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Institute of Transportation Engineers publishes free STEM lessons

Jul 18, 2022
Stephanie Ivey headshot

“No matter what your STEM interest, you can find a way to have a successful career in transportation,” says Stephanie S. Ivey. The associate dean for research and professor in the Herff College of Engineering at the University of Memphis wants to spread the word about STEM and transportation. She believes that the future of transportation is wide open and filled with exciting opportunities for STEM-educated students. To draw young people into the topic and its career possibilities, she has leveraged her STEM Committee position with the Institute of Transportation Engineers to help create classroom lessons in transportation-related areas. The lessons are for K-12 students and their teachers. Ivey agreed to tell us more about the lessons, her interest in STEM and transportation, and her lifelong fascination with things that “go:”


Q: Tell us about your educational background and what sparked your interest in transportation.

A: My bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees are in civil engineering. I was interested in transportation from a young age (loved Hot Wheels!) but only became interested in it as a career once I started my faculty role at the University of Memphis. 


I love teaching transportation courses and conducting transportation-related research. It is such an exciting field – so many cool technologies, exciting changes on the horizon and opportunities to have a positive impact in your community through transportation.


Q: In your positions at the University of Memphis and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), which is based in Washington, D.C., what are your main areas of interest relating to transportation and its impact on society?

A: With ITE, I am part of the STEM Committee. Our focus is on promoting transportation connections within STEM to K-12 communities so that students understand the exciting opportunities available to them through a career in transportation. At the University of Memphis, I am a professor of civil engineering, and I currently teach transportation courses related to transformative technologies and transportation systems management and operations. 


I enjoy these courses because the state of practice is constantly changing, so I am always learning something new (plus, the students get really excited about these topics). There is so much happening with emerging technologies that impacts the work transportation professionals do – from developing autonomous and connected vehicles to using technologies to capture big data so that we are better able to manage congestion and create safer roadways. 


Transportation professionals also play a role in helping to ensure all members of a community have access to transportation, creating livable neighborhoods and designing infrastructure for many different modes of travel – including bicycles and pedestrians.

Q: Why and how should transportation matter to students involved in STEM education?

A: Transportation is part of our lives every day, whether in how we travel or in how things we need get to us. Because we are all so involved in transportation, it is easy to take it for granted and not recognize its importance or what it takes to ensure our systems work well.


There are so many diverse applications of STEM in transportation. We need bright minds bringing diverse perspectives to solve the transportation challenges of now and the future – from creating sustainable and environmentally friendly vehicles and systems to integration of robotics and autonomous driving to design innovations that enable people with physical or other limitations to safely get to where they need to go.



No matter what your STEM interest, you can find a way to have a successful career in transportation.


Q: Tell us about the transportation resources developed by the Institute of Transportation Engineers: What is the ITE, and why did it create these resources? What do they consist of, and what level of students are they for?

A: ITE – A Community of Transportation Professionals is an international membership association of transportation professionals who work to improve mobility and safety for all transportation system users and help build smart and livable communities.


The organization includes a diverse range of transportation professionals who work to improve transportation systems and our communities in a variety of ways. ITE recognizes the importance of building a pipeline of STEM professionals for the transportation workforce, which is why the ITE STEM Committee was created.


The STEM resources are intended to help students learn about transportation topics and careers and to provide support for teachers or ITE members who want to lead transportation learning activities for K-12 students.


There are resources available for preK-high school students (https://www.ite.org/stem), including hands-on activities, research projects and career videos (plus more).


Q: How can teachers use these resources in the classroom? Can students use the resources on their own?

A: Each of the STEM lessons available on the site provides information about the grade level most likely to benefit from the activity, background information needed to successfully lead the activity, expected duration and material requirements. These lessons can be integrated into STEM classes or even math and science courses where topics covered are relevant.


For example, the Ramps and Friction activity can be introduced during science lessons when friction is being discussed to provide a hands-on learning experience. Students can also use the resources on their own to explore career options, such as by watching the videos of professionals talking about their careers or exploring the career resource links provided on the site.


