AASHTO RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE (RAC)

RESEARCH COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION TASK GROUP

MEETING NOTES

11/6/07

  1. Introductions/Housekeeping
  2. Introductions

Task Group Members Present: Steve Albert, Nancy Chinlund, Allison Hardt, Mark Norman, Leni Oman, Sue Sillick, and Dawn Tucker.

Task Group Members Absent: Michael Bonini, Nelda Bravo, Jeff Brown, Colin Franco, Georgene Geary, Sandi Hoff, Crawford Jencks, Sue Lodahl, Laurie McGinnis, Calvin Roberts, and Lou Sanders.

Friends Present: Tom Marchessault and Ned Parrish.

  1. Meeting notes – Sue Sillick
  2. Changes/additions to agenda?

Mark Norman added an update on the November SCOR meeting.

  1. Corrections to 10/2/2007 meeting notes?

None.

  1. Report on Action Items from Last Meeting
  2. Sue S. will prepare a list of current activities and accomplishments for the RAC Leadership and our website (attached). – Comments?

These documents are complete as of the meeting date. They will be updated as appropriate. There were no comments. Sue will post to the task group website.

  1. Steve A. will work on a TRNews article on partnering.

Steve is working on an outline. He anticipates completing the outline late November or early December. He will solicit input from Tom M. and will report back to the task group as appropriate.

  1. Mike Wendt, Roy Messler, Barbara Post, and Amanda Wilson will work together to develop a search tool for unfunded research needs (see proof of concept).

Mike presented the proof-of-concept search tool that includes TRB Research Needs Statements, RIP, and AASHTO TERI databases searched via a web-mounted Google search.

Mike said that if the NCHRP unfunded research problem statements were in HTML (a single page per problem statement) rather than PDF, these could be searched as well. Sue will ask Crawford if TRB can work with us on this item. Mike’s contact is Roy Messler.

There has been some discussion about unfunded NCHRP topics migrating to the Technical Division for possible vetting by TRB committees.

Mike will also see if he can add pooled-fund studies that haven’t yet been funded and he will remove RIP from the search (RIP was added to help test the proof-of-concept).

Future additions include: other cooperative research program and syntheses unfunded research ideas, state DOT’s, UTC’s, and others. The goal is to search all unfunded research needs regardless of the source. Leni queried states as to who posts unfunded research needs. Many states do not post and, if they do, they are posted in PDF format. In order to capture these, we may need to provide some guidance on content and format.

Tom and Steve will work together to identify a few UTC’s to beta test the search tool to determine how useful it is and obtain suggestions for improving this tool. The task group would like to get this tool out there for use sooner than later. What are the needs and how are these needs best satisfied (i.e., Google search tool, database)?

  1. Nelda B. and Barbara P. will work on completing the RIP data entry training. Sue Lodahl will check with Jerry Baldwin for success stories showing time and $ savings. Sue Sillick will contact RAC leadership regarding how to obtain 100% data entry by states.

Neither Nelda nor Barbara was able to attend this meeting. Sue will ask for an update at a future meeting.

Sue Lodahl did respond to Sue S. indicating MnDOT doesn’t have any specific value of RIP stories for marketing.

  1. Sue S. will work with AASHTO, TRB, and Steve A. to discuss options for our website.
  2. Draft RAC Position Brief (attached). – Comments?

Sue said that she spoke with Natassja (TRB staff who updates the RAC web page and thus the web page for this task group). Natassja is willing to work with us to satisfy our needs. However, we, as volunteers, would be responsible for content. Steve A. discussed providing web support for this task group with RITA. Initially, RITA rejected the idea because it was felt UTC’s couldn’t support RAC activities. However, this task group, even though it originated within RAC, is really about facilitating coordination and collaboration research activities in transportation.

Sue S. announced she was asked to prepare a RAC reauthorization brief for RITA to support transportation research coordination and collaboration activities. The draft was presented to the task group for input. Leni wondered why MPO’s specifically were added to the summary. She felt it should focus on the transportation as an industry as opposed to the organizations. Sue S. said that Tim Klein made that change and she would call Tim to discuss. Cross-modal or multimodal should be a key point in coordination activities. She also felt the lack of resources for coordination and collaboration activities and how we really are just limping forward should be emphasized. Gaps should be identified. The need should be supported with examples of the types of products that might be an outcome.

Sue S. will incorporate comments and send the document back out for input.

The consensus of the task group was that this is a good direction to support future transportation research coordination and collaboration activities.

  1. SCOR Meeting Update – Mark Norman

Mark presented topics from the SCOR draft Strategic Plan related to coordination and collaboration.

“Evaluate best practices for managing, programming, and funding national research coordination and collaboration [e.g., NCHRP Project 17-18 (Safety Research), Concrete Pavement Roadmap, etc.].”

“Influence and coordinate with other national transportation research agendas.

1. Assess the relationship with other national programs.

2. Develop understanding of the potential of research, being done by others, that addresses basic/fundamental research and advanced technologies.

3. Increase outreach to non-highway modes.

4. Explore closer working relationships, coordination, partnerships, and leveraged funding with University Transportation Centers (UTC's), other research agencies, industry, and local governments.”

These items directly relate to the goals of this task group. We may be able help SCOR in this endeavor and, in fact, we may be assigned tasks by SCOR.

