ORITE to host meeting with鈥疧hio鈥痗ounty engineers, other鈥痶ransportation leaders鈥
花季传媒鈥檚 Russ College of Engineering and Technology is collaborating with鈥痗ounty engineers鈥痜rom across the state鈥痶o discuss how the college can support infrastructure research and deployment鈥痶hrough the鈥疧hio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment鈥(ORITE).鈥赌
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Dr. Shad Sargand,鈥疪uss professor鈥痑nd鈥痸ice director for Business Development of鈥疧RITE,鈥痑nd鈥疍r. Issam Khoury, associate professor and director of ORITE,鈥痑re planning鈥痑n鈥痚vent鈥痶o bring together county engineers with other transportation leaders鈥痠ncluding鈥痶he Ohio Department of Transportation,鈥疍riveOhio, and consultants鈥痑nd鈥痯rivate sector representatives鈥痶o discuss a statewide strategy that will inform the future research of ORITE.鈥
鈥&苍产蝉辫;
The鈥痯lanning and introductory session鈥痶o launch鈥痶he鈥痬eeting鈥痺as hosted on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021. The meeting was attended by 15 OHIO engineering alumni and their colleagues who currently work and live in Southeast Ohio.鈥疘ndustry leaders鈥痑nd鈥痯ersonnel鈥痜rom the Ohio Department of Transportation and鈥疍riveOhio鈥痡oined the meeting as well.鈥赌
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鈥淭he partnership of Ohio County Engineers and 花季传媒 on solving industry issues through research partnership opportunities has been of great value to county engineers,鈥 attendee Brett Boothe (BSCE鈥07), Gallia County engineer and OHIO alumnus, said. 鈥Past research projects by 花季传媒 have changed practices in the field.鈥
Dick Dickerson,鈥疌EO of Utility Technologies International,鈥痗hair of the Russ College鈥檚 Board of visitors鈥痑nd an鈥痑lumnus of OHIO鈥檚 Civil Engineering program鈥(BSCE 鈥80),鈥痝ave鈥痮pening remarks at the meeting鈥痑nd鈥痚xpressed that he is鈥痩ooking forward to the future of this collaboration.鈥&苍产蝉辫;
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鈥淭he鈥痗onference hosted by 花季传媒 was great for relationship enhancement,鈥 Dickerson said. 鈥淭his meeting was a great example of Ohio working for Ohio.鈥濃
Fairfield County Engineer鈥疛eremiah鈥疷pp鈥(BSCE鈥97) added,鈥淲e need partners, like Ohio University, that have facilities in place to provide research and鈥痳eal-world options that can be utilized for value engineering.鈥濃
Russ College of Engineering and Technology鈥疍ean Mei Wei welcomed the group over lunch鈥痑nd drew specific attention to the value of鈥疪uss College alumni. She said that alumni鈥痭ot only know what Russ graduates need to succeed in the field, but they are also vital in creating successful partnerships鈥痺ith key leaders in the public and private sectors.鈥&苍产蝉辫;
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鈥淚 am looking forward to seeing what transpires as a result of this meeting with our regional county engineers who also happen to be Russ College alumni,鈥 Wei said. 鈥淥RITE is one of the top research centers within the Russ College. We are proud of our track record in assisting鈥疧DOT and our regional partners with high-quality research and teaching and look forward to tackling new challenges as they come forward.鈥
This鈥痠nitial鈥痬eeting鈥痺elcomed stakeholders from around the region who are invested in the success of ORITE and its research. As a result, several county engineers and OHIO alumni will join the planning committee for the statewide meeting which will be held in the coming months.鈥
鈥淎s a Washington County engineer, forming a partnership鈥痺ith 花季传媒 to provide research on infrastructure issues is very beneficial to our department,鈥 Washington County Engineer Roger Wright (BSCE 鈥99) said. 鈥淲ith research determining鈥痶he most appropriate way to perform repairs to failing infrastructure, our limited county budget can be focused on solutions. I appreciate 花季传媒 coordinating and providing an environment in which local infrastructure issues can be discussed and future research projects developed.鈥