Morgan State University‘s National Center for Transportation Management, Research, and Development (NTC) and the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr., School of Engineering Civil Engineering program is expected to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) for more than $20 million in transportation grant commitments over the next five years.
Morgan’s NTC is the receipt of a $15-million grant from the USDOT, designed to help further the HBCU’s research activities.
The announced round of federal funding is part of an extensive Biden administration commitment to upscale transportation innovation and research, as well as invest in vital training for a diverse next generation of transportation leaders.
“We are doing research, workforce development education, and outreach activities for transportation, mobility, and equity,” said Mansoureh Jeihani, the NTC director, who leads Ph.D. students in research.
In further support of the regional SMARTER Center, Maryland’s Department of Transportation (MDOT) has committed an additional $4 million in state appropriations to the NTC at Morgan spanning the five-year term of the transportation research initiative.
“Morgan’s National Transportation Center was among the first regional DOT-designated transportation centers of its kind and has exemplified true leadership in this capacity in the research and innovation of our evolving transportation needs,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan.
“This recognition of Morgan’s value by way of funding received from the Department of Transportation underpins our strengths and leadership in transportation research and education. We look forward to continuing the center’s work in addressing an array of transportation challenges, from congestion and energy efficiency to equity and modernization. This level of support will help us achieve our goals in these critical areas,” Wilson continued.
Morgan will be the first HBCU and the first university in Maryland to lead a USDOT Regional University Transportation Center (UTC).
Morgan’s NTC was chosen to serve as the principal institution to unite a consortium of institutions in the formation of the USDOT Region 3 University Transportation Center’s (UTC’s) Sustainable Mobility and Accessibility Regional Transportation Equity Research (SMARTER) Center.
“We are honored and excited to receive this level of support from the Department of Transportation. This funding will enable us to actively pursue integrated, transformative and interdisciplinary research; technology transfer; education; workforce development; and community outreach with a resolute team of government agencies, industry partners and partner academic institutions,” said Jeihani.
