FHWA Office of Professional
and Corporate Development

Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program
2007 Grants for Research / Intern Fellowship Announcement

CONTENTS

Objectives of the Program
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant's Research Project
Selection
Criteria for Evaluation
Stipend, Tuition and Taxes
Conditions of Acceptance
Schedule
How to Apply
Application Forms
List of Approved Projects

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OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM

This announcement is for the EISENHOWER GRANTS FOR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS (GRF) AND INTERN FELLOWSHIPS. The purpose of the GRF is to acquaint students with transportation research, development, and technology transfer activities and to provide opportunities to conduct research on important transportation projects at U.S. DOT facilities (DOT).

The purpose of the INTERN fellowship is to provide students with opportunities to perform transportation-related research, development, technology transfer, and other activities at both public and private sector organizations.

The Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowships provide students an opportunity to enhance their pursuit of a degree in a field of study that is directly related to transportation.[1] Recipients of the 2007 Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowships must be enrolled full time at an accredited U.S. Institution of Higher Education.

The Department of Transportation encourages students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to apply for the Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowships.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Applicants of the Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowships must:

• Be enrolled full time in an accredited U.S. institution of higher education
• Be pursuing a degree in a transportation-related discipline
• Conduct research or other significant activities in one or more transportation-related disciplines
• Be planning to enter the transportation profession after completing their higher-level education.

Non-U.S. citizens must attach a certified copy of their I-20 or I-551 ID issued by the U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS).

GRF/Intern Fellowships are intended for:

• Students who have completed their Junior year toward completing a Baccalaureate Degree;
• Students who are in their Senior year toward a Baccalaureate Degree; and
• Students who have completed their Baccalaureate Degree and are enrolled in a Masters, Doctoral or equivalent Degree Program.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Applicants must select one or more projects from the Approved List of Candidate Research Projects contained in this announcement. If selected for a project, the GRF/Intern recipient will conduct research at the designated facility (full-time) unless otherwise specified in the agency announcement.

Each recipient must have a Faculty Advisor assigned to provide academic supervision. Technical direction on the research project will be provided by a Project Technical Advisor. GRF/Intern recipients may receive academic credit from their university for their research project. The Faculty Advisor in consultation with the Project Technical Advisor will determine the amount of academic credit.

SELECTION

The NHI's Universities and Grants Programs (U&GP) will administer the fellowship on behalf of the sponsoring office/agency. The U&GP will forward applications to the technical advisor upon receipt and eligibility verification. The sponsoring office/agency will be responsible for selecting the preferred candidate.

DURATION

The duration of an Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowships will range from three (3) – twelve (12) months.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

The Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowship will be awarded on the basis of merit. Merit includes:

• Match of the student's qualifications with the proposed research project including the student's ability to accomplish the project in the available time;
• Recommendation letters regarding the applicant's qualifications to conduct the research;
• Academic records to include official university transcripts with GPA.
• Transportation work experience, if any, including employer's endorsement.

STIPEND, TUITION AND TAXES

Fellowship recipients should be advised that the stipend portion of the fellowship is subject to taxation in accordance with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations (Publication 520, revised June 2002).

The stipends for the Eisenhower GRF/ Intern Fellowships are as follows:

• Undergraduate $1,450/mo
• Master's Level $1,700/mo.
• Doctoral Level $2,000/mo.

Actual Stipend level may vary based upon available funding.

The GRF/Intern Fellowship will cover a maximum of $10,000 in tuition annually that relates to the academic credits for the approved research project year. Recipients will be paid a travel allowance for a reasonable cost of travel to and from the U.S. Department of Transportation facility where they will conduct the research.

CONDITIONS OF ACCEPTANCE

Any major change in the project, project scope, or an extension in time to complete the project must be approved by the Program Manager, Universities & Grants Programs. GRF/Intern Fellowship recipients must conduct original research and prepare a paper or report suitable for publication on the topic for which they are selected.

