Fall 2008 EDay

Alumni Volunteers Needed!

The annual Herff College of Engineering Open House will be held Friday, November 21, 2008 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Last year, we had an excellent turnout of alumni volunteers, and we hope to see even more of you this year. Alumni were available in the Civil labs and hallway to greet prospective students and to answer questions about the program, and also served as tour guides to student groups. This is an invaluable service to our department, as prospective students and their parents are always very impressed by the level of participation from our alums. This is a great opportunity to support the department! If you would like to be a volunteer for this year’s event, please email Stephanie Ivey at ssalyers@memphis.edu with your contact information and time that you would like to attend.

Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute Update

Intermodal freight transportation initiatives at the University of Memphis have been concentrated under a single institute, The University of Memphis Intermodal Freight Transportation Institute (IFTI).

IFTI engages in work in the thematic areas of safety and security, efficiency and productivity, business continuity and recovery, capacity and congestion, and finance and policy systems. It manages the activities of three affiliated centers as well as partnerships with the Vanderbilt Center for Transportation Research (VECTOR), other regional academic institutions, and key public and industry organizations. There are presently three centers affiliated with IFTI that involve researchers from a wide range of engineering and business disciplines: 1) the Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies; 2) the Center for Advanced Intermodal Technologies; and 3) the CN - E. Hunter Harrison Institute for Intermodal Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

The Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Studies (CIFTS)-
Designated by the US Department of Transportation as a University Transportation Center, CIFTS has a mandate to conduct research, develop curricular programs, and engage in technology transfer through outreach and professional development activities related to its focus on intermodal freight transportation. CIFTS receives funding support from the US Department of Transportation and the Tennessee Department of Transportation and emphasizes work relevant to the public sector. Along these lines, CIFTS focuses its initiatives on freight-related information technology, network evaluation, public risk management, infrastructure analyses, and economic, environmental, and safety impact analyses.

The Center for Advanced Intermodal Technologies (CAIT)-
The Center for Advanced Intermodal Technologies (CAIT) focuses its efforts on issues of significance to the private sector as well as on issues where public and private sector needs intersect. Supported with private funds and a Congressional earmark, CAIT works to develop data sets, models, and case studies that may be used to inform both business practice and public policy. CAIT supports research studies, conducts industry and public policy round table discussions, and develops education programs relevant to industry professionals.

The CN - E. Hunter Harrison Institute for Intermodal Safety and Emergency Preparedness-
The CN - Harrison Institute addresses issues related to preparedness for and recovery from natural and manmade disasters within the intermodal freight transportation industry. Because freight moves over a combination of public and private infrastructure, it is necessary to address industry and public policy issues and create a dialog concerning responsibilities related to post-disaster safety, reconstruction financing, and the short and long-term transport of critical goods before such an event occurs. The CN - Harrison Institute conducts and disseminates industry relevant research; maintains an accessible repository of data related to this work; hosts industry forums, training sessions, and public policy briefings; and develops data analysis and modeling tools.

There are twelve projects currently underway within the Institute, including 4 faculty research investigations at The University of Memphis. One major study in progress focuses on the freight transportation assets and needs of the Memphis region needed to support future economic development in response to changes in the global economy.

The Institute hosted the 2nd Annual Intermodal Conference on Spetmber, 29th, 2008. The theme of the conference was “ Disaster Recovery in Transportation - Beyond the First Response”.

Eight graduate students are supported within The Institute.

For additional information about the Institute please contact Dr. Lipinski at mlipinsk@memphis.edu.