Mark also stated that he talked with SCOR about trying to increase coordination between CRP and the Technical division of TRB, and also RAC and the TRB state Representatives.

Leni indicated she didn’t know when the draft SCOR Strategic Plan would be circulated, but would ask at the next RAC Leadership Board meeting.

  1. WIKI’s – A Tool to Facilitate Coordination and Collaboration – Leni Oman

Leni showed the Pavement Interactive website/WIKI (http://pavementinteractive.org). Groups that belong can post items and work collaboratively on document development.

Tom M indicated that RITA uses SharePoint, which is a MS-based web system. This software functions in a similar manner to WIKI’s. However, the current version has some transparency problems. Leni said that SharePoint doesn’t work with WSDOT’s web software. The next version should take care of some of these issues.

Steve A. indicated that WTI is working on a rural transportation clearinghouse.

Nancy C., Steve A., and Leni O. are interested in pursuing this topic. The next step will be to determine what we would want in such a site. Nancy will take the lead and set up a conference call with this sub-group in December to discuss this topic.

  1. Transportation Knowledge Networks – Leni Oman

Leni stated that Transportation Knowledge Networks (TKN’s) are about capturing information and providing the information when it is needed. She indicated the Virginia DOT (VDOT) has had a knowledge management program for about 4 years; VDOT captures knowledge before workers retire and the information walks out the door. VDOT is also active in Communities of Practice (COP). Knowledge mapping is a part of knowledge management. In other words, how do we move information through the organization; who is connected by the information; is there enough redundancy to protect from loss of information?

TRB Special Report (SR) 284 focused on TKN’s. NCHRP Project 20-75 is furthering the work developed for SR 284. The National Transportation Library and RITA are also interested in TKN’s. The Midwest TKN (MTKN) has been in existence for a number of years. A new eastern TKN (ETKN) is forming. Also, a special RAC Task Group on TKN’s is being formed; currently, membership is being discussed.

A Western TKN (WTKN) also has been formed. Currently, there are 23 members, including: state DOT’s, UTC's, MPO’s, and private industry. This group is developing a strategic plan; items that might evolve from this plan, include: ILL best practices and agreements, improving access to data resources, and capturing information in a catalog or database

Leni prepared a TKN briefing paper for RAC. She will send the draft brief to this task group and others for vetting before it goes to SCOR.

  1. Bubble Charts – Leni Oman

Leni sent out a revised bubble chart encompassing all of surface transportation research, as well as the final SCOE fishbone chart. Leni asked for input on the bubble chart from this group. The task group felt the bubble chart is exactly what is needed to document funding sources. They felt there should be different charts for different modes. Dawn Tucker offered to provide help for other modes.

Leni will see if SCOE has posted the Fishbone chart so that we can link to it.

  1. Develop Statement of Objectives (SMART - Specific, Measurable, Agreed Upon, Realistic, and Time-Bound)
  2. What are some easy wins (low hanging fruit)?
  3. Partnering articles in TRNews.

See above discussion.

  1. Bubble Charts.

See above discussion.

  1. RIP data entry training and marketing.

An update will be provided at a future meeting.

  1. Unfunded research needs portal.

See above discussion.

  1. Transportation Coordination and Collaboration website/WIKI.
  2. SCOR Strategic Plan coordination and collaboration activities.
  1. Need to prioritize.
  1. Next Meetings – Mark your calendars!
  2. 12/4/07, 1/8/08 (moved due to holiday), 2/5/08, 3/4/08, 4/1/08 (no fools), 5/6/08, 6/3/08, 7/1/08, 8/5/08, 9/2/08, 10/7/208, 11/4/08 (need to change due to MT holiday; propose 11/13 at the same time), and 12/2/08.
  3. 12/4/07 Agenda items – Suggestions?
  1. Update from Dawn Tucker on RITA Coordination and Collaboration efforts.

This will be presented either 12/4/07 or 1/8/08 depending on where RITA is with the effort.

  1. Update from Tom Marchessault on UTC Coordination and Collaboration efforts.

Topic for 12/4/07.

  1. Update from Laurie McGinnis on TERRA.

Topic for 12/4/07.

  1. Update from Leni Oman on NW RAC/UTC partnership.

Potential topic for 1/8/08.

Action items

Ø  Sue S. will post the lists of current activities and accomplishments to the task group website.

Ø  Steve A. will continue to work on an article for TRNews.

Ø  Mike W. will incorporate, if possible, pooled-fund studies that are not yet funded to the unfunded research needs search tool. Also, he will work with Roy Messler to incorporate unfunded NCHRP topics to this tool.

Ø  Tom M. and Steve A. will have a few UTC’s beta test the unfunded research needs search tool and provide comments back to the Task Group.

Ø  Nelda B. and Barbara P. will continue to work on RIP training and marketing.

Ø  Sue will revise the RAC Reauthorization Brief base don Task Group comments and send it out for comments again.

Ø  Nancy C., Steve A., and Leni O. will work on an outline for a transportation research coordination and collaboration website/WIKI. (Nancy is the lead).

Ø  Leni will send a RAC Reauthorization Position Brief on TKN’s to the group for comments and vetting.

Ø  Leni and Dawn T. will work on completing the research funding bubble charts for all modes.

Ø  Leni will see if the SCOE fishbone chart is posted to a website.