Recipients must make the results of their research available to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department will retain an unlimited royalty-free privilege to use the results of the research.

Recipients are responsible for finding their own housing accommodations prior to arrival at their DOT approved facility. Some of the facilities may require use of an automobile for commuting purposes.

In addition, fellowship recipients will be allowed a one-time expenditure up to $1,500

for attendance at the Annual Transportation Research Board (TRB) Meeting in January.

Restrictions on the use of fellowship funds are as follows:

• No dependency allowances;
• No reimbursement of university administrative/indirect costs;
• GRF/Intern recipients are eligible for funding only during those months in which they are conducting (full-time) research at a DOT facility or another approved facility;
• Unused funds must be returned to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) within 90 days of the completion and/or termination date of the fellowship.
• Grants for stipend, tuition and other costs will be executed between the DOT operating administration and the university on behalf of the student by the Program Manager, Universities & Grants Programs.
• The recipient's university has the responsibility of administering the funds and for making periodic payments to the recipient.

Once an award is made, the initial study plan and project topic may be changed only after consultation between the fellowship recipient's Faculty Advisor and the Universities & Grants Program Manager.

Award funding is contingent upon the recipient's satisfactory academic progress as determined by university policies.

Federal, State and local government transportation employees may be eligible for the monthly stipend but will be required to take leave from their current employer. These recipients are expected to fulfill work-release terms with their current employers upon expiration of the fellowship.

SCHEDULE

Projects for Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowships will remain open until filled.

Send the application to the address in the section entitled "How to Apply".

Selected fellowship recipients will be contacted by the National Highway Institute to confirm acceptance of the award. Each fellowship will be awarded to the university on behalf of the student approximately thirty (30) days prior to the start date.

HOW TO APPLY

The Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowship application and supporting materials are to be sent to the following address:

Ms. Gwen Sutton, Program Manager,
Universities & Grants Programs
National Highway Institute, HNHI-30
4600 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203

General Instructions: Please read the Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowships Announcement and these instructions before preparing the application materials. Applicants must submit one original (with signatures) and six copies of all materials. APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT THE REQUESTED NUMBER OF COPIES. All materials must be typed.

Applicants should:

Request from their current university one (1) official transcript to be sent to the above address;

Submit six (6) copies of the transcripts with application materials.

Complete Application:

A completed application must be typed and consist of:

• Eisenhower GRF/Intern Fellowship Application, Parts 1 - 4; applicant and faculty advisor signatures are required;
• Academic records, including class standing, GPA and official university transcripts;
• Four (4) letters of recommendation and/or endorsement;
• Resume/CV

It is permissible to use copies of the application forms.

Application - Part 1: All requested information must be provided unless labeled "optional." If an item is not available, state "NA". Non-U.S. citizens must attach a copy of their I-20 ID or I-551 Permanent Resident Card issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The application must have an original signature in ink.

Application - Part 2: List only those universities where you are currently enrolled or degree was obtained. List only those employers where a transportation function was performed. Each applicant must have four recommendation and/or endorsement letters. If currently employed in a transportation function, it is imperative that your employer submits an endorsement letter. The recommendation and endorsement letters should contain length and nature of the person's relationship with the applicant, comments on the applicant's overall ability to perform the project and potential for major contributions in one or more areas of transportation.

Application - Part 3: The narrative should demonstrate an applicant's intent and desire to pursue a study of and/or a career in transportation. The applicant should discuss how their graduate study, research plans and career goal will impact transportation. Part 3 must be limited to two pages.

Application - Part 4: Applicants will use Part 4 to indicate their selected research projects. A total of three (3) projects may be selected, starting with the applicant's first preference. Number each selected project accordingly (1, 2 and 3).

Mailing the Application: Applicants are urged to submit their application, transcript copies and supporting documents in the same envelope. (Incomplete application packets will be returned). Universities are permitted to send transcripts directly to the address shown in the "How To Apply" section.

