PSU Transportation Students Kick Off Fall Term at Urban Center
Last week, we celebrated a return to in-person learning on the Portland State University campus with a welcome-back-to-school luncheon for transportation students. The gathering, held Wednesday Oct 13 on the rooftop of PSU's Urban Center building, was intended as a reboot for the Students in Transportation Engineering and Planning (STEP) student group. Around 40 people attended for lunch, greetings, and introductions to some of the core transportation faculty. TREC director Jennifer Dill gave an overview of some of the ways TREC can support students in their transportation careers (for example, funding for attending trainings and conferences.) Transportation students can also apply for scholarships through TREC – see some past PSU transportation scholars.
ELECTIONS FOR STEP LEADERSHIP BOARD
The next order of business will be to elect new officers to lead STEP during the 2021/22 academic year. There are five offices to fill; students who are interested in helping to coordinate and run the elections should contact asktrec@pdx.edu.
TRANSPORTATION EQUITY BOOK CLUB
A new initiative this year is the Transportation Equity Book Club, a discussion group intended to help students engage in conversations around the intersection of transportation and social justice. The first book is Bicycle/Race: Transportation, Culture, & Resistance by Adonia Lugo. We handed out copies of the book so students can read it this fall ferm, with future discussion groups to take place in the winter term (dates TBD). Additional copies can be ordered for students or faculty members who still want to participate – email us at asktrec@pdx.edu to request a copy.
The Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University is home to the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC), the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), and other transportation programs. TREC produces research and tools for transportation decision makers, develops K-12 curriculum to expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engages students and professionals through education.