achieve the following objectives: Foster awareness and cultivate interest among young students in the fields of transportation and civil engineering; Establish a sustainable framework to inspire and educate future generations of transportation and civil engineering professionals; Contribute to the long-term impact on workforce development and community engagement in the fields of transportation and civil engineering.
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 18 Jun 2025 14:14:35 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2566909</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>First Year Program to Promote Students in Transportation Cybersecurity Education and Careers</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2559303</link>
      <description><![CDATA[This project, led by the USDOT Tier-1 University Transportation Center CYBER-CARE, is designed to address critical cybersecurity challenges within the transportation sector through education and workforce development. Recognizing the increased vulnerability of transportation systems due to digital interconnectedness, the project aims to cultivate a skilled workforce ready to meet these security demands. To ensure the program aligns closely with industry needs, the research team is including transportation sector leaders and stakeholders in the project team. This collaboration will allow the research team to identify and integrate essential skills and knowledge required within the transportation sector into the curriculum. The project will also leverage these industry experts in the evaluation phase, utilizing their insights to refine program content and confirm its applicability to real-world challenges. In partnership with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), this project seeks to engage high school and university students through seminars, summer camps, and tailored cybersecurity courses, creating an effective educational pathway toward careers in transportation cybersecurity.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 21:39:48 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2559303</guid>
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    <item>
      <title>Framework for Transportation Systems Management and Operations Curricula</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558371</link>
      <description><![CDATA[BACKGROUND: Transportation systems management and operations (TSMO) is a set of strategies focused on operational improvements that maintain and restore the performance of existing transportation systems before additional capacity is required. A wide range of careers falls under TSMO, including intelligent transportation system (ITS) engineers, traffic management control operators, and data scientists. Growing and developing the TSMO workforce requires multiple approaches and strategies, from educating students about TSMO careers to preparing existing professionals from other fields to transition into TSMO roles.

Several resources exist to advance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of TSMO practitioners. For example, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Transportation Operations Manual serves as a resource for transportation agencies to develop and sustain the operational capabilities and strategies needed to preserve and optimize system performance. The Operations Academy is a training program designed for mid- to high-level managers whose current or future responsibilities include TSMO. The National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) TSMO Workforce Development website provides a variety of additional resources. However, few initiatives focus on individuals who have not yet entered, or are new to, the TSMO workforce.

Research is needed to help educational organizations develop and align curricula that introduce TSMO concepts, build relevant skills, and connect students with career opportunities in the field.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research is to develop a framework for educators to establish recruitment pipelines that expand the talent pool and enhance the competencies of candidates entering the TSMO workforce.

At a minimum, the framework must include: (1) Model curricula: (a) with defined learning objectives that address gaps in knowledge, skills, and abilities and remain adaptable to technological advancements, (b) with detailed descriptions of courses; degree programs; and certificate, associate, and vocational training opportunities mapped to existing programs, (c) for undergraduate and graduate students, certificate and associate program participants, vocational trainees, career changers, and current workers, (d) not designed for workforce development activities within agencies; (2) Recommended reference materials; (3) Prerequisites for program participants; (4) Measures of curriculum effectiveness. 

The primary audience includes colleges, universities, community colleges, associations, vocational schools, and other institutions that provide technical education and training. The secondary audience includes industry professionals, state departments of transportation, and other government agencies.

TASKS: Task 1: Literature Review. Task 2: Gap Analysis & Stakeholder Engagement. 
Task 3: TSMO Curriculum Framework Method Development. Task 4: Interim Report #1 & Panel Meeting #1. Task 5: TSMO Curriculum Design and Pathway Development. Task 6: TSMO Framework Supporting Materials. Task 7: Measures of Effectiveness. Task 8: Pilot Implementation - Part 1, Task 9. Interim Report #2 & Panel Meeting #2. Task 10: Pilot Implementation - Part 2. Task 11: Framework for TSMO Curriculum. Task 12: Conduct of Research Report and Presentation.

Deliverables: (1) Interim Report No. 1 and Interim Meeting No. 1 with the NCHRP project panel; (2) Interim Report No. 2 and Interim Meeting No. 2 with the NCHRP project panel; 
(3) Final deliverables. These deliverables shall include: (a) the framework in a practitioner-ready format (the framework is due in draft form at least 6 months before subaward end date); (b) a conduct of research report documenting the entire research effort and findings; (c) a PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes summarizing the project and illustrating how the results can be applied; (d) a technical memorandum titled “Implementation of Research Findings and Products”.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 29 May 2025 13:03:14 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2558371</guid>
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