The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) said recently that the University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program is accepting applications from colleges and universities for this year's round of funding, with this year being the first in which two-year colleges are eligible.
A total of $72.5 million is available for fiscal 2016, with USDOT making $377.5 million available for the program over the next five years.
The UTC Program funds applied and academic research into national transportation infrastructure needs and priorities.
“These funds will support UTC programs that provide students with real opportunities to take part in cutting-edge research and to work on transportation issues with leading experts in the field,” Greg Winfree, USDOT's assistant secretary for research and technology, said. “In addition, these centers allow undergraduate and graduate students in multimodal transportation-related disciplines to apply innovative thinking and evolve technologies that will ultimately improve people’s lives.”
The UTC work is part of USDOT's “Beyond Traffic” initiative, which aims to create a U.S. transportation system for the 21st century.
“At DOT, we continue to transform government for the 21st century by harnessing innovation and embracing technology that will improve people’s lives,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “Our universities are at the forefront of solution-oriented research addressing America’s changing demographics and increased freight volumes, and ensuring improved access to economic opportunity nationwide. We have some of the best universities in the world, and I am calling on them to innovate and think big.”
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