AASHTO RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE (RAC) RESEARCH COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION TASK GROUP/TRB CONDUCT OF RESEARCH COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING NOTES 7/16/08

9:30 am – 12:00 pm Pacific 10:30 am – 1:00 pm Mountain 11:30 am – 2:00 pm Central 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern

Call in information: 1-888-955-5369, passcode 517457 Online at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/join/655862437, Meeting ID: 655-862-437

1. Introductions/Housekeeping - All a. Introductions/Sign In Sheet Members Present: Steve Albert, Michael Bonini, Jeff Brown, Nancy Chinlund, Allison Hardt, Chris Hedges, Sandi Hoff, Mark Norman, Calvin Roberts, Sue Sillick, and Felicia Young

Teleconference Members: Jason Bittner, Georgene Geary, Hau Hagedorn, Larry Orcutt, and Linda Preisen,

Friends Present: Ann Brach, Maria Chao, Darryll Dockstader, Gary Frederick, Chris Jenks, Jack Jernigan, Tim Klein, Brian Marquis, Patrick McMahon, Rich Sarchet, Larry Sutter, Michael Trentacoste, Barry Williams, Gary Williams.

b. Note Taker: Sandi Hoff c. Changes/Additions to Agenda?

Two additions: 1) Implementation of the recommendations from the International Research Management Scan and 2) Coordination with other task groups.

d. Corrections to 5/6/2008 Meeting Notes (Attached) – None.

2. Report on Action Items a. TRNews Article – Sam Elraham

Sue S. asked for volunteers to help with the development of articles. Steve A. suggested looking at partnership examples with UTCs. The focus for this first article will be successful partnerships among public entities: Federal, state, and local governments and UTCs. Sam has started writing articles up for TRNews. b. Unfunded Research Needs Search (http://www.google.com/coop/cse? cx=006511338351663161139%3Avblegi9v2au&hl=en) i. Steve A. will put together a list of contacts for the conferences/road maps for possible addition to this search tool. Steve A. will send TRB outreach information to Sue. ii. TRB will post unfunded needs from CRP’s other than NCHRP and will send a site map to Google so that this information can be indexed – Chris Hedges iii. Leni O. will draft guidelines for posting documents, such as research needs, to websites so that they are searchable. iv. Tom M. and Steve A. will work to obtain beta testers for the unfunded research needs portal. v. Felicia Y. and Dawn T. will investigate other sources of unfunded research needs at the national level, both within and outside of USDOT, such as STEP, EPA, FAA, FTA, NSF, SHRP 2, Department of Homeland Security, and freight sources. Begin with USDOT.

Mark N. discussed the coordination between TRB Research Needs and AASHTO TERI databases. TERI research ideas vetted by TRB committees will be added to the TRB RNS database and all RNS environmental research ideas will be added to TERI.

TRB staff is working on posting all CRP unfunded research needs so that they can be added to this search tool. Mark N. reported once these are posted they will be sent to TRB committees for possible vetting and addition to the RNS.

Sue S. and Steve A. have worked with RITA staff to obtain a list of possible beta testers. A number of suggestions for improvements were made. It was suggested these improvements be made before the beta testing occurs. Steve A. suggested adding a FAQ link to the search tool. It was also suggested we add a link to facilitate submitting comments on the search tool. Chris H. suggested adding an explanation at the top as to exactly what these research ideas are. Just because they weren’t selected, it doesn’t mean there is no value. Many research programs are very competitive and good ideas go unfunded. This should also be included in the memo that accompanies the beta test survey. Comments on the survey included: 1) changing the language for #1, and just asking for responders to explain their response after question #1; 2) what is the motivation for using the tool; 3) is it clear what a user of the tool does when they find a project of interest.

Search tool does not allow for sorting and prioritizing of projects; also does not show the timeliness/urgency of the project today.

Steve A. asked how to we celebrate the success of someone selecting projects off of this list, who is responsible for removing it from the list and ensures that it moves to RIP. Felicia Y. reported that in FY09 there will be a checklist for the STEP program in order to review the feedback and make an assessment of what has been funded in previous years for possible addition of unfunded research needs to search portal.

c. RIP Training/Marketing/Data Entry - Sue S./Barbara P.

Skipped due to Barbara’s absence.

d. Website/WIKI Development - Nancy C. i. RAC Task Group website: http://research.transportation.org/? siteid=55&pageid=2810 ii. TRB COR Website: http://www.mrutc.org/cor/strategicgoals/goal1.html

Nancy C. provided an overview of the Transportation Research Collaboration website. It was created by volunteers. They are still finalizing the structure of the site. Once the site is finalized, it will then be populated. The SharePoint site will be paid for by Caltrans for the first year. The site will have wiki capability, as well as calendar and other capabilities for inputting and sharing information.

