WASHINGTON — The Transportation Research Board (TRB) today announced the 2023 class of Minority Student Fellows. As part of its commitment to increasing diversity and inclusiveness in transportation, the TRB Minority Student Fellows Program funds students from minority-serving institutions to attend and present their research at the TRB Annual Meeting and help them engage in TRB’s network of transportation professionals.

To ensure that solutions to the nation’s transportation problems address people from a variety of backgrounds, TRB established the Minority Student Fellows Program in 2010 to explore research, ideas, and solutions from diverse perspectives. This program seeks to increase the number of individuals from underrepresented groups in the transportation field and in TRB activities.

“TRB is pleased to welcome the 14th cohort of Minority Student Fellows. Since 2010, over 220 scholars have come through the program to present their research and participate in all aspects of our annual meeting,” said Neil Pedersen, executive director of TRB. “These students have benefitted not only from presenting their research, but also from networking with and learning from the top transportation researchers and professionals in the world.”

In 2023, 13 undergraduate and eight graduate students studying in disciplines that include civil engineering, urban planning, biochemistry, global national security, mechanical engineering, computer science, and electronic engineering technology have been selected to take part in the program. The fellows will participate in TRB’s 2023 annual meeting with paper presentations and numerous other activities, including Young Members Council sessions, the new attendee welcome event, a career panel, a networking lunch, and committee meetings. They will also interact with an annual meeting mentor with whom they are matched based on academic and professional goals.

The students selected are:

• Nicole Anderson, pursuing a doctorate in civil engineering at Morgan State University

• Jeremiah Bailey, pursuing a master’s degree in urban planning at Texas Southern University

• Elijah Bond-Hawkins, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering technology at Florida A&M University

• Quinton Butler, pursuing a master’s degree in environmental, earth, and geospatial sciences at North Carolina Central University

• Alonso Carrillo, pursuing a master’s degree in urban planning and real estate development at the University of Arizona

• David Castano, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the City College of New York

• Gabriella Cerna, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and microbiology at Arizona State University

• Edward Clay, pursuing a master’s degree in transportation engineering at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

• Diana Cortes, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Tennessee State University

• Hector Cruz, pursuing a doctorate degree in civil engineering at the University of Texas at El Paso

• Rueben Esteves, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa

• Anthony Forcades, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Florida International University

• Armando Martinez, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer science at Northern Arizona University

• Sebastian Morales, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of Texas, El Paso

• Eric Olaguir, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the University of New Mexico

• Leanor Reyes, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Florida International University

• Ossiris Rodriguez, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at the University of New Mexico

• Kamalen Santos-Diaz, pursuing a doctorate degree in civil engineering at the University of Texas, El Paso

• Evan Taylor, pursuing a doctorate in transportation and urban infrastructure systems at Morgan State University

• Timothy Thiergart, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in global national security at the University of New Mexico

• Jose Torres-Aguilera, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at California State University, Long Beach

An article about program outcomes published in Transportation Research Record documents the results of a survey of students and reflections by those involved in the program. Survey respondents indicated the program successfully increases fellows’ exposure to TRB, encourages ongoing TRB participation, and contributes to the students’ career growth.

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration provides funding for half of the students in the program. The program has also received financial support from the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the University of Texas at El Paso’s ASPIRE Engineering Research Center, Cambridge Systematics, and the state departments of transportation in Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as from contributions by individual attendees at the TRB Annual Meeting.

TRB is a program unit of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine — private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, technology, and medicine. The National Academies operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.

Contact:
Paul Mackie
Director of Communications/Media
Transportation Research Board
202-841-2953; e-mail PMackie@nas.edu