AASHTO Research Advisory Committee (RAC)/TRB Conduct of Research (COR)

Coordination and Collaboration Task Force

Meeting Notes

7/29/15

  1. Introductions/Housekeeping
  2. Attendees: William Barstis, Alasdair Cain, Ken Chambers, Stephanie Dock, Georgene Geary, Diane Gurtner, Barbara Harder, Jasmine Harris, Gary Hook, Jack Jernigan, Cameron Kergaye, Natassja Linzau, Aziz Khan, Peggi Knight, John Moulden, Ned Parrish, Dale Peabody, Jorge Prozzi, Ann Scholz, Sue Sillick,Michael Townley, Hua Xiang, and Pete Zaniewski
  3. Note Taker –Diane Gurtner
  4. Changes/Additions to Agenda - None
  5. Announcement: Sue is stepping down as co-chair; she has been chair/co-chair since 2007. Cameron Kergaye and Anne Ellis will be co-chairs.
  6. CCTF needs additional volunteers from Region 1.
  1. NCHRP funding
  2. The RAC Task Force chairs submitted a FY 2016 NCHRP problem statement, requesting $315,000, to help support the task forces in their efforts.
  3. It rated well with both RAC and SCOR, third overall.
  4. This problem statement was written and approved for three years of support, beginning in FY 2016.
  5. Some specific projects include the following website support:SCOR/RAC website, Research Program and Project Management (RPPM) website, and Research Funding Guide
  1. RPPM Update- Sue Sillick and Natassja Linzau
  2. RPPM had an initial push out to various organizations, including CUTC, OST-R, RAC, TFHRC, TRB Committee Research Coordinators (CRCs), and various TRB committees. The initial push out to RAC included the Treasure Hunt (attached) to encourage RAC members to familiarize themselves with the website and to post information. Hua Xiang/MD was the winner and there were five runner’s up: Cynthia Jones, Dale Peabody, Ann Scholz, Amy Schutzbach, and Linda Taylor.
  3. We need to continue to spread the word.Volunteers to continue marketing efforts include Ken Chambers, Stephanie Dock, Barbara Harder, Dale Peabody, Georgene Geary, and Sue Sillick; Ken Chambers volunteered to schedule a meeting of the marketing group.
  4. Jasmine Harris volunteered to add FHWA events to the RPPM calendar, as appropriate.
  5. Sue noted that there is posting guidance and user guidance available on the RPPM website.
  6. Anyone can view the site, but to be able to add content, users must register as “members”. Registration is a two-step process: 1) sign up online (need an AASHTO account) and 2) send email to Natassja.

Natassja provided the following analytics/usage from 6/1/15-7/23/15 (attached). Natassja will generate statistics update for each CCTF meeting.

  1. 21,000+ page views (55% returning, 42% new)
  2. IE is the top browser used (works best with IE)
  3. Top pages viewed: home page, calendar, research agenda page.

  1. AASHTO Outreach
  2. AASHTO Committee Research Resources Webinar -
    (see first set of links under “Products”)
  3. Review of survey results (attached) – We need volunteers to continue with this effort. A first step after the webinar is to identify action items from the survey of AASHTO committee leadership.
  4. Periodic outreach with resources
  5. Form a subcommittee
    Volunteers: Anne Ellis, Jasmine Harris, Jim McDonnell, Ned Parrish, and Hua Xiang
  6. CRC Council – Mapping AASHTO and TRB Committees’ overlap to facilitate communication, coordination, and collaboration.
  1. Funding Guidebook Updates -
  2. Volunteers: Jasmine Harris, Jack Jernigan, Ann Scholz, and Jorge Prozzi
  3. This resource will need to be updated as programs changed, and come in and out of existence. The next highway bill will likely create a need for updates.
  1. Unfunded Research Needs Custom Google Search – – Stephanie Dock and Martin Pietrucha
  1. This search was created and is maintained by Michel Wendt at WSDOT.
  2. The purpose of this search is to have one tool that can search websites and databases for unfunded research needs.
  3. Stephanie Dock (state DOT point of view) and Martin Pietrucha (University view) are leading this effort. Martin reached out to universities – there are IP concerns.
  4. We used to have information, such as how to post research needs such that they can be searched by this tool and a listing of databases that can be search with this tool; however, Google changed the format and now no text can be posted. Martin, Natassja, Stephanie, and Sue discussed the possibility of moving the functionality to RPPM. Natassja will check to see if this is possible. In the meantime, the text that had been posted on this website can be moved to RPPM, where RPPM could serve as a gateway to this search. Also, RPPM can function as a place where people can post their unfunded research needs (if posting them on their website is not an option).

