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KYTC Research and Innovation program: AASHTO RAC: July 23, 2014. Jason J. Siwula, P.E. Innovation Engineer, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Innovation Engineer?. What is an “Innovation Engineer” in KY? Provide leadership and oversight to KYTC’s Research and Innovation programs
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KYTC Research and Innovation program:AASHTO RAC: July 23, 2014 Jason J. Siwula, P.E. Innovation Engineer, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
Innovation Engineer? • What is an “Innovation Engineer” in KY? • Provide leadership and oversight to KYTC’s Research and Innovation programs • Seek opportunities to improve KYTC through research, development and deployment (RD & D) • Serve as a liaison between KYTC, state, national and international RD&D partners • Foster a culture where innovation is encouraged throughout KYTC
KYTC’s Innovation Engineer • A resource for KYTC personnel to interact with the Research, Development and Deployment programs within… • KYTC • Kentucky Transportation Center • Transportation Research Board • FHWA • AASHTO • Other partners
Kentucky Transportation Center • KYTC's "Division of Research" since 1980 • A department within the University of Kentucky's College of Engineering • Director - Joe Crabtree, Ph.D., P.E.
Current Staffing Levels – June 2014 • 50 Permanent, Full-Time Employees • 24 Student Employees • 25 Temporary Employees (some of these are also students) • Total 99 Employees • Plus 9 Civil Engineering Faculty who routinely conduct KTC research (3 are KTC program managers) • Plus 2 Faculty (Gatton College and Martin School) who frequently conduct KTC Research
Primary Areas of Research at KTC • Highway Transportation • Planning and Design • Environmental Analysis • Construction and Preservation • Operations and Safety • Multimodal Transportation • Economics and Finance • Freight and Logistics • Environment and Sustainability • Other modes Photo courtesy of Crounse Corp.
Model for Innovation Process Development Research Deployment Evaluation
Model for Innovation Process Innovation
Current Focus Areas • Implementation • Timeliness • Quality
Implementation of Research Results • Define Implementation at KYTC • Start projects with implementation in mind • Conduct an implementation assessment during the scoping phase of new projects • Understand the type(s) and amount of data that will be required by decision makers to make a quality implementation decision • Determine how to “pilot” new concepts (when necessary) to provide information to decision makers • Develop a “pilot plan” for innovations • Duration • How to determine “success” from the KYTC perspective • What type(s) of information need to be collected and evaluated
Vision for KYTC Research and Innovation Program Develop a culture within KYTC that encourages innovation and provides practitioners with the tools and information necessary to make quality, timely decisions about new concepts, technologies and processes.