AASHTO Research Advisory Committee (RAC)/TRB Conduct of Research (COR)

Coordination and Collaboration Committee

MeetingNotes

1/6/09

Please note action items are in red.

  1. Introductions/Housekeeping–All
  1. Introductions

RAC Task Group Members Present: Nancy Chinlund, Georgene Geary, Chris Hedges, Sue Sillick.

Conduct of Research Committee Members Present: Jason Bittner, Kim Fisher, Hau Hagedorn, and Phil Roke (for Felicia Young).

Friends Present: Larry Orcutt

  1. New Co-Chair – Nancy Chinlund volunteered to co-chair. The current meeting time never worked very well for Nancy; Sue S. will query the group as to whether moving the meeting time one hour later will work for the membership.
  2. Note Taker – Georgene Geary
  3. Changes/Additions to Agenda – Sue S. added a discussion on a TRB UTC spotlight conference.
  4. Corrections to 9/2/2008Meeting Notes(Attached)–None
  1. Report on Action Items
  2. TRNews Article – Nancy C. reported that Sam E. got the draft started, they had a recent conference call to discuss and they need two more things: 1) case studies on collaboration among UTCs, DOTs and private sector and 2) invite RITA to write a portion on the future of UTCs. Steve A. is to work on having someone write up the final portions to be ready for spring 2009.
  1. Research Funding Guidebook – Kim reported on the document: Funding Sources for Transportation Research: Competitive Programs (formerly the Tome). She reported that the webpage was under final development and will be public before the TRB Annual meeting; brochures will also be available at TRB. It is set up with the ability to comment online. The TRB International Committee is very interested and they are working on a section on International research.
  2. Updates/maintenance – Need volunteers- A question was brought up about private foundations and it was noted that they are listed, but there is no detail yet. Sue discussed the other pending sections and the need to have a maintenance plan for the document. TRB may be able to maintain the TRB related sections. David Kuehn will be asked on to maintain the FHWA sections.
  1. Unfunded Research Needs Portal (
  2. TRB Update –Chris H. reported that the PDFs have been transferred to html but Google is not picking them up. Chris H. will work with the TRB IT group to resolve after the TRB Annual meeting.
  3. Website/WIKI Development -Nancy C. reported on the status. They are looking for something that is reasonable to maintain with volunteers. They have experimented with SharePoint, professional networking sites and WIKIs. “Linked In” (a networking site) is being explored, but will need an active moderator. She noted that she has a new employee that may be able to dothis.
  1. SCOR Strategic Plan – Role for Task Group –Need volunteers for goals 2A1, 2B1, 2B2, and 2B3 (Attached)The group held a discussion on the 4 overarching issues that SCOR has been struggling with, with the consensus that our role is to provide SCOR ideas/advice on how to make the changes, not necessarily making the changes, and identify what resources are needed, internal and external. Sue, Nancy, Chris, Steve, Larry and Jason will look at the goals based on the discussion.
  1. RITA Communities of Interest (COI) and Collaborative Website Update–Nancy noted that Linda P may take over the website, in collaboration with RITA and COI.RITA staff will give us an update at the next meeting.
  1. Coordination with Other RAC Task Groups –A discussion was held on the members that overlap in other Task Groups. The following volunteered or will be asked to act as liaisons to this task group form the others:

Admin Task Group – Chris H. (volunteered)

Value of Research – Larry O. (volunteered)

Education – Calvin R., Hau H., Ron C., and Sam E. all overlap in membership and will be asked to volunteer.

Funding – Jeff Brown will be asked to volunteer.

Quality – Mike B., Sue L., Dick M., and Barbara H. all overlap in membership and will be asked to volunteer.

Future – Sue S volunteered.

TKN –Leni O. will be asked to volunteer.

Peer Exchange – There is no overlap in membership. Sue will discuss with Randy Battey, Chair of the Peer Exchange Task Group.

  1. Other coordination and collaboration activities?–Flyer on “Developing a Research Agenda for Transportation Infrastructure Preservation” was discussed. The event is scheduled for November 2009. It is a RITA/TRB Spotlight conference. It was noted that a 2010 Spotlight conference is also being developed now. Jason B. volunteered to discuss the outcomes with the organizers to see if the research needs will be vetted to TRB committees or what the process is used. The 2050 project was also mentioned and discussed.

Phil Roke noted that the 2009 STEP research plan is on the website and a 4 page brochure will be handed out at TRB.

  1. Objectives
  2. Partnering articles in TRNews/COR newsletter, etc.
  3. Unfunded research needs portal.
  4. RIP data entry, training, and marketing.
  5. Website/WIKI Development.
  6. Research Tome.
  7. Bubble Charts.
  8. Implementation of International Scan Coordination and Collaboration Items
  9. Outreach to facilitate coordination and collaboration, market tools, survey for additional needs.
  10. Meetings– Next Meetings– Mark your calendars!
  11. 3/3/09, 5/5/09, 7/7/09, 9/1/09, 11/3/09, 12/1/09.
  12. 3/3/08Agenda items(All) – Suggestions – It was requested that a RITA representative report back on what came out of the 2008 RITA/TRB spotlight conference, and this be added to the next agenda.

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