AASHTO Research Advisory Committee (RAC)/TRB Conduct of Research (COR)
Coordination and Collaboration Task Force
Meeting Minutes
Baton Rouge, LA
7/22/13
1. Attendees:
Members: Stephanie Dock, Jeff Brown, Georgene Geary, Peggy Knight, Anne Ellis, Leni Oman, Sue Sillick, Jason Bittner, James W. Bryant, Jr., Martin Pietrucha
Friends/Guests: Richard Long, Mary Moulton, Ned Parrish, Richard Kreider, Shari Shaftlein, Jacqueline Kamin, Bob Skinner
By Phone: Phil Roke and Natassja Linzau
As a clarification to the 4/24/2013 Meeting Notes, Sue noted that the RITA will continue to support their Research Hub portal. Only the research clusters will not be supported any longer.
2. Unfunded Research Needs Portal Update (tinyurl.com/transportationresearchneeds)
a. Sue noted the purpose of this site is to pull together all the unfunded research needs so they can be searched all at once. She noted the talking points, information on how to post and perform custom searches, a disclaimer, and links to other transportation-related Google Custom Searches have been added to this site. She also noted that it was now part of the new professor’s package at Penn State.
Leni related that in using the site she had an issue with terminology differences. She suggested using the NCHRP definitions for uniformity. It can pull out themes, but a high volume of results make it less useful. The TKN TF will assist in improving the functionality. Leni, Mary Moulton, Lisa Loyo and Sandy Tucker (TRT Chair) and the Joint Committee on Data Chair which are involved in the NCHRP project on "Improving Findability and Relevance of Transportation Information " (20-97) will assist. Martin volunteered to get CUTC volunteers and Anne Ellis volunteered also.
Marketing was discussed. Information on this site was added to the RAC 101 and various TRB Committee Research Coordinator (CRC) presentations. Sue noted she sent out a survey to RAC to market it and identify additional unfunded research needs.
It was discussed if the same should be done for CUTC. Research needs are somewhat narrowly focused in the university area, may not be useful in this context. Martin volunteered to discuss with CUTC. It was noted that the MPOs and local governments were potential areas to add. Michael Wendt provided information that the site had 670 hits, 605 that were unique. The charts are pasted below.
3. RPPM Update
Sue shared that the migration to an AASHTO server may happen this summer. Thanks again to TRB for helping to make this happen. This has been a long process which included evaluating options, securing funding, contracting, migration, and identifying and implementing programming fixes. AASHTO is moving from SharePoint 10 to 13 and it is hoped the RPPM site will be migrated prior to this major platform migration. Volunteers to review the site (after migration) have been identified, but more are welcome. Volunteers: Jason Bittner, Alison Felix (TRB AM OnLine links), Barbara Harder, Valerie Lefler, Natassja Linzau, Linda Preisen, and Sue Sillick
A calendar of research program and project management activities will be added to this site after it is migrated. CCTF is working with the TKN TF as this TF is also working on a calendar.
Discussion was held on the intended audience for RPPM and ownership. The goal is that this site will be useful to all those involved in research program and project management (federal, state, and local governments; TRB; Universities; CUTC; etc.), with coordination among related websites, posting information on the most appropriate site and linking from others. The site is “owned” by the CCTF and TRB COR committee
4. Funding Guidebook (tinyurl.com/transportationresearchfunding)
The talking points were posted and this topic was added to RAC 101.
a. Need to update the site.
i. Phil Roke volunteered to look at the DOT programs
ii. RITA-Tim Klein, Alasdair Cain, and Sue
iii. FHWA is planning on completing updates based on MAP21 by October (David Kuehn/John Moulden)
iv. Sue noted that a contact through the TRB CRC Council will update the FAA portion– Ernie Heymsfield
v. FTA- Sue and Stephanie noted the same potential contact to review the FTA information. Sue has the information; it just needs to be reviewed and request program write-ups as appropriate.
vi. FRA?, MARAD?, PHMSA?, NHTSA?
vii. CUTC volunteer to identify private, non-profit, etc. funding programs – Martin Pietrucha
viii. Need for SHRP2 links were discussed. Sue is going to look at adding links to SHRP2, and possibly TIG and Market Ready Research. Shari volunteered to send Sue links to SHRP2.