Q: Can these materials be used to foster student interest in transportation careers?

A: Absolutely! Our committee’s goal with these resources is to make it easier for teachers and ITE members to share information about transportation careers. The activities and resources are designed to engage students in fun learning opportunities that help them understand the roles, impact and importance of transportation professionals.


Q: What do you see as the future of transportation? What kind of transportation careers might we see and how will they be different from today’s jobs? How can educators best prepare students for these careers?

A: The future of transportation is exciting – so much is changing as technology evolves. Transportation professionals of the future will be responsible for a complete transformation of our transportation systems as we move toward autonomous and connected vehicles and infrastructure. They will be involved in the move toward zero emissions to reduce the impact of transportation on our environment. They will also be at the forefront of designing systems so that our communities are livable and inclusive, providing accessibility to safe and efficient transportation for everyone.


All of these challenges require workers with stronger technical backgrounds and more interdisciplinary skills than ever before. There are opportunities for students through any educational pathway, from technical certifications to advanced university degrees.

Educators can help prepare students by exposing them to transportation topics and challenges, providing experiential learning opportunities where students can create, innovate and problem-solve, and engaging transportation professionals to bring real-world experience into the classroom.


Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about current and future STEM education in general?

A: As what is needed in the workplace continues to evolve, so must STEM education. The best path forward, in my opinion, is through partnerships between K-12, higher education and industry. By working together, we can create unique learning experiences that empower students to find their fit in terms of both educational and career pathways and better prepare them for the workforce of the future.


By Rob Evans 01 Nov, 2023
by Heather Sherman, Director of STEMx The 2023 STEM Innovation Forum: Activating Collaborations to Advance an Inclusive STEM Workforce was a success! Through our collaboration with STEMconnector and Million Women Mentors, we convened 160 leaders from industry, government, non-profit organizations, and education institutions from all over the United States to discuss strategies and best practices to support the STEM workforce. We were honored to host a variety of dynamic speakers including: Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado Brynt Parmeter, Chief Talent Management Officer, U.S. Department of Defense Dr. Athina Kanioura, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, PepsiCo and Dr. Lisa Hinkelman, Founder and CEO of Ruling Our eXperiences (RoX). We extend our gratitude to our panelists, Learning Session speakers, and participants who joined us in Denver. Broadening participation We set out share information on trends in STEM education and workforce development, with an emphasis on broadening participation in STEM careers. Resources from sessions highlighting strategies for broadening participation are linked below: DoD STEM: Developing a STEM Workforce to Support the National Security Mission Priming the Pump for High Demand STEM Careers STEM Workforce Readiness for Teen Girls: “If She Can See It, She Can Be It” Driving change Another goal of the forum was to feature high impact strategies, programs and solutions that are driving change, and STEMx members from LASTEM , the PAST Foundation and MBRT showed how they are engaging youth and building career awareness through their workforce programs. Emerging technologies We looked towards the future to better understand how emerging technologies will change the world and the ways we must prepare STEM talent for jobs in logistics, artificial intelligence, research safety , bioenergy , and renewable technologies. Chevron‘s sponsored panel, “Cultivating the Talent to Drive the Innovation and Technologies for Ever-Cleaner Energy” was a rich discussion featuring experts from Chevron, Project Lead the Way and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Dr. Jamie Vernon, Executive Director, and CEO, Sigma Xi Society was a fantastic moderator for this discussion. Next steps We have linked event resources including videos, slide decks and collateral on the event landing page . The event photo gallery is located there as well. If you attended, please complete our 30 second event survey . Five lucky winners will be selected at random to receive a Forum water bottle! More importantly, your feedback matters to us. If you did not attend, mark your calendar for next fall - we’re looking to make next year even bigger! If you are interested in hosting in your state, or have thoughts about compelling content that we should include, please reach out to Heather Sherman .
By Rob Evans 03 Oct, 2023
Join us for The STEM Innovation Forum: Activating Collaborations to Advance an Inclusive STEM Workforce
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