PacTrans News
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April 28, 2014
STAR Lab Participates in UW Engineering Discovery Days
PacTrans joined in the celebration of UW Engineering Discovery Days. Engineers and scientists from across campus displayed their most engaging research and projects during the 2 day event held from April 25-26, 2014. This event was free and open to the public with almost 600 students, parents and faculty in attendance. Some of the highlights included a PacTrans research project with a display of an earthquake table used by structural engineers to test how structures will withstand earthquakes. This sort of testing is crucial to figuring out how well a structure, such as a bridge, would be able to withstand a major natural disaster. STAR Lab as well as other labs conducting research demonstrated their research to people of all ages as well. The STAR Lab demonstrated video-based pedestrian detection systems, controllers used for traffic signals, and let kids play “Traffic Hero,” a game similar to Guitar Hero, in which players try to detect cars along with the detection system and score points if they can correctly do so.
Students learn about traffic signal controllers
Students play Traffic Hero -
April 15, 2014
Pactrans Seminar Series: Making transportation analysis count – Bridging the gap between politics & planning
Please join us in welcoming Dr. Joe Schofer from the Northwestern University. He will be giving a talk on Friday, May 30th in the HUB (room 334) on the UW Seattle Campus from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. There will be a reception immediately following the talk. The talk is free and everyone is welcome.
For more information on Dr. Schofer’s talk, click here.
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April 11, 2014
PacTrans at the UW Paws-on Science weekend held at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle
PacTrans was among more than 30 research groups from the UW who shared their research at the annual Paws on Science weekend at the Pacific Science Center this year, from April 4-6, 2014. The exhibit, titled “Red Light Green Light” was co-sponsored by PacTrans and the STAR Lab, a University of Washington transportation research lab led by Dr. Yinhai Wang. Several STAR lab researchers volunteered their time over the weekend to speak with families and school groups about safe and sustainable transportation research in the region. Interactive pedestrian detection and the Drive Net transportation data analysis, visualization, and mapping platform were among the highlights of the exhibit. This weekend event was a great opportunity to engage the next generation of engineers and scientists in the research and development at the UW through hands-on activities and demonstrations. The Paws on Science event was very well attended, with over 11,000 adults and children participating over the weekend.
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April 9, 2014
PacTrans Newsletter – Issue #6, 2014 now available
Read the March 2014 PacTrans Newsletter here!
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April 1, 2014
Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) Gala
Women’s Transportation Seminar is one of the most important professional societies in the transportation field. The annual gala is an event held every spring to acknowledge people who have made great contributions to the transportation industry for the past year and to raise funds for upcoming year scholarships that are provided to college students interested in making transportation a career. The gala draws hundreds of people from major transportation consulting firms, government agencies and other transportation enthusiasts.
This year’s Gala was attended by more than 320 transportation professionals, entrepreneur and students including Menglin Wang who was sponsored by PacTrans. She is currently the student liaison chair of Women’s Transportation Seminar Puget Sound Chapter and has been actively involved in their activities. She was also one of the recipients of WTS 2013 scholarship award. Menglin Wang considers the gala a great platform to interact with other transportation professionals and present PacTrans as an active player in the transportation world.
This year’s 2014 WTS scholarship winners include three University of Washington students, two from Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and the other from Evans School of Public Affairs. Mary E. Anderson is a recipient of the Helene M. Overly Graduate Memorial Scholarship. She is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Transportation. Amy Riley is a recipient of the Sharond Banks Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship with a focus on structural engineering. Jennifer Malley is the recipient of Senator Scott White Memorial Scholarships and is pursuing a Master of Public Administration through the Evans School of Public Affairs. She aspires to serve as an advocate for progressive transportation policies that create environmentally sustainable, equitable urban communities and lasting social change.
Menglin Wang and Maria Bayya at the Women’s Transportation Seminar Gala held on March 27, 2014, at Westin Hotel, Seattle, WA
