Past Events

6:00-7:15p.m. (PDT) | View Event Page | View Program

As we begin to see the world move towards recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we bear witness to the resilience and strength of the American people. The class of 2021 has demonstrated not only these values, but also the determination to continue to better themselves, their career, and their future and ours. The MTI/SJSU community gathered to recognize and celebrate the graduating students in a virtual session. 

Joined by Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and Denver International Airport's Nominee for CEO Phil Washington, who recently led the Biden-Harris transportation agency review team, we came together to celebrate these future mobility leaders. 

This exciting MSTM celebration included individualized recognition of each graduate and award presentations.

Transportation policymakers face two overlapping, once-in-a-generation opportunities: electrifying the nation’s vehicle fleet and re-establishing a stable source of federal and state revenue for transportation. As states and the Biden administration begin a push to rapidly electrify the US fleet for climate reasons, policymakers are under increasing pressure to rethink how states and the federal government fund transportation infrastructure and services. For decades, motor fuel taxes have generated the majority of state and federal funds spent on transportation, even if recently these taxes have been losing their purchasing power. However, a shift to electric vehicles will require a new transportation funding model. The speakers will discuss the challenges and opportunities with such options as mileage fees, carbon taxes, higher vehicle registration fees, or a shift entirely away from user-generated revenue.

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MTI proudly partnered with Hayward Unified School District’s Lorin Eden Elementary for their 2^nd annual STEAM Innovation Showcase featuring projects related to the theme Building a Better World. This exciting district-wide event was designed to share student work with the community and highlight innovative projects and programs in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math.

MTI held a photography contest open to all who take an interest in photography. MTI embraces diverse submissions and photographers to amplify the convergence of all voices. The 2021 theme for this contest was ground transportation with an emphasis on safety by diverse groups ranging in age, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Ground transportation methods including but not limited to autonomous vehicles, bicycling, micro-mobility, pedestrian access, public transit, etc. Safe transit practices should be observed in the images (i.e. helmets for bicyclists, e-scooters in bike lanes, etc.). 

This award ceremony celebrated the winners of the 2021 Garrett Morgan Sustainable Transportation Competition and featured a keynote address by Dr. Robert C. Hampshire, Chief Science Officer, U.S. Department of Transportation. 

2021 Garrett Morgan Awarding Ceremony (video)

MTI was proud to co-sponsor this year's Calcog Leadership Forum, focusing on "Resilient Regions." The conversation and top leaders discussed what California should be doing for "Pete's sake." This virtual conference completed with networking opportunities and roundtable discussions featuring a wide array of knowledgeable and enthusiastic speakers on pandemic challenges and recovery. 

In the quest for environmental quality as the pandemic subsides, many urban planners understand and appreciate that housing located within walking distance of rail stations and bus stops motivates many local residents to choose commuting on buses and trains rather than driving. But what about those park-and-ride (PnR) facilities for the commuters who choose to live in places beyond walking distance to transit? Attendees listened to the new research-based evidence on where parking provides a boost to bus and train ridership that is double to four times the impact of transit-adjacent housing. This webinar started the discussion of how transit agencies should react to the research.

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MTI proudly participated in Sciencepalooza! where a winning team received the "MTI Innovative Transportation Project Award" and a prize of $200. 

Sciencepalooza! is a science fair for all East Side Union High School (ESUHSD) students, whether they're a first-time science fair participant, a returning participant, and/or someone who wants to get a head start on a project for the regional science fair a few weeks later. Usually 700-900 students from different grade levels participate to create the most authentic "real world" work they can. These projects require students to create solutions, meet deadlines, and explain their product/ project. 

Representation of women in the transportation workforce is stunningly low. What would happen to our mobility with more women driving transportation policies, planning, operations, and maintenance? During TRB's 6th International Conference on Women's Issues on Transportation, panelists discussed best practices for recruitment, support, and advancement of women in the transportation sector. In this webinar, conference speakers continued their discussion about workforce challenges and overcoming them; approaches to attract, retain and advance women in transportation, and how these leaders see COVID-19 changing the workforce and work environment.

Featuring: 

• Dr. Hilary Nixon, MTI Deputy Executive Director (moderator)
• Laurie Berman, Director (retired), California Department of Transportation
• Flora Castillo, President, Pivot Strategies, LLC
• Jodi Godfrey, Senior Research Associate, Mobility Policy Research Program & Transit Safety & Workforce Development Programs, Transportation Research, University of South Florida
• Debra A. Johnson, General Manager/ CEO, Regional Transportation District (Denver)