ix. Chapter 4: More About Proposed, Ongoing, and Completed Research needs to be updated.
b. Add history, timeline with hyperlinks – Leni noted that the history document is focused on highways and we need other modal links. Natassja volunteered to assist
c. Add links to needs/problem statement forms – Jason and Wes Lum
d. Develop a document/graphic summarizing transportation research funding – Bob Skinner noted that Tom Bolle (RITA) provided him a comprehensive list of programs in the past, he volunteered to send that to Sue. Leni volunteered to tweak the document to update it to reflect MAP21. (attached to e-mail)
e. Marketing - AASHTO, RAC and RAC 101, TRB, CUTC/UTCs
Shari mentioned FHWA internal programs and volunteered to pull together Natural Resources links.
5. International Coordination and Collaboration
Barbara was not available to discuss, but Sue noted that the status of the International program had not changed, and the NCHRP synthesis that was submitted on ICC was not selected.
Kevin noted that RITA, TRB and the EU were planning an International Research Symposium next April (April 10-11, 2014) in France on Research Deployment and Implementation. Anne Ellis is on the committee that will meet in Sept. A Freight symposium was held this past May, but it was not attended by DOTs.
6. Action Plan: Sue noted that the COR and RAC C&C goals were so similar that they combined the action plans of each into one document. The Action Plan and the format of the action plan were discussed. It was suggested to pull the action items and due dates to the top of each strategy to make it easier to follow.
7. TRB Back to the Basics: Fostering and Nurturing a Research Agenda Update -Sue provided an update on the CRC and CRCC (which was created last September). She shared the CRC website and noted that the CRCC was working on making changes. About 170 out of 230 CRC have been identified. It was suggested that we need something similar for AASHTO Committees. Sue noted that this is a topic for the December SCOR meeting, and they were already working with a draft AASHTO committees list.
Sue also noted that a webinar for CRCs on NCHRP was set for next week and another one on ACRP will be held in October.
8. Liaisons- updates were made as noted in bold:
a. AASHTO RAC Task Forces
i. Admin -
ii. PM&Q -
iii. TKN – Leni Oman
iv. Value of Research -
b. AASHTO Committees/Research Subcommittees – Georgene, Cameron, Anne, Leni, and Sue
c. TRB Committee on Implementing the Research Products of SHRP 2 (F0002)- remove, disbanded
d. TRB Committee on National Research Frameworks: Application to Transportation (B0120)- final report is going into review than the committee will be disbanded
e. TRB Committee Research Coordinators (CRC) & CRC Council – Sue and Georgene
f. TRB International Activities Committee (A0010)– Sam Elrahman and Wes
g. TRB KM TF –Leni will replace Denise Bedford
h. TRB Library and Information Science for Transportation Committee (ABG40) – Need volunteer
i. TRB Technology Transfer Committee (ABG30) - Need volunteer
j. TRB Young Members Council (A0040T) – John Sangster
k. LTAP
l. Local Entities: Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (AMPO) and American Planning Association (APA) – Alison
m. FHWA – John Moulden
n. Other Federal Agencies
o. USDOT RDT – Martin
p. NACTO (National Association of City Transportation Officials) added-Stephanie volunteered
9. Updates from other Task Forces/groups
a. Admin. TF – Admin TF was meeting at same time, but it was noted that they are working on the SCOR/RAC website update project and will be looking at the CRC and RPPM websites also to prevent duplication and include appropriate links.
b. TKN TF – Leni noted that they were working on a beta version of a calendar, and the Library TPF was funding two projects: 1) research tech Page- guidance on how to complete the USDOT cover page and 2)Report distribution project on options and recommendations on alerts, reports on demand, etc. for distributing research reports.
c. TRB COR/LIST literature review project- Sue noted they are developing guidance on what constitutes a "good" literature review. Also submitted terms to TRT and providing guidance on how and where to search, and, what to put in a comprehensive literature review.
10. Meetings – Next Meetings – Mark your calendars!
a. Upcoming Meeting Dates – 9/25/13, and 12/11/13.
b. Meeting time: 11-1 pacific, 12-2 mountain, 1-3 central, and 2-4 eastern – Note: the meeting time has changed.