Send ideas to Stephanie

  1. Updates from other Task Forces/groups
  2. Administration TF (meeting at the same time)
    Sue gave a brief update on the subcommittee on SCOR/RAC website. Sue serves on this subcommittee to facilitate coordination among the SCR/RAC, TRB CRC, and RPPM websites. This group meets monthly and has been meeting for over a year revising and updating this website,
  3. Program Management and Quality (PM&Q) TF

This task group is working on best practices for implementation of research results, coordination of website (RPM, RPPM, and TPF) development, intellectual property, and research problem identification practices.

  1. Transportation Knowledge Network (TKN) TF

Sue reported this Task Force recently completed report guidelines and requirements, including the development of a form, example, and guidelines for the standard Technical Report Documentation Page (TRDP). This Task Force has also gathered example disclaimer and copyright statements. This information is posted on Currently, the Task Force is working on best practices for report distribution and a Knowledge Management calendar.

  1. TRB COR/LIST Committees: Literature Search and Review E-circular

    Has been pushed out through CUTC, RAC , and the TRB community
  2. Value of Research (no update)
  3. AASHTO Strategic Plan / reorganization
    Skip suggested that RAC taskforces look at the new SCOR strategic plan to see where they can contribute
  1. New Activities?
    A lot of resources have been developed – where should we go now?
  2. National Research Frameworks
    (
  3. International Coordination and Collaboration – on a list from a Scan tour
    Jorge mentioned mapping TRB committees w/ International committees. If anyone is interested in becoming a member of the International Committee, let him know
  4. Others?
    FHWA Communications / publications vacancy – Jack Jernigan looking into
  1. Meetings – Mark your calendars!
  2. Next Meeting:12/16/15
  3. Meeting time: 11-1 pacific, 12-2 mountain, 1-3 central, and 2-4 eastern

Research Program and Project Management (RPPM) Website

Treasure Hunt

The RAC Coordination and Collaboration Task Force (CCTF) is hosting a digital treasure hunt on RPPM. The first person to respond with all of the tasks completed will be the lucky winner. Also, there will also be a number of runners-up. Recognition and fabulous prizes await the winner and runners-up at the summer RAC meeting in Portland.

RPPM is a collaborative website on the SharePoint platform that allows members to share announcements, events, discussion topics, documents, and links on all matters related to research program and project management. It follows the research cycle from setting the research agenda to conducting research, delivering results, and communicating value, with the overarching theme of collaborating in research activities. Anyone can view the content on RPPM, but to realize its full potential, you must register as a member and add content.

The purpose of this treasure hunt is for you to become familiar with the RPPM website by performing various tasks. RPPM can be of incredible value to all of us as we participate and share our knowledge.

Below are the tasks that need to be completed. Please use this document as your answer sheet. You can submit your response by email to . The final deadline for all responses is July 22, 2015. Please complete all tasks prior to submission and include all attachments with your submission. Incomplete entries will not be considered. Thank you!

Hints

If you are unsure of how to do any of the tasks listed in this treasure hunt, check out the RPPM Website User Guide ( and RPPM Posting Guidance (

You will need to be able to take screenshots of your computer screen in order to submit your entry. Instructions on how to do this are found in Task 2.

Treasure Hunt Tasks

  1. How do you register for RPPM?
  2. Register for RPPM and log-in to RPPM (or just log-in if you are already registered). Provide a screen shot proving you are successfully logged-in showing your e-mail log-in in the upper right of your screen (use a screen shot tool, such as SnagIt, MS Office Snipping Tool, or press “Shift” (or CTRL) and “Print Scrn” together, and then paste into the Paint program from your Accessories folder or you can paste directly into a Word or Text document).
  3. What event is scheduled June 23, 2015? What color and type of event is it?
  4. Update your “My Settings” information (click on the down arrow next to your e-mail when logged-in and click on “Edit Item”. Provide a screen shot of your “User Information” to show that it has been modified.
  5. How many implementation documents are posted on RPPM? Please provide a screen shot to provide proof.
  6. How do you add an alert or subscribe to an RSS feed on the RPPM website?
  7. What steps do you take to add a calendar event to the RPPM calendar?
  8. What is the most recent document on intellectual property? When was it posted? Who posted this document? Include the date you answered this question in your response.
  9. What 10 publications are the last items entered into TRID, as per RPPM? Please provide a screen shot listing these publications.
  10. Who do you contact if you have any comments or are having any difficulties with RPPM? Hint: there are two answers.

Bonus Task: This task will move your submittal up 24 hours. Add a pertinent announcement, calendar event, discussion topic, or document. Go into the details for that item, by clicking on it and provide a screen shot to show it was added by you and when you added it.

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