Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration through the Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri S&T welcomed 15 rising students in grades 10-12 for the inaugural National Summer Transportation Institute. S&T’s civil, architectural and environmental engineering department hosted the program in collaboration with the Kummer Center for STEM Education July 21-26.

During the five-day program, students enjoyed interactive technical seminars with transportation professionals, field trips, tours of research facilities and centers, hands-on experience in labs and team projects. Dr. Jenny Liu, professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, served as the institute’s director. Drs. Xiong Zhang, professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, Grace Yan, associate professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, and Genda Chen, the Robert W. Abbett Distinguished Chair in Civil Engineering, served as co-directors.

The program received support from several organizations, including the National Museum of Transportation, the College of Engineering and Computing, the Center for Intelligent Infrastructure, the Wind Hazards Mitigation Laboratory, the Center for Infrastructure Engineering Studies, admissions, the Advising Center and civil, architectural and environmental faculty, staff, students and alumni.