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Published: November 16, 2021 Author: Staff reports

Ohio Universitys Russ College of Engineering and Technology is collaborating withcounty engineersfrom across the stateto discuss how thecollege can support infrastructure research and deploymentthrough theOhio Research Institute for Transportation and the Environment(ORITE).Dr. Shad Sargand,Russ professorandvice director for Business Development ofORITE,andDr. Issam Khoury, associate professor and director of ORITE,are planninganeventto bring together countyengineers with other transportation leadersincludingthe Ohio Department of Transportation,DriveOhio,andconsultantsandprivate sector representativesto discussastatewide strategy that will inform the future research of ORITE.Theplanning and introductory sessionto launchthemeetingwas 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.Industry leadersandpersonnelfrom the Ohio Department of Transportation andDriveOhiojoined the meeting as well.The partnership of Ohio County Engineers and Ohio University on solving industry issues through research partnership opportunities has been of great value to county engineers, attendeeBrett Boothe (BSCE07), Gallia County engineer and OHIO alumnus,said.Past research projectsby Ohio University have changed practices in the field.Dick Dickerson,CEO of Utility Technologies International,chair of the Russ Colleges Board of visitorsandanalumnus of OHIOs Civil Engineering program(BSCE 80),gaveopening remarks at the meetingandexpressed that he islooking forward to the future of this collaboration.Theconference hosted by Ohio University was great for relationship enhancement, Dickerson said. Thismeeting was a great example of Ohio working for Ohio.

Fairfield County EngineerJeremiahUpp(BSCE97) added,We need partners, like OhioUniversity, that have facilities in place to provide research andreal-world options that can be utilized forvalueengineering.Russ College of Engineering and TechnologyDean Mei Wei welcomed the group over lunchand drew specific attention to the value ofRuss College alumni. She said that alumninot only know what Russ graduates need to succeed in the field, but theyarealso vital in creating successful partnershipswith key leaders in the public and private sectors.I 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, Wei said. ORITE is one of the top research centers within the Russ College. We are proud of our track record in assistingODOT and our regional partners with high-quality research and teaching and look forward to tackling newchallenges as they come forward.

Thisinitialmeetingwelcomed 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.AsaWashington County engineer, forming a partnershipwith Ohio University to provide research on infrastructure issues is very beneficial to our department, Washington County Engineer Roger Wright (BSCE 99) said. With research determiningthe most appropriate way to perform repairs to failing infrastructure, our limited county budget can be focused on solutions. I appreciate Ohio University coordinating and providing an environment in which local infrastructure issues can be discussed and future research projects developed.

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ORITE to host meeting with Ohio county engineers, other transportation leaders - Ohio University