Congress sends KU $14.5M

Transportation research earns support

Congress appropriated $14.5 million to KU last month to support and expand ongoing transportation-related research in such key areas as fuel cells, road and vehicle materials, aircraft and air quality.

The funding, acquired through the efforts of Kansas Rep. Jerry Moran and Sen. Pat Roberts, will assist KU's Transportation Research Institute in the School of Engineering.

“ With this funding, the TRI will set the curve on transportation issues of the future. Its initiatives will focus on research and development of advanced vehicle technology and transportation system concepts,” said Stuart Bell, dean of engineering at KU.

Research already under way includes projects in fuel cell and propulsion systems, environment and air-quality, aircraft and materials, as well as highway, bridge and concrete research.

Faculty researchers affiliated with TRI expect to address a variety of topics, such as:

• Developing a new generation of vehicles with improved energy efficiencies and lowered pollutant emissions, increased safety and durability.

• Conceiving and developing new tools to design, model and analyze components, transportation systems and environmental impacts.

-- More information online at www.news.ku.edu/2005/July/July29/
tri.shtml