RET Site: Innovative Transportation Systems

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This Research Experiences for Teachers in Innovative Transportation Systems (ITS-RET) at the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at Montana State University (MSU) will engage secondary school and tribal and community college STEM faculty in interdisciplinary summer research focused on the unique challenges of rural transportation systems. Research topics will cover sustainable infrastructure materials; transportation design and operations for safe and livable communities; and advanced transportation technologies. Projects will explore the development and testing of new technologies, infrastructure materials, simulation or spatial models, and algorithms designed to improve rural transportation systems. The research experience will build core engineering and computational skills. Experienced research mentors will guide RET participants to use set processes to define problems, evaluate data, and develop optimal solutions to real world transportation problems that will be familiar to both the RET participants and the rural students they serve. The project is expected to have a high impact on students in rural and tribal communities by expanding professional development opportunities to strengthen the capacity of STEM faculty from rural and underserved areas in Montana and Nebraska.The ITS-RET Site will offer an intensive six week research program each summer to a cohort of 12 STEM instructors over the three-year grant period. Summer research will be complimented by extensive academic year follow-up activities to ensure that RET participants have the necessary support to achieve research-related accomplishments and to ensure the successful translation of their research experience into classroom practice. Curriculum development activities are expected to lead to new secondary school and community college course content that integrates tools and processes from multiple STEM disciplines to mimic how innovative solutions are developed to complex challenges in the real world. The delivery of the new curricular materials will spark the interest and enthusiasm of rural and tribal students in STEM subjects by demonstrating real world applications and benefits. In addition to conference presentations, project outcomes and lesson plans developed through the ITS-RET program will be widely disseminated through the West Region Transportation Workforce Center's online clearinghouse of education resources as well as other digital libraries.