National Center for Transportation System Performance and Management Tier 1 UTC. PI: Dr. Essam Radwan, Co-PI: Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Aty Start Date: Sunday, January 1, 2012 End Date: Friday, January 31, 2014 Contractual Amount: $200,000.00 Project Scope: National Center for Transportation System Performance and Management The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a member of a Tier 1 University Transportation Center (UTC) called the National Center for Transportation System Performance and Management (NCTSPM) and sponsored by Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) of the USDOT. The consortium is led by the Georgia Institute of Technology who is the recipient of federal funds. Funds to support Center-related activities at UCF will be provided via a subcontract with the Georgia Institute of Technology. Hiring Mr. Alex Navarro to assist with K-12 and STEM initiatives in cooperation with the College of Engineering and Computer Science Diversity office. He will interact with Dr. Fidelia Nandi and Mr. Bruce Furino.

On July 17 CATSS was showcased in the Camp Connect program here at UCF. Camp Connect is a summer program for students that is facilitated by the CECS Office of Diversity. The week-long experience takes 8th through 10th graders into the realm of the engineer by exposing them to the many different disciplines found within CECS. Students participated in presentations, activities, lab tours and were given insight into what the life of a student and a professional is like in the engineering world. The program provided a method of exploration and preparation advice for the start of a college career by networking with students and faculty here at UCF.

UCF Transportation Systems Engineering was represented at Camp Connect as part of the program covering the Department of Construction, Civil and Environmental Engineering. Students were presented the basics of transportation engineering, innovations in the field and a brief synopsis of research in the field taking place right here at UCF. Alex Navarro and Dr. Mohamed Ahmed were proud to participate in the program by preparing and delivering this presentation for the students, giving them an insight to some of the fundamentals in what we accomplish. The culmination of the experience was a visit to CATSS driving simulator. CATSS was able to put students in the driver seat and provide them with a simulation experience. Although this simulator may look like a video game to the students, it is a vital tool in research that happens here at the university. We are pleased to have hosted these students and give them an opportunity to take a look into the engineering.