University Transportation Centers

Measuring Success 25 Years of Excellence Mission Performance Measures for UTCs funded through America’s investment in transportation research and To advance U.S. technology and expertise in SAFETEA-LU (2005-2010): education through the University Transportation the many disciplines comprising transportation • Over 2,500 research projects selected for Federal Centers (UTC) Program since 1987 has paid huge through the mechanisms of education, research, funding using UTC grant money. dividends. Thousands of graduates supported by the and technology transfer at university-based UTC Program are leading, designing, building, centers of excellence. • Over 10,000 graduate students and 6,000 under- managing, and improving our transportation graduate students participated in UTC-supported enterprise, and hundreds of transportation research Goals research projects. results supported by the UTC Program have been 1. Education: a multidisciplinary program • Over 10,000 graduate students earned their implemented across the United States. The of course work and experiential learning master’s degrees in transportation-related fields. intellectual infrastructure fostered by the UTC that reinforces the transportation theme Program is a strong national asset that undergirds • Over 1,500 PhD students received their degrees 25 of the Center. in transportation-related fields. our ability to anticipate future transportation needs and opportunities, creates innovative transportation 2. Human Resources: an increased number • Over 9,000 seminars, symposia, and distance- solutions, and informs good public policy decision of students, faculty, and staff who are learning courses conducted by UTCs for making. The UTC Program’s dollar-for-dollar attracted to and substantively involved transportation professionals. University match requirement has leveraged Federal funds and in the undergraduate, graduate, and encouraged engagement by State DOTs, corporations, professional programs of the Center. Transportation and other partners. The UTC Program has 3. Diversity: students, faculty, and staff who increasingly emphasized coordination and collabora- reflect the growing diversity of the U.S. Centers tion among universities and their partners in State workforce and are substantively involved and municipal governments, K–12 educational in the undergraduate, graduate, and institutions, and corporations. America’s economy and professional programs of the Center. quality of life have been and continue to be enhanced 4. Research Selection: an objective process by the results of the UTC Program. for selecting and reviewing research that balances multiple objectives of the program. Celebrating 25 years of — Curtis J. Tompkins, PhD innovation in transportation UTC Program Director, 2007–2011 5. Research Performance: an ongoing pro- research and education gram of basic and applied research, the © iStockPhoto.com/PhotoTalk Vision products of which are judged by peers or other experts in the field to advance the Internationally recognized centers of excellence, fully body of knowledge in transportation. integrated within institutions of higher learning, that 6. Technology Transfer: availability of For additional information serve as a vital source of leaders who are prepared to research results to potential users in a form meet the Nation’s need for safe, efficient, and environ- about the UTC Program, that can be directly implemented, utilized, mentally sound movement of people and goods. please visit http://utc.dot.gov/. or otherwise applied. University ofFlorida University ofDetroit Mercy University ofDenver University ofDelaware University ofConnecticut University George Mason Cleveland State University The College City ofNew York ofthe University ofCentral Florida Carnegie University Mellon California State University–San Bernardino University ofCalifornia–Davis University ofCalifornia–Berkeley Assumption College University ofArkansas University ofAlaska University ofAlabama–Tuscaloosa University ofAlabama–Birmingham University ofAkron UTC Grants, 1987-2012 Received Universities That 1987 funds dollarfor dollar. years. UTCs mustmatch Federal authorized at $40millionover four and technology transfer. Funding is research transportation primarily The UTC Program’s missionis each ofthe10Federal regions. competitively chosento operate in of higherlearning, withonecenter Transportation Centers at institutions establishes aprogram ofUniversity Uniform RelocationAssistance Act The Surface Transportation and City University ofNew City York

90 education to someUTCs’ missions. and designates 9othersat namedinstitutions. ISTEAadds 1991 (ISTEA) continues the10regional competitive UTCs The Surface Intermodal TransportationAct of Efficiency 91

93 North Carolina A&TStateNorth University of New JerseyInstitute Technology University ofNevada–Las Vegas University ofNebraska–Lincoln Morgan State University StateMontana University University ofScienceand Missouri Technology StateMississippi University University ofMinnesota TechnologicalMichigan University University ofMichigan University ofMemphis of Institute Massachusetts Technology University ofMassachusetts University ofMaryland University Marshall Louisiana State University State University Kansas Jackson State University Iowa State University University ofIllinois, Urbana-Champaign University ofIdaho Hampton University Georgia of Institute Technology

98 the UTC Program. strategic planningmanagement for mission, amultimodalfocus, and TEA-21 specifiesaneducational institutions. designates upto 23othersat named 10 regional, competitive UTCs and provides for (TEA-21) 21st Century The Transportation for Act Equity the

2000 Youngstown State University of Wisconsin–Madison University of WashingtonUniversity Virginia Polytechnic andState Institute University of Vermont University StateUtah University of ToledoUniversity Texas A&MUniversity of TennesseeUniversity California/University ofSouthern FloridaUniversity ofSouth CarolinaSouth State University JoséStateSan University Rutgers University, The State University Island University ofRhode Purdue University Portland State University The Pennsylvania State University State University Oklahoma Northwestern University DakotaState University North Carolina StateNorth University

California State University–Long Beach of NewJersey 01

02 competition. through selected number the UTCs overall increasing but of number the reducing 10 only at UTCs, funding continuation for to compete TEA-21 UTCs designated 17TEA-21 requires the of

number ofdesignated centers to 40. competitive UTCs, andincreasing the centers by continuing the20 expands theUTC Program to 60 forA Legacy Users (SAFETEA-LU) EfficientAct: Equity Transportation The Safe, Accountable, Flexible,

Where Are They Now? andleadership.performance, on technical andresearch, merit academic to receive isbased a$1,000stipend. Selection studentEach UTC onetransportation selects during Transportation Research Board Week. of UTC students at anannualawards ceremony RITA recognizes theoutstandingachievements Students ofthe Year of aninternational corporation. airline professors, researchers, andaregional director heads,directors, university department consulting firms, UTC directors anddeputy CEOs and Vice Presidents ofengineering directors,and deputy Federal DOT managers, officials, aselected Stateserve DOT directors A numberofUTC graduates now currently

selects 22UTCs.selects competitively fully fundedand 60 UTCs to be determines the extended, DOT of SAFETEA-LU as Following aprovision 11

2012