Affiliated Centers
NSF CREST Center for Multidisciplinary Research Excellence in Cyber-physical Infrastructure Systems (MECIS)
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program supports the enhancement of research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate research and education. CREST promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty, and an expanded presence of students historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. In 2021, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) established the CREST Center for Multidisciplinary Research Excellence in Cyber-physical Infrastructure Systems (MECIS). MECIS addresses current gaps in the planning, design, and operation of cyber-physical infrastructure systems, such as autonomous, sensing-enabled, and artificial intelligence-powered transportation infrastructure, by proposing innovative theoretical, computational, experimental, and empirical solutions spanning from micro (molecule)- to macro (system)-scale, which also yield practical solutions valuable for industry.
USDOT Safety21 National University Transportation Center
A transportation future awaits where vehicles can drive themselves, connect to each other and the infrastructure, and are propelled by renewable energy sources. In this future, crashes are minimized, injuries significantly reduced, and fatalities almost entirely eliminated. Vulnerable users are safer and feel more comfortable on roads. Congestion decreases with the real-time exchange of traffic information. Communications are secure and private. Access to transportation is equitable. This revolutionary leap in our transportation network is enabled by a transformative approach, which offers safety and reliability in an equitable, sustainable and efficient fashion across multiple modes. Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation as the National University Transportation Center for Safety and led by the Carnegie Mellon University, in partnership with UTRGV and five other institutions, Safety21 actively seeks to enable and accelerate this transformation to a safer, more efficient and equitable transportation network.
USDOT University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS)
The University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) was established in Fall of 2013 and operates as a consortium of three institutions, namely; The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) – Lead Institution, Texas A&M University (TAMU), and The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). The strategic research goals of the UTCRS aim to fundamentally improve railway safety outcomes by (i) reducing fatalities and injuries at highway-rail grade crossings (HRGCs); (ii) reducing failures by developing more durable materials and systems; (iii) developing advanced technology for infrastructure monitoring; and (iv) developing innovative safety assessments and decision-making tools. One of the main objectives of the UTCRS is to enhance student education and training through engagement in a variety of center activities including STEM summer camps, research experiences for students and teachers, engineering workshops, K-12 transportation curriculum development, and community outreach projects. The opportunity to contribute to the research and development of new technologies with practical value attracts students and faculty to be a part of the UTCRS. Creating pathways for students to pursue their master’s and doctoral studies in the areas of transportation engineering and railway safety is one of the most important center missions. The training of a sophisticated workforce which is thoroughly grounded in the specific demands of rail service will have a long-term effect on system safety through improved safety assessments, countermeasures, and decision-making tools.