Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2)

Last week, our CR2C2 student researchers presented their work at NC A&T's 14th Annual Dr. Bala Ram Graduate Research Poster Competition in the College of Engineering. Our students did an incredible job highlighting their innovative research on emerging transportation solutions. A big thank you to the organizing committee for creating an environment that allows our students to showcase all of their hard work! Oladimeji Alaka?– Investigating Automated Shuttle Readiness for Rural Areas: A North Carolina Case Study Michael Dejene Azage?– Development and Implementation of Safe, Human-like Autonomous Vehicle Control on Horizontal Curves Komal Gulati?– Measuring Healthcare Access: A Comparative Study of Macro and Micro-Level Measures in Urban and Rural Areas Miressa Mamo?– Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Decision-Making Approach for Left Turns at Unsignalized Intersections for Autonomous Vehicles Tekalign Mengistu– A Robust AI-Enabled Information Fusion for Object Detection and Scene Understanding in Rural Communities Sita Ram Prasad Martha,??– Real-Time Animal Detection System to Enhance Automated Driving Safety in Rural Roads Tienake Phuapaiboon?– Safe Remote Operation of Connected Automated Vehicles Ridwan Tiamiyu?– Preferences for Trip Planner Interface and Factors Influencing Sustainable Transport Choices in Rural and Urban Areas Tyler W.?– Cost-Effective Wireless Communication Technique to Bridge Conventional Regulatory Signs and Connected Autonomous Vehicles Mohammed Zakaria?– Utilizing Artificial Intelligence for Traffic Sign Detection and Classification for Safe Operation of Connected and Automated Vehicles in Rural Areas Aldo, thanks the students' advisors and mentors: Prasenjit Ghorai (Ph.D.), Tesfamichael Getahun,?Ali Karimoddini, Milad Khaleghi, Abdullah Al Hossain Newaz, Jose Matute, Sajad Khorsandroo, Venktesh Pandey, Daniel Tobias, and Steven Jiang #Research #PosterSymposium #Competition #Student #Innovation #Engineering #NCAT #GraduateResearch #CR2C2 #STEMEducation #AggiePride

Center for Transportation Research UT Knoxville will again be a part of this year's Smart Mobility Conference in Nashville. We hope to see you there! TennSMART Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, UT Knoxville, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee University of Tennessee System https://lnkd.in/dJanNWau

Last week, CR2C2 welcomed Congressman Richard Hudson,?Chancellor James Martin, Ph.D., M. ASCE., and Dean Stephanie Luster-Teasley Pass?for a visit to our?research?laboratories?within?Martin Engineering Research Innovation Complex at NCA&T.?The visit began with a discussion in ACCESS Lab, where we highlighted our impact and ongoing research initiatives, focusing on advancing transportation technologies?from air to surface autonomous transportation solutions. The tour concluded with a hands-on experience, where they tested our autonomous driving simulator and explored the engineering innovations behind self-driving vehicles. We appreciated the opportunity to demonstrate the future of transportation and share how our?transportation?research?at NCA&T and CR2C2 is?driving real-world solutions for all communities.

ICYMI: Last month, middle and high school had the opportunity to explore careers in transportation. Students leaned more about transportation careers and interdisciplinary learning experiences. The program included interactive exhibits by transportation entities from around the state and is supported by the Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2). #transportationcareers #transportationawareness

???????????????? + ???????????? = ?????? ???????????????? ???????? ??????????????????! ?? There’s nothing more electrifying than witnessing young minds in action—problem-solving, innovating, and bringing STEM to life through #robotics! When youth combine technology with the energy of competition, they develop critical thinking, teamwork, and creativity that will shape the future. ?????????? ???????????????? ?????????? ???????? ?????????????????? ?????????? ???????????????????????? ??????????! Held at?North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, this high-energy event brought?36 of the top teams from across the state?together to battle it out for a chance to advance to the?FIRST World Championship and Premier Events!?The day was packed with intense matches, inspiring moments, and even a?FIRST LEGO League Explorer Festival?for our youngest innovators (Grades 2-4)—?????????????? ???????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ??????????!??? ?? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? ????????????!?? * ????. Chip Montgomery – Engineering Resource Manager, General Dynamics Mission Systems, for kicking off the event with inspiring and informative words during Opening Ceremony! * ????. ???????????????? ???????????????– KBR, Inc. Community Resource Coordinator for People Task Force, Joint Special Operations Command, for opening students' eyes throughout the day to exciting #STEM opportunities and direction! ?? ???????????????? ???? ?????? ???????????????????? ????????????????????, ????????????????, ?????? ???????? ??????????????????!?? This season wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of my State Planning Committee?and the?state-wide volunteers?who made FIRST TECH CHALLENGE thrive this season for all??????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????? ??????????! ?? ?????????????? #???????????????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????? ???????????????? ?????????????? ?????????? ???? ???????? ??????????????????! ?? *TE Connectivity *Shell *Gene Haas Foundation *Lockheed Martin *General Dynamics Mission Systems *Collins Aerospace Your support powers the future of STEM! See you next season—where #YouthInnovation never stops! #AggiesDO #AggiePride #NCATAlumni #STEMEducation #FutureLeaders #STEMMentorship #morethanrobots #STEMGlobalAction #FIRSTInspires N.C. A&T College of Engineering Stephanie Luster-Teasley Pass Tonya Smith-Jackson James Martin, Ph.D., M. ASCE. Janell N. Catlin, Ph.D.

