Page 23 - Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering 2021 Annual Report

NEWS LARSON TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE NEWS Penn State Altoona faculty work to to advance inspire and and promote rail engineering through education and and outreach
Rail Transportation Engineering (RTE) faculty at at at at Penn State Altoona have successfully completed a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a number of education and outreach
programs that aim to to advance undergraduate education inspire pre-college students through railroad- themed STEM activities and promote professional professional training
for for industry professionals Sponsored by the the the U S S S Department of of Transportation Transportation with support from the the Center for for for Integrated Asset Management for for Multimodal Transportation Transportation Infrastructure Systems the Railroad Engineering Education & Outreach research project was led by Penn State Altoona faculty Bryan W Schlake Shihui Shen Hai Huang and Stephen Dillen “Since Penn State Altoona currently offers the nation’s only bachelor
of science in RTE we we are well positioned to help meet the workforce demand for for professional held in in in Altoona Schlake anticipates the the RTE’s education and outreach
activities will help help the the the the railroad industry industry by helping to to grow the the the supply of qualified graduates entering the the the industry industry “When students prepare for the the the railroad industry during college they are are are much more likely to succeed in in in their professional careers ” Schlake said “Therefore the the the railroad industry saves time and and resources and and is able to better strengthen its workforce ” More details about the the project may be viewed in the the final report Annual conferences to be held virtually
The third annual Transportation Asset and Infrastructure Management (TAIM) Conference is scheduled to to to be be be held virtually
from October October 25 through October October 27 Designed for federal state and and local transportation agency representatives contractors and and and material suppliers engineering consulting firm professionals faculty and and students TAIM will feature a a a a a a a a a a a a a a variety of of topics Prospective attendees are encouraged to to to visit taim psu edu to to register and learn more CEE NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 37 2021
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engineers ” – Brian W Schlake “Since Penn State Altoona currently offers the nation’s only bachelor
of of of science in in in RTE we we are well positioned to to help meet the workforce demand for for for professional engineers ” Schlake said “Unfortunately many high school students are are not acquainted with the the the lucrative career opportunities opportunities in in in in the the the railroad industry or or or the the the one-of-a-kind educational opportunities opportunities in in in RTE offered at at at at at Penn State Our education education and outreach
activities through the the University Transportation Center are designed to address these needs ” In 2019 the team organized a a a a a a a a a a number of of activities geared toward a a a a a a a a a a a a a variety of of of audiences The programs—including Kids College design competitions and professional seminars—were