Sue S. suggested that partnership opportunities may be over-riding and not belong to any one box. Nancy C. suggested that future needs/advanced research should be added, perhaps in the planning box. She also suggested adding a hot topics area. Michael B. suggested adding the areas in the SCOR strategic plan that are of importance to this group.

Maria C. suggested allowing for easier searching by having these boxes as static pages, but the search capability would allow for information being gathered through multiple levels.

e. Bubble Charts - Leni O.

Skipped due to technical difficulties. Sue S. will send it out to the members.

f. TRB Booklet - Sue S.

Sue S. said that we are coordinating with Kim Fisher on the TRB booklet. This will be a resource for those who are looking for funds and those who fund research projects.

Several chapters are complete. There is more work to be done to fill in the holes in the text. Volunteers are needed to help with completing this.

Steve A. briefed the committee on the discussion of the funding task group earlier today. The task force formed a group to inventory the states to see how states are leveraging funds and looking for alternative/non-traditional funding sources. Bill is taking the lead on this project.

Wes L. congratulated the group for being so active. SCOR’s strategic plan reflects the importance of the work done by this group. 3. SCOR Strategic Plan – Role for Task Group - All (Attached)

Sue S. suggested that this committee has the majority of the assignments in the SCOR Strategic Plan. Sue S. reviewed the strategic plan for current goals where this committee can help and also indicated this group can suggest additions if we see some holes.

For goal 1, there are no assignments for our committee, but it does fit in with our marketing of successful partnership efforts and the authorization brief we prepared.

2.A.1. Leni O. will be addressing this item for the Funding TG. Jeff B. will report back Leni’s findings to the C/C TG. Sue S. requested volunteers to discuss this item with other TGs to see where C/C can assist. Sue S. will talk to Glenn and his TG to look at the TRB report and to discuss the international scan. The current role of the TG will be to synthesize this previous work.

Wes L. suggested that the new policy report soon to be published, the international scan, and the other work of this task group are essential to this task. This TG will have work with other TG to complete the task. There is no worry about the time limitation. The three groups should work together to give some preliminary information to the SCOR for the November meeting.

Steve A. will contact the UTCs/universities to gather partnership agreements. Tim will help to gather international agreements. Jeff B. will contact International Symposium on Pavements to request any available agreements.

2.B.1. Tim will identify other federal sources. Monique E. and Darryll D. from the Future Needs TG had volunteered to work on this task with the C/C TG.

2.B.2. Future Needs TG has agreed to help with the task due the 10 to 50 year horizon. Allison H., Sue S. and Leni O. will take the lead for the C/C TG.

2.B.3. Steve A. suggested promoting the success stories of the C/C TG. We don’t need to wait until the work is completed. The TG can promote the work that is progress. Sue S. suggested promoting the work completed with an accompanying question of -- what else can we do?

Steve A. suggested that there is only so much that can be accomplished by a volunteer organization. At some point we may need to hire someone to do some of this work. Chris H. suggested the RAC can submit requests to NCHRP as option of funding at some point.

4. RITA Communities of Practice and Collaborative Website Update (Dawn T.)

Skipped due to Dawn’s absence. 5. UTC Coordination/Collaboration Activities (Steve A.)

Steve A. provided an overview of a manual/resource document that lists the common themes/focus areas for the ten national centers (see http://www.coe.montana.edu/wti/wwwshare/UTC_Labs/lab_list_formatted.pdf). It includes laboratories’ technical capabilities and other assets. It is a searchable electronic document. Sue S. suggested to Tim K. that this needs to be expanded to all of the UTCs in the country. Jason said that this effort began with the national centers because they are a discreet, stand alone group with a national focus.

6. TRIS Strategic Plan Focus Groups Update (Barbara P./Sue S.)

Skipped due to Barbara’s absence.

7. Other coordination and collaboration activities? (All) 8. Objectives a. Partnering articles in TRNews. b. Unfunded research needs portal. c. RIP data entry, training, and marketing. d. Website/WIKI Development. e. Bubble Charts. f. TRB Research Booklet. 9. Meetings (All) – Next Meetings – Mark your calendars! a. 9/2/08, 11/13/08, 1/6/09, 3/3/09, 5/5/09, 7/7/09, 9/1/09, and 11/3/09. b. 9/2/08 Agenda items (All) – Suggestions?