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. The Surface Transportation and The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of The Transportation Equity Act for the TEA-21 requires 17 of the The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Following a provision Uniform Relocation Assistance Act 1991 (ISTEA) continues the 10 regional competitive UTCs 21st Century (TEA-21) provides for designated TEA-21 UTCs Efficient Transportation Equity Act: of SAFETEA-LU as establishes a program of University and designates 9 others at named institutions. ISTEA adds 10 regional, competitive UTCs and to compete for continuation A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) extended, DOT Transportation Centers at institutions education to some UTCs’ missions. designates up to 23 others at named funding at only 10 UTCs, expands the UTC Program to 60 determines the of higher learning, with one center institutions. reducing the number of centers by continuing the 20 60 UTCs to be competitively chosen to operate in UTCs overall but increasing competitive UTCs, and increasing the fully funded and each of the 10 Federal regions. TEA-21 specifies an educational the number selected number of designated centers to 40. competitively mission, a multimodal focus, and through competition. selects 22 UTCs. The UTC Program’s mission is strategic planning management for primarily transportation research the UTC Program. and technology transfer. Funding is authorized at $40 million over four years. UTCs must match Federal funds dollar for dollar. 99 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 1987 2000 2012 Universities That Received Georgia Institute of Technology North Carolina State University Students of the Year Hampton University North Dakota State University UTC Grants, 1987-2012 RITA recognizes the outstanding achievements University of Idaho Northwestern University University of Akron of UTC students at an annual awards ceremony University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Oklahoma State University University of Alabama–Birmingham during Transportation Research Board Week. Iowa State University The Pennsylvania State University University of Alabama–Tuscaloosa Each UTC selects one transportation student Jackson State University Portland State University University of Alaska to receive a $1,000 stipend. Selection is based Kansas State University Purdue University University of Arkansas on technical merit and research, academic Louisiana State University University of Rhode Island Assumption College performance, and leadership. Marshall University Rutgers University, The State University University of California–Berkeley University of Maryland of New Jersey University of California–Davis University of Massachusetts San José State University Where Are They Now? California State University–San Bernardino Massachusetts Institute of Technology South Carolina State University A number of UTC graduates now currently Carnegie Mellon University University of Memphis University of South Florida serve as elected officials, State DOT directors University of Central Florida University of Michigan University of Southern California/ and deputy directors, Federal DOT managers, The City College of New York of the Michigan Technological University California State University–Long Beach CEOs and Vice Presidents of engineering City University of New York University of Minnesota University of Tennessee consulting firms, UTC directors and deputy Cleveland State University Mississippi State University Texas A&M University directors, university department heads, George Mason University Missouri University of Science and Technology University of Toledo professors, researchers, and a regional director University of Connecticut Montana State University Utah State University of an international airline corporation. University of Delaware Morgan State University University of Vermont University of Denver University of Nebraska–Lincoln Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University University of Detroit Mercy University of Nevada–Las Vegas University of Washington University of Florida New Jersey Institute of Technology University of Wisconsin–Madison North Carolina A&T State University Youngstown State University .