March 16, 2023

Mobility21 hosted the Fourth Annual National Mobility Summit of US Department of Transportation University Transportation Centers in Washington D.C.  The summit provided a unique opportunity for over 110 researchers, government, community, and industry representatives from across the country to discuss improving mobility for people and goods as well as highlighting UTC innovations and impacts.

The day began with a welcome from Mobility21 Director Raj Rajkumar and US Department of Transportation Director of UTC Grants Program Caesar Singh.  The day also included a keynote session, where Alasdair Cain, USDOT Director of Research, Development and Technology Coordination and several other senior leaders from the department discussed their programs and opportunities for collaborative transformational research.  The panelists included:

• Maryam Allahyar, Director, Research & Development, Office of Research, Development & Technology, Federal Railroad Administration, USDOT
• Brian Cronin, Director, Office of Safety and Operations R&D, Federal Highway Administration, USDOT
• Tom Keane, Associate Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, USDOT
• David Schneider, Acting Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation, Federal Transit Administration, USDOT
• Egan Smith, Managing Director, Intelligent Transportation Systems Joint Program Office, USDOT
• Nanda Srinivasan, Associate Administrator, Research and Program Development, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, USDOT

 

In addition, there were three discussion panels which focused on the topics of environment and climate change, workforce development, and equity.

Environment/Climate Change – UTC Innovations and Impacts

• Richard Ezike, Program Communication Specialist, Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
• Ralph Buehler, Professor and Chair at Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA)
• Genevieve Giuliano, Distinguished Professor, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, Pacific West Region UTC
• Stanley Young, Research Scientist, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

 

Workforce Development – UTC Innovations and Impacts

• Tom O’Brien, Executive Director, California State University, Long Beach College of Professional and Continuing Education Center for International Trade and Transportation
• Nick Geale, Vice President for Workforce Policy, American Trucking Associations
• Sarah Fox, Assistant Professor Human-Computer Interaction Institute, & Nik Martelaro, Assistant Professor Human-Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University
• Matt Colvin, Chief of Staff, Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO
• Hilary Nixon, Deputy Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute
• Carita Ducre, Vice President for Workforce Development and Education Services, APTA

 

Equity – UTC Innovations and Impacts

• Arlando Teller, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Tribal Affairs, USDOT
• David Kack, Director, Western Transportation Institute and the Program Manager for Mobility and Public Transportation
• Carol Tyson, Government Affairs Liaison, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
• Steven Polzin, Deputy Director at the TOMNET UTC at Arizona State University, TOMNET UTC
• April Rai, President & CEO, COMTO

 

The day highlighted work from mobility-themed UTC’s around the country (representing 50+ educational institutions) and concluded with a research showcase where UTCs could share their ideas and create new collaborations.

View some of the photos from the day’s events below.