 The academy prepared me to understand the importance of maintaining and fostering relationships between NCDOT, NCDENR, and other federal and state agencies...These relationships are the foundation of successful CSS.
Dawn Rierson
CSS Summer Academy 2006
In
cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Transportation,
the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE) conducts a unique, experiential summer program for junior- and
senior-level undergraduate students interested in careers in transportation
and the environment. The Context Sensitive Solutions Summer Academy introduces students
to the principles of context sensitive solutions (CSS) and teaches how CSS concepts are applied at various levels of transportation planning, project development, construction, operations, and maintenance.
CTE researchers and North Carolina State University engineering faculty lead the academy's students through coursework and case study activities. In addition to classroom instruction, students work as summer interns for
the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and participate in
field trips that showcase real-life applications of CSS such as bypass construction, railroad crossings, and bridge replacement projects. The students serve in positions that directly address transportation and environmental concerns, conduct research and interviews, and write a case study related to their assignments. At the Academy's conclusion, students give final presentations of their findings to a group of NCDOT staff, other professionals, and university faculty.
The CSS Summer Academy experience helps to better prepare students for their transportation careers and in turn helps improve future transportation project planning. |