CR2C2 is?proud?to to join ASCE TDI Artificial Intelligence in Transportation Committee, CMMM, Leidos, and BlueHalo to have co-organized?the Pioneering Transportation Innovation with Generative AI?workshop, a collaborative effort that pushed the conversation of?Generative?AI in transportation forward. Over the past two days, we explored applications of AI in mobility, from revolutionizing traffic management to enhancing urban and rural safety. This event would not have been possible without the dedication of an outstanding organizing committee, including LiLi Du (chair), Cinzia Cirillo, Ali Karimoddini, Jidong Yang, Xianfeng (Terry) Yang, Arash Hosseini, and Zhitong H.. A heartfelt thank you to all the speakers and panelists?who shared their expertise, including Nii Attoh-Okine, Henry Liu, @Chandra Bhat, Yinhai Wang, Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, Srinivas Peeta, Kaan Ozbay, @Hua Wei, , Bob Sheehan, Peng WEI,?Rouhollah Jafari, Ahmadreza Moradipari, Ph.D., Bruce Bernhardt, PhD, MBA, Abhijit Sarkar, Yangwen L., Ankur Tyagi,?and many more. Your insights and expertise made this event even more impactful and inspiring! Thanks to all sponsors—Leidos, BlueHalo, ASCE TDI Artificial Intelligence in Transportation Committee, and CMMM (Center for Multi-Modal Mobility in Urban, Rural, and Tribal Areas)—for their support in making this event possible. Thank you to everyone who participated—we hope this workshop sparked new collaborations, challenged perspectives, and laid the foundation for the next era of transportation innovation!? ? #AIinTransportation #GenerativeAI #MobilityInnovation #SmartMobility #TransportationTech #FutureOfAI #AITechnology #NationalTransportationCenter #Workshops #Collaboration #Education #Research

Join us March 13 in our upcoming seminar with Don Strickland, Executive Director of Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority, as we explore how connected mobility is transforming underserved rural communities! He'll discuss workforce opportunities, healthcare access, reliable public transit, and the importance of sustainable funding.?? ?? Thursday, March 13, 2025 ?? 12:00 - 1:00 PM ?? Virtual Event ?? Register now: https://lnkd.in/emG3zUgK #PublicTransit #RuralMobility #Transportation #NCAT #PDRTA #Seminar #Virutral #VirutralEvent #Register

CR2C2 is excited to co-organize an immersive two-day workshop on Pioneering Transportation Innovation with Generative AI! ? Dates: March 13-14, 2025 Location: Clark Hall, University of Maryland, College Park ? This workshop will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of cutting-edge AI techniques and their application in solving critical transportation challenges. You’ll gain valuable insights into how Generative AI is poised to revolutionize the transportation sector, leading to safer, more efficient mobility solutions. ? ???Click the link to register:?https://lnkd.in/eTiSrJxk ? #TransportationInnovation #GenerativeAI #Workshop #AIinTransportation #MobilitySolutions #Technology #Networking #FutureOfTransport #AI

Join us March 13 in our upcoming seminar with Don Strickland, Executive Director of Pee Dee Regional Transportation Authority, as we explore how connected mobility is transforming underserved rural communities! He'll discuss workforce opportunities, healthcare access, reliable public transit, and the importance of sustainable funding.?? ?? Thursday, March 13, 2025 ?? 12:00 - 1:00 PM ?? Virtual Event ?? Register now: https://lnkd.in/emG3zUgK #PublicTransit #RuralMobility #Transportation #NCAT #PDRTA #Seminar #Virutral #VirutralEvent #Register

Last week we had the pleasure of hosting Todor Stojanovski from KTH Royal Institute of Technology at The University of Alabama. Great attendance and interactions between US and Swedish transportation professionals on Transit Oriented Development (TOD), mobility hubs, and Shared Autonomous Vehicles (SAVs). Thanks to Future Mobility for supporting this effort.