Penn State Altoona's Rail Transportation Engineering program is the recipient of a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) grant that will bolster the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site: Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure Using Rail as a Living Laboratory project.
The REU program aids active research participation by undergraduate students in any area of research funded by the NSF.
This REU site will support 10 undergraduate students each year in a 10-week summer research program focused on smart and sustainable rail transportation infrastructure.
Leveraging the nation's only bachelor's degree program in rail transportation engineering certified by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the program uses rail systems as living laboratories to provide interdisciplinary research experiences spanning civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, and transportation engineering. Participants will work with faculty mentors, industry partners and researchers affiliated with the Rail Center for Research Enhancing Shortline Transportation (Rail CREST), a federally funded initiative focused on strengthening shortline rail infrastructure and workforce development. Through mentored research, professional development and industry engagement, this program aims to build a diverse talent pipeline and advance national priorities in infrastructure modernization and sustainable transportation.
"What excites me most is the opportunity to introduce students to a field that is essential to our nation's economy and infrastructure, yet often unfamiliar to many young engineers," said Shihui Shen, distinguished professor of rail transportation engineering at Penn State Altoona. "Through this program, students will experience firsthand how research can help solve real-world rail challenges while discovering the many impactful and multidisciplinary career pathways available throughout the rail industry."
The REU site will enable students to engage in research organized around three thrust areas: intelligent infrastructure for safety and risk mitigation using smart sensing and artificial intelligence-enabled monitoring; sustainable materials and structural performance for rail and multimodal transportation systems; and data-driven monitoring, digital twins and predictive maintenance using machine learning and data analytics. Students will conduct research using laboratory experimentation, computational modeling and data-driven analysis supported by Penn State Altoona's rail transportation engineering facilities and partnerships with industry and the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum. Integration with Rail CREST activities will provide opportunities to investigate real-world shortline rail challenges and infrastructure performance. The program includes structured mentoring, research seminars and professional development activities, culminating in technical presentations and written reports.
"My hope is that this experience inspires students to become the next generation of engineers, researchers and leaders advancing safer, smarter and more sustainable rail transportation systems," Shen said.
