Education & Engagement Council

This council looks at ways to strengthen transportation education and technology transfer programs for practitioners and students from multiple disciplines, and it provides advice on ongoing and special engagement activities to facilitate implementation of research results. This council also advises and guides CTS on workforce development and engagement efforts that promote a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable transportation system in Minnesota.

Council activities include:

  • Strengthening transportation education and technology transfer programs.
  • Providing advice on outreach activities to facilitate research result implementation and support a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable transportation system.
  • Sharing workforce development initiatives that better support individuals from historically marginalized, disparate, and underrepresented populations and promote inclusion of these groups in transportation careers.
  • Participating on review committees for the Matthew J. Huber and John S. Adams student awards and the Robert C. Johns Research Partnership Award.
  • Assisting in planning the annual CTS Research Conference, and ensure topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion are incorporated at the event.

Council Membership

Chair: John Rodeberg, SEH (2024-2027)
Vice Chair: Katie Caskey, HDR (2024-2027)

Council members are appointed by the CTS director on behalf of the CTS Executive Committee, following nomination by the council chair. Approximately one-third of council members are University faculty or staff. Non-University members include a balance of business, government, and other interests.

A membership rotation occurs every three years. Though members may serve more than one consecutive three-year term, an effort is made to rotate approximately one-third of council membership during a rotation year. In addition to members, “friends” of councils also participate in council activities. New members will often be drawn from friends who are active within councils.

Meetings

The Council meets two to three times per year.

Get Involved

If you are interested in becoming a friend of the council, please contact Samantha Hahn-Douville, CTS program coordinator, at 612-626-5854 or snhahn@umn.edu.