NTC News Archive

November 2017

Jianan Zhou has been selected as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2018 International Road Federation (IRF) Fellow. Jianan is a graduate research assistant at the Nebraska Transportation Center and in the fourth year of his civil engineering Ph.D. program. His research focus includes highway capacity, traffic simulation, and transportation statistics. During the IRF Scholar Program, held January 7-12 in D.C., Jianan will participate in the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, IRF committee meetings, bridge building competitions, and visit the World Bank and Federal Highway Administration. Jianan’s fellowship is sponsored by Lindsay Transportation Solutions, a Nebraska-based company who delivers international expertise and products to improve road maintenance and safety.

September 27 - 30, 2017

Fifty students, faculty, and distinguished guest speakers participated in the fifth iteration of the Mid-America Transportation Center Scholars Program, hosted in collaboration with NTC. The goal of the Scholars Program is to promote graduate study among underrepresented groups in the STEM fields. Faculty who lead the core sessions and students come from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions, including Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and A&M College, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Tennessee State University, New Mexico State University, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Lincoln University. The curriculum focuses on reasons for pursuing advanced degrees, identifying and selecting a graduate program, budgeting and financing, choosing mentors, and effective communication skills. Guest speakers outline expectations and provide encouragement by sharing their graduate school and professional experiences. The 2017 sessions were held on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, providing students with the opportunity to experience a Big 10 research institution.

August 2017

The after-school program was implemented at two new sites this fall. In support of MATC/NTC’s mission to promote STEM careers among underrepresented groups, the Roads, Rails, and Race Cars (RRRC) club was expanded to reach Native American students at Umo^Nho^N Nation Public Schools and Winnebago Public School. Plans to expand the program to Macy and Winnebago, Nebraska, were developed following the success of the MATC/NCIA Sovereign Native Youth STEM Leadership Academy last July. After participating in the academy, Michele Barcelona, a special education teacher at Umo^Nho^N, and Samantha Loutsch, a science teacher at Winnebago, were approached by MATC/NTC Education and Outreach Coordinator Gabriel Bruguier to pilot the after-school program in their classrooms. RRRC participants at Macy and Winnebago have since been busy building bridges, towers, gliders, boats, and race cars out of various materials while learning about the science behind these structures. In November, the students were visited by Dr. Christopher Cornelius, UNL Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and MATC Education and Diversity Coordinator. Dr. Cornelius spoke to the students about his experience as a Native American in higher education and lead a lesson on energy. MATC/NTC plans to continue growing the after-school program in the coming academic year to reach additional Native American students and schools.

July 16 - 21, 2017

MATC/NTC recently partnered with the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs to host the 2017 Sovereign Native Youth STEM Leadership Academy. The academy lasted from July 16-21, and took place mostly at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where students were able to become familiar with the campus layout and opportunities. A central objective of the academy was to help Native American youth engage their potential in leadership in STEM and transportation fields. The group of 11 native students in attendance learned from professors and professionals in STEM fields, while also visiting institutions such as the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Union Pacific, and BNSF railway to learn about potential career opportunities. On Thursday, the students were challenged to utilize critical thinking and teamwork skills to build trailers that could float in water while carrying weight. Simultaneously, the academy emphasized Native American culture and history by including an excursion to the Standing Bear trail, as well as a native experiences panel. During the six day long academy, three teachers, three mentors, and six administrative leaders including Judi gaiashkibos, Larry Rilett, Gabriel Bruguier, Chris Cornelius, Rebekka Herrera-Schlichting, and Scott Shafer interacted with the students and shared their own experiences of getting into leadership in their native communities or the STEM field.

May 15, 2017

MATC/NTC was pleased to welcome participants to the 2017 internship program during the orientation on May 15. The students selected for MATC’s Intern Program will gain professional experience in the transportation field under the mentorship of industry or university sponsors. The orientation was an opportunity for the interns to meet one another and receive advice on having a successful internship. Dr. John Sangster, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, provided individual feedback on students’ resumes and their next steps in higher education or the profession based on their career interests and goals. University of Nebraska-Lincoln graduate student Sean Murphy shared his experience as a former MATC intern and encouraged the interns to ask their employers questions and emphasized the value of networking. At the close of the program, students will reflect on their internship experience in a written report and oral presentation given during the awards banquet on August 14.

March 20, 2017

Dr. Shannon Bartelt-Hunt, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and her team of faculty recently received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant of more than $300,000 to fund the expansion of their summer research program. The project titled, "REU Site: Sustainability of Horizontal Civil Networks in Rural Areas" focuses upon engaging students from outside the university to participate in research about creating sustainable infrastructure in rural areas. Though the project has already completed a successful two-year pilot period, this grant will enable the program to expand to ten students per program for the next three years. During the ten-week session, students will conduct research under the supervision of a faculty mentor, while also participating in professional development seminars and workshops. Other faculty members involved in the project include Drs. Yong-Rak Kim, Joshua Steelman, Yusong Li, Xu Li, Daniel Linzell, John Sangster, and Elizabeth Jones.