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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

2006 Summer Transportation Institute Final Report

The Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla hosted its seventh U.S. Department of Transportation Summer Transportation Institute (STI). The mission of the institute’s program is as follows: To contribute to the development of a diverse, well-qualified workforce for the transportation industry by encouraging secondary school students to pursue transportation careers. In concert with this mission and with UMR’s unique strengths, the objectives of this effort were to provide an educational experience for high school students which explored a wide variety of aspects of the transportation industry and its role in our society. To that end, the STI curriculum provided educational opportunities for its students in critical areas of transportation, math and science, personal growth, and computer skills. The fifteen tenth-, eleventh- and twelfth-grade students who were chosen for the program were exposed to university life, leadership and team-building activities, a three-credit college literature course, and a series of lectures, seminars, hands-on laboratories, and field trips. The institute was comprised of four weeks covering college orientation, and highway, air, public and intermodal transportation (see Appendix III.) and was headquartered in Civil Engineering’s Butler-Carlton Building. The Federal Highway Administration’s money was used as “seed” money to fund the institute which cost more than twice the amount funded. The four-week institute was conducted by staff, faculty, and students from the Departments of Civil Engineering and English. Government agencies and private firms provided substantial support in funding, staff assistance and educational materials as well. See Appendix VIII. for a complete list of sponsors. Youths from across the State of Missouri were recruited. Program brochures and applications were distributed to more than1,500 high school students who had indicated an interest in engineering; STI staff contacted all high school counselors who have recommended former program participants; parents of former STI participants were again asked to recruit; and the National Society of Black Engineers and local MODOT personnel were also again asked to help to identify and recruit likely candidates. Twenty-nine applications were received and fifteen were accepted. Copies of recruitment materials are provided in Appendix IX. Applicants were selected based upon their academic standing, recommendation letters, and their essays explaining their interest in transportation. The project team assessed the applications and accepted the fifteen aforementioned applicants. The average grade point average of the chosen group exceeded 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Four of the fifteen were entering tenth grade in the fall, four were entering eleventh, seven were entering twelfth, and there was one student information not returned by the prior Director and the information is unknown. There were nine African Americans, one Asian, two Other, and three Caucasian. Four of the students were female and eleven were male. Additional demographics details are listed in Appendix VI.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Web
  • Edition: Final Report
  • Features: Appendices;
  • Pagination: 21p

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01094988
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: UTC ETT179, 00013041
  • Contract Numbers: DTRS98-G-0021
  • Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
  • Created Date: Apr 25 2008 8:19AM