PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (March 28, 2023) — Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) was selected to lead a historic national-tier $40 million University Transportation Center (UTC) — making PVAMU the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to create and lead the National Center for Infrastructure Transformation (NCIT). The Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded PVAMU $20 million — for the research center. NCIT will focus on enhancing the durability and extending the life of the nation’s infrastructure.
PVAMU leads NCIT as part of a consortium including several members of the Texas A&M University System, including the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), and Texas A&M University (TAMU), along with partnering institutions Arizona State University, Michigan State University, Rutgers University, and Blinn Community District.
“Prairie View is the first HBCU to lead a national UTC, and we are proud to bring this to Texas, particularly when the national centers have historically been on the East and West coasts,” said John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University system. “This is what can be accomplished when we combine the research expertise of one of our universities with the resources of the A&M System, and this team will achieve a great result for the state of Texas and the nation.”
“With this investment, PVAMU will be at the forefront of developing cutting-edge technologies to improve our nation’s transportation systems for years to come,” said PVAMU Vice President of Research & Innovation Magesh Rajan, Ph.D., P.E., MBA. “We’ll be able to educate and train the next generation of leaders as they continue their research towards greener, safer, and more convenient ways to transport people.”
“Multiple member institutions and agencies within the A&M System worked together to apply for this federal program. This achievement perfectly aligns with Chancellor Sharp’s vision for an extended partnership between PVAMU and TAMU,” Vice President Rajan said, “We are proud that we can make such a significant investment towards cutting-edge research.”
PVAMU and other partnering institutions raised the additional $20 million needed to meet the one-to-one matching requirement for the award. The President’s Office, Office of Academic Affairs, the Division of Research and Innovation, Office of Business Affairs, and the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering all played a major role in raising these funds to meet the matching requirement for PVAMU.
“We are proud that we can make such a significant investment towards cutting-edge research,” said Vice President Rajan.
Dean Pamela Obiomon of the Roy G. Perry College of Engineering said, “This is the largest investment for research in The University’s history. This investment is about much more than research. It’s about preparing the next generation of transportation leaders. NCIT and its partner network offer a rare opportunity for our undergraduate and graduate students to engage in state-of-the-art transportation infrastructure research while working with top-notch transportation researchers in the nation. Without a doubt, NCIT will bring in funding and recognition worth many times this initial investment, thus helping move PVAMU to the next level of research, scholarship and creative activity to benefit all of Texas and our nation.”
The National Center for Infrastructure Transformation will receive $4 million annually for five years and is one of only five awarded national-tier centers. With strong capabilities to address the infrastructure issues of both urban and rural areas across all transportation modes, the work of this innovative center will improve durability and resilience across the country for years to come.
The research aims to advance American technology and expertise in various transportation-related fields — including education, research, and technology transfer.
NCIT researchers will address the impacts and potential benefits of technological innovation, including connected and automated vehicles, the electrification of vehicles on transportation infrastructure, and the use of technology to enhance construction project delivery. The consortium will also investigate the use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and more for proactive infrastructure management.
The center’s ongoing work will inform policy. Well-grounded research is essential to decision-making for financial resource allocation, including equity and social justice considerations, improved economic analysis for transportation improvements, innovative transportation finance methods, environmental stewardship, as it pertains to enhanced project delivery and innovative construction methods, and other infrastructure-related policy issues.
“This is a historic achievement for PVAMU, the state of Texas, and the nation’s infrastructure community,” said Judy Perkins, Ph.D., P.E., who will serve as center director. “NCIT will lead the charge for improving the durability and extending the life of America’s transportation infrastructure through implementation of its innovative research, education, and technology transfer programs.”
The University thanks The Honorable Pete Buttigieg, Secretary, United States Department of Transportation, for considering PVAMU for this historic investment. We also want to thank many members of Congress who supported our initiative, including Michael T. McCaul, Pete Sessions, Elissa Slotkin, Randy K. Weber, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Beth Van Duyne, Brian Babin, D.D.S., Colin Allred, and Lizzie Fletcher.
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By Jenna Craig