CTS presented the following awards during its Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon on May 6. Congratulations to this year's recipients!
Richard P. Braun Distinguished Service Award
This award, which recognizes outstanding leadership in research and innovation, was presented to Mihai Marasteanu, professor and director of undergraduate studies for the University of Minnesota’s Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering (CEGE) and a CTS scholar.
During his 25 years at the U, Marasteanu has focused his research on investigating and improving the performance of asphalt binders, mixtures, and emulsions, especially in low temperature environments. With colleagues from other universities, he has led two major national pooled-fund studies on low-temperature cracking in asphalt pavements. The results were a significant step toward using fracture tests and mechanics to select crack-resistant asphalt materials and to better predict pavement performance.
Distinguished Public Leadership Award
Kristin White, transportation industry executive and head of transportation strategy and partnerships with Google Public Sector, received this award, which recognizes public leaders who have influenced innovative transportation policy directions.
In her work, White helps use technology to achieve public-sector goals, including safety, resiliency, connected communities, and economic growth. Before joining Google, White served as the youngest federal highway administrator ever appointed by the White House. Previously she was chief operating officer of the transportation tech nonprofit ITS America, and she continues working to elevate women in transportation. A lawyer by trade, White has also worked in federal, state, and local government—including as co-founder and executive director of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Connected and Automated Vehicles.
Ray L. Lappegaard Distinguished Service Award
This award, which honors outstanding leadership, mentorship, and support for the transportation profession, was presented to Mike Marti, a director at SRF Consulting, where he’s worked for the past 25 years.
Marti’s 40-plus-year career has been defined by his work with the Minnesota Local Road Research Board, where he has delivered extensive training and crafted educational and communication materials that have shaped industry practices. Combining the rigor of a licensed professional engineer with the passion of a dedicated technology transfer specialist, Marti possesses the ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. He excels at connecting with engineers—understanding their needs and organizational cultures—and developing practical, real-world solutions.
William K. Smith Distinguished Service Award
Patrick Hessini, who recently served as vice president and general manager for CHS, received this award in recognition of his leadership, mentorship, and education of future leaders in private-sector freight transportation.
During his career, Hessini has provided supply-chain and business leadership across a number of industries and markets. He led the North American supply chain organization and served as president and general manager of Adalis Corporation, an HB Fuller subsidiary with markets in over 20 countries. Hessini has served on the CTS executive committee over the last four years and enjoys working with that team to set and advance strategic initiatives.
Matthew J. Huber Student Award
Named in honor of the late Professor Emeritus Matthew J. Huber, this award is presented to University of Minnesota graduate students demonstrating outstanding academic achievement in engineering, science, and technology fields. Mobina Nankali, a master's student in civil engineering, and Kwangho Baek, a doctoral candidate in civil engineering, received this year’s awards.
Michael Levin, CEGE associate professor and Nankali’s advisor, highlighted two difficult methodological problems she’s been working on. “Mobina has been working primarily on predicting the impacts of shared mobility on traffic congestion and accessibility, which is both a MnDOT project and a topic of new research for the literature,” Levin said. “And for her future work, she is interested in designing an exact algorithm for placement of electric vehicle charging stations.”
Alireza Khani, CEGE associate professor and Baek’s advisor, has worked with him for five years. “Kwangho’s research focuses on applying advanced transportation modeling techniques to solve real-world policy and technological challenges, with an emphasis on improving accessibility, efficiency, and equity in public transit,” Khani said. “Specifically, he has developed methodologies to optimize mobility-as-a-service solutions and analyze the effects of transit disruptions, particularly for underserved populations in both urban and rural areas.”
John S. Adams Student Award
This award, named for the late Professor Emeritus John Adams, is presented to outstanding University of Minnesota students in the fields of policy and planning. This year’s award was presented to Ethan Buss, a master’s student in urban and regional planning.
Frank Douma, director of state and local policy and outreach at the U’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and Buss’s advisor, highlighted Ethan’s focus on the role of transportation in addressing social inequities and reaching a zero-emission future. “He has written a thesis on the relationship between perceptions of neighborhood walkability, race, and crime,” Douma said. “He also developed a guide for Washington County residents and businesses to maximize opportunities for electric vehicles and worked on a capstone project assessing an innovative use of e-bikes for freight delivery.”
Richard P. Braun Transportation Scholarship
Aiden Larson, an undergraduate student in civil engineering, received this year's scholarship. It is awarded to University of Minnesota undergraduate students pursuing degrees related to transportation who have demonstrated academic merit and leadership skills.
Benjamin Miller, transportation specialist for MnDOT’s bridge department, spoke highly of the work Larson performed during his internship with the agency. “While at MnDOT, Aiden expertly operated multi-million-dollar equipment while in high-stress environments and demonstrated unwavering diligence when accurately completing numerous reports,” Miller said. “His dedication to our bridge department has undoubtedly improved the lasting safety of the bridges in and around the Twin Cities. Wherever he decides to go after graduation, Aiden will make positive and lasting impacts.”
Robert C. Johns Research Partnership Award
A team including individuals from the University of Minnesota, Minnesota Department of Transportation, and other academic partners received this award for work on improving turfgrass seed mixture recommendations in winter conditions. Learn more about the recipients and their research.
—Maggie Biever, CTS editor