Zoe Levenson

CMU College/School: Heinz College

Major/Minor: Master in Information Systems Management

Role at Traffic21: Fellow

Why did you decide to get involved with Traffic21?  I became involved in Traffic21 to learn more about the infrastructure that keeps a city running.  Without people being able to get to where they need by public transit, bridges across rivers, safe bike lanes, etc. then a city would be a boring place.  Being part of Traffic21 provided opportunities for me to meet the professors researching better, safer, more efficient transportation, drive in an autonomous vehicle, and gain experience in an industry that is always going to be around.

Favorite Traffic21 Memory?  There are too many to pick from! But one of the top was meeting, talking and introducing with DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx.  His calm composure and interest to learn about the new innovative technologies that will be hitting our streets soon was something that stood out about him.

Most valuable lesson learned during your time at Traffic21?  Time management; balancing out a full course load and completing my fellowship requirements was a true balancing act.  But this skill is an important skill that I use in my job as a project manager every day.

Why should other students get involved with Traffic21?  I never thought so much about how technology and policy really do go hand in hand until I worked with Traffic21.  But as technology is changing the way we get around in a city, the policy needs to be there in order to help users adapt to the safer technology.  Besides that, transportation is a very cool industry.

What’s next for you – and where?  I am a Product Owner for Hilti in Plano, Texas.  I oversee our eCommerce website.