Skip to main content

Honours for US transport researchers and educators

Nine people have been honoured for their outstanding transport research and education work in the United States. The Council of University Transportation Centres (CUTC) presented awards to the students, educators and transport officials at the 15th Annual CUTC Awards Banquet held in Washington D.C.
March 15, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Nine people have been honoured for their outstanding transport research and education work in the United States. The 3942 Council of University Transportation Centres (CUTC) presented awards to the students, educators and transport officials at the 15th Annual CUTC Awards Banquet held in Washington D.C.

Bill Millar, who retired last year as president of the 2523 American Public Transportation Association (APTA), claimed the ‘Lifetime Achievement in Transportation Research & Education Award’, recognising individuals who have made significant contributions throughout their professional lives to transportation research and education by working in government, business or non-governmental organisations.

Dr Daniel Turner, of the University of Alabama, was given an award for ‘Distinguished Contribution to University Transportation and Research’, for his long history of significant and outstanding contributions to university-level transportation education and research.

The ‘CUTC-ARTBA New Faculty Award’, presented to tenure-track educators in recognition of outstanding teaching and research contributions in the transport field, went to Dr Bruce Wang, associate professor at Texas A&M University.

Meanwhile, Dr Vikrant Suhas Vaz, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Alexander Bigazzi, of Portland State University, claimed the ‘Milton Pikarsky Award’, given to graduate students in the transport field for outstanding doctoral dissertations, Master of Science theses or Master of Science/Master of Engineering reports with an emphasis on science and technology.

The ‘Charlie V. Wootan Award’, given to graduate students in the transport field for outstanding dissertations, theses, or Master of Science/Master of Engineering reports with an emphasis on policy and planning, was claimed by Dr Kari Edison Watkins, of the University of Washington, and Mrs Carey Blackmar Barr, of University of Texas, Austin.

Finally, the ‘Neville A. Parker Award’, for students pursuing Master of Science degrees in the transport field who have written outstanding non-thesis papers or projects around policy and planning, or science and technology, was presented to Mr Michael Litschi, of The Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University, and Mr Rubens Sylvain, of City College at The City University of New York.

The CUTC was established in 1979 by the major transport research centres and institutes in the United States. Its membership represents over 80 of the nation's leading university-based transport research and education programmes, whose individuals have been credited with making significant and lasting contributions to the nation's mobility, economy, and defence.

Related Content

  • ARTBA concerned over drop in US highway spending
    March 4, 2013
    Despite the 2012 passage of the US federal surface transportation law, known as MAP-21, the real value of highway and bridge contract awards over the last 12 months was down 3% compared the previous 12 month period. This is according to the latest analysis of McGraw-Hill Dodge data by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). Taking into account changes in wages, materials and inflation, state and local governments awarded US$54.3 billion in real highway and bridge contract awards bet
  • Funding road research in Kenya as infrastructure development grows
    August 14, 2017
    The demand for road construction material research and testing services in Kenya is expected to soar. The East African country is going through a construction boom, despite policy and financial challenges facing public institutions overseeing the research and testing operations in the transport industry. “Kenya is going through a construction boom and so is the demand for construction material testing services,” said Juma Ali Madzitsa, Geotechnical Lab Supervisor at SGS Kenya, a subsidiary of Swiss based in
  • TRA competition for transport innovation
    May 26, 2017
    The TRA is calling for applicants for its dual transport innovation competition. The TRA Visions 2018 competition invites young and senior researchers from all over Europe to submit innovative transport concepts to www.travisions.eu. The two European-funded TRA Visions 2018 competitions, one for young researchers and the second for senior researchers, are now open to applicants. Young and senior researchers throughout Europe are invited to submit innovative concepts on future transport matters to develop ef
  • Huesker success in Milton Vargas Award
    December 14, 2012
    Huesker is celebrating victory in this year’s Milton Vargas Award. Now in its second year and honouring the pioneer of soil mechanics in Brazil who died in May 2011, the Milton Vargas Award is an initiative of the Brazilian magazine Fundações and Obras Geotécnicas. It recognises the work of professionals responsible for planning, design and implementation of large construction projects, whose works have already featured prominently in the magazine. Technical director Dr. Dimiter Alexiew (Huesker Germany); r