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May 2007
Leaders honored at CTS annual awards luncheon
CTS presented the following awards at its Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon on March 27 in Minneapolis.
Robert Johns, Max Donath, Richard Braun
Richard P. Braun Distinguished Service Award: Former CTS director Richard Braun presented the award to Max Donath, director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Institute since 1997 and professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Donath has created one of the most successful ITS research programs in the world, leveraging ITS Institute funds to attract major projects on navigation and intersection control technologies. “It has been an exciting time,” Donath said of his 29 years at the University.
Johns, Donna Allan, Charles Zelle
Ray L. Lappegaard Distinguished Service Award: Donna Allan is a “wonderful mentor” to many women in transportation and to transit professionals, said Charles Zelle, CTS Executive Committee member. Allan, director of Mn/DOT’s Office of Transit, has served in a number of leadership positions for the WTS Minnesota Chapter and was the driving force behind the establishment of the Interagency Committee on Transit Coordination. Every day, Allan said, she works with great people and partners. “I know I have the best job in the world,” she said.
Johns, John Hausladen, Richard T. Murphy
William K. Smith Distinguished Service Award: Last year’s recipient, Richard Murphy Jr., chair of the CTS Executive Committee, presented the award to John Hausladen, president of the Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA). Hausladen took an organization that had been fairly inward looking, Murphy said, and turned it into “a 21st century organization” whose vision now encompasses other modes. Hausladen said he is “blessed” to be part of MTA and credited his staff and others for the organization’s accomplishments.
Johns, Curt Johnson
Distinguished Public Leadership Award: CTS director Robert Johns presented the award to Curt Johnson, a long-time public and civic leader and advisor who has served as executive director of the Citizen’s League, chief of staff to former Gov. Arne Carlson, and chair of the Metropolitan Council. Now president of the Citistates Group, a communications company, Johnson said he “has fun making a living writing about what other people do.”
Nic Ward, Michael Rakauskas, Cheri Marti
Marti, Xiaozheng He, Henry Liu
Matthew J. Huber Award for Excellence in Transportation Research and Education: Cheri Marti, CTS associate director, presented the award to two students. First was Michael “Mick” Rakauskas, a research fellow with the HumanFIRST Program and a Ph.D. candidate in the psychology department. He was nominated by Nic Ward, director of HumanFIRST, who said Rakauskas “balanced lots of responsibility with grace and humor.”
Second was Xiaozheng “Sean” He, a second-year graduate student pursuing both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the Department of Civil Engineering advised by assistant professor Henry Liu. Liu said He’s unique background in mathematics helped in tackling transportation network modeling.
Marti, Adam Kokotovich, Lee Munnich
ITS Institute Student of the Year Award: Adam Kokotovich received the ITS Institute’s 2006 Outstanding Student of the Year Award at the annual TRB meeting in Washington, D.C., in January and was also recognized at the April ceremony. Kokotovich is currently working to obtain his master’s in science, technology, and environmental policy. His current research focuses on emerging technologies and their social and ethical implications, including privacy concerns related to some ITS technologies. His advisor, Lee Munnich of the Humphrey Institute, said Kokotovich did “more than an outstanding job” on the privacy-related research. Kokotovich said he was pleased to be involved so that “the full potential of ITS technology can be realized.”