Archives: Monthly Archives: February 2023

CEE Student Presents at Annual TRB Meeting

February 10, 2023

From January 8 to 12, 2023, the Transportation Research Board (TRB) held its 102nd Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C, where policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academia alike confer to share research in the transportation field. We would like to congratulate Leo Gamez, a Class of 2024 undergraduate student and fellow of the CEE Undergraduate Research Initiative, for his work in this conference.

Leo is currently pursuing a dual degree in Civil Engineering and Latino & Latin American Studies, as well as a minor in Urban & Community Studies. His work, which was focused on transportation equity and how it is associated with metrics of derivation in Latin America, was especially aligned with this year's conference theme: Rejuvenation Out of Disruption: Envisioning a Transportation System for a Dynamic Future, which emphasized that transportation is a substantial enabler or barrier to social exclusion and that adequate access to opportunities (health, education, jobs, among others) is critical to reducing inequity in urban areas. This culminated in Leo's presentation topic of "Assessing the Association of a Metric of Transport Equity and Social Deprivation: A case study in Peru."

Leo's work is also part of the Engineering for Human Rights Initiative in collaboration with Ashley G. Benítez, Ph.D. student in Geography, and under the direction of Profs. Davis Chacón Hurtado (Assistant Research Professor in CEE and Human Rights Institute) and Shareen Hertel (Professor of Political Sciences). As next steps, Leo will continue working with them to develop a multi-dimensional index of social deprivation and transportation equity for different cities in Peru and co-author a manuscript with the results.

"Transportation infrastructure is a substantial enabler or barrier to social inclusion. However, few established metrics assess the effect of transportation on social outcomes, such as social deprivation in the context of small-size cities in Latin America," Prof. Chacón Hurtado said. "Leo is collaborating on a project to develop a metric of transportation equity and how it is associated with broader economic and social outcomes in cities."

About The TRB:

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) is a division of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and aims to provide "leadership in transportation improvements and innovation through trusted, timely, impartial, and evidence-based information exchange, research, and advice regarding all modes of transportation." (Source: https://www.nationalacademies.org/trb/about  )

The Annual Meeting convenes thousands of people (transportation administrators, practitioners, policymakers, and researchers). This year, Secretaries of Transportation, Buttigieg,  and Energy, Granholm, were part of the conference (See more: https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2023/01/secretaries-of-energy-and-transportation-discuss-getting-to-net-zero-in-u-s-transportation-during-trbs-2023-annual-meeting )

About CEE Undergraduate Research and Innovation Program:

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering's Undergraduate Research and Innovation Program provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience while exploring their areas of interest in research. Learn more about it here: https://cee.engr.uconn.edu/undergraduate/undergraduate-research-and-innovation

About Engineering for Human Rights Initiative: The Engineering for Human Rights Initiative (EHRI) is a collaborative venture between UConn's School of Engineering (SoE) and the Human Rights Institute (HRI) that addresses human rights implications of the most significant challenges in engineering and technology in six key research areas: 1) Water, Health & Food Security; 2) Product Design, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain Management; 3) Community Planning, Resilience and Justice for a Changing Environment; 4) Engineering Education and Accessibility Rights; 5) Engineering Substances and Process Sustainability; and 6) Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Human Vulnerability. To learn more, please click here: https://engineeringforhumanrights.initiative.uconn.edu/

Promising Practices for Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The following text is from National Academies:

"Careers in science, engineering, and medicine offer opportunities to advance knowledge, contribute to the well-being of communities, and support the security, prosperity, and health of the United States. But many women do not pursue or persist in these careers, or advance to leadership positions - not because they lack the talent or aspirations, but because they face barriers, including: implicit and explicit bias; sexual harassment; unequal access to funding and resources; pay inequity; higher teaching and advising loads; and fewer speaking invitations, among others.

There are consequences from this underrepresentation of women for the nation as well: a labor shortage in many science, engineering, and medical professions that cannot be filled unless institutions and organizations recruit from a broad and diverse talent pool; lost opportunities for innovation and economic gain; and lost talent as a result of discrimination, unconscious bias, and sexual harassment.

Promising Practices for Addressing the Underrepresentation of Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine reviews and synthesizes existing research on policies, practices, programs, and other interventions for improving the recruitment, retention, and sustained advancement into leadership roles of women in these disciplines. This report makes actionable recommendations to leverage change and drive swift, coordinated improvements to the systems of education, research, and employment in order to improve both the representation and leadership of women."

Download the free PDF file or read for free online at National Academies.

The Impacts of Racism and Bias on Black People Pursuing Careers in Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The following text is from National Academies:

"Despite the changing demographics of the nation and a growing appreciation for diversity and inclusion as drivers of excellence in science, engineering, and medicine, Black Americans are severely underrepresented in these fields. Racism and bias are significant reasons for this disparity, with detrimental implications on individuals, health care organizations, and the nation as a whole. The Roundtable on Black Men and Black Women in Science, Engineering, and Medicine was launched at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in 2019 to identify key levers, drivers, and disruptors in government, industry, health care, and higher education where actions can have the most impact on increasing the participation of Black men and Black women in science, medicine, and engineering.

On April 16, 2020, the Roundtable convened a workshop to explore the context for their work; to surface key issues and questions that the Roundtable should address in its initial phase; and to reach key stakeholders and constituents. This proceedings provides a record of the workshop."

Download the free PDF file or read for free online at National Academies.