RETURN OF MATERIAL: Applications and any supporting documents cannot be returned to applicants.

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Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program
2007 Grants for Research / Intern Fellowship Announcement

 

Application Form - Part 1
Must be typed

 

Name (Last, First, MI)	For Official Use Only:
Current Address	Telephone No.: E-mail Address: Alt. Number:
Permanent Address	Alt. Telephone No.: Alt. E-mail Address:
Current educational status: ___ Undergraduate ___ Masters Degree ___ Doctorate Degree Year of Study __________ (i.e. . 1st,2nd ) Current Grade Point Average ___________	RACE (optional) __ American Indian __ Alaska Native (Aleut or Eskimo) __ Asian __ African American/Black __ Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander __ White __ Other ETHNICITY (optional) __ Hispanic or Latino __ Not Hispanic or Latino __ Hispanic or Latino in Puerto Rico __ Not Hispanic or Latino in Puerto Rico
Gender: __ Male __ Female
U.S. Citizen __ Yes __ No - If no, please attach a certified copy of your I-20 or I-551 ID issued by the I.N.S.

College or University (Current or Pending)	Academic Dept.
Name, Title and Address of Faculty Advisor	Telephone No.: E-mail Address:
Applicant's Major	Applicant's Field of Study
Date	Signature of Applicant (Required)
Date	Signature of Faculty Advisor (Required)

 

Application Form - Part 2
Must be typed

 

Colleges/Universities Attended	Dates Attended	Degrees Earned	Date Awarded

Employer (most recent first)	Address	Name of Supervisor and Telephone No.	Dates of Employment
			From: To:
			From: To:

List Academic Honors, Scholarships, Offices Held in Student /Professional Organizations, etc.

Community Activities/Organizations:

Experience in Transportation Education Programs
__ ENO Fellow   Year _____ __ UTC Award   Year _____ University Transportation Centers __ DDE Fellowship Year _____ Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship (HBCU, HSI, TCU, GRAD, PWD, GRF, INF)	__ STIPDG   Year _____ Summer Transportation Intern Program for Diverse Groups __ NSTI   Year _____ National Summer Transportation Institute __ Other   Year _____ Name ____________________________

 

Application Form - Part 3
Must be typed

 

Proposed Plan of Study

Please provide a summary of how your plan of study will impact and enhance the field of transportation and what role transportation takes in your professional goals. Incorporate educational, personal and work experiences, accomplishments, volunteer activities and/or events that support your plan of study. Limit 2 pages.

 

Application Form - Part 4

 

Approved Projects Read the descriptions of the following projects and select up to three projects that are of interest to you.  Mark “1", “2", and “3 to indicate your first, second and third preferences.  Except as noted, only one student will be selected per project.

 

Identify and Document Professional Capacity Building Resources Including the Role of Community Colleges in Transportation (Project 4 )

Capturing and Reflecting True Transportation System Operating and Lifecycle Costs in the Planning Process (Project 6)

 

INTERN FELLOWSHIPS (EIF)

The Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act

Transit Technology Research Projects

 

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GRF Project #4

Grants for Research Fellowship

TITLE OF PROJECT: Identify and Document Professional Capacity Building Resources Including the Role of Community Colleges in Transportation

SPONSOR: Office of Professional and Corporate Development

LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT: 9-12 months

DISCIPLINES: Public Administration/Public Relations/Engineering/Transportation

PREREQUISITES: Master's or Bachelor Degree Candidate

BACKGROUND: This assignment is in the Office of Professional and Corporate Development (OPCD) Federal Highway Administration. The OPCD administers programs of training and education and the transfer of technology in accordance with FHWA responsibilities. The preponderance of these programs is directed to State and Local transportation agencies in the U.S. This position is being established to assist the OPCD to implement two specific provisions of the 2005 Transportation Reauthorization Act. One provision, the Transportation Education Development Pilot Program, directed that a program of grants be established for institutions of "higher education that in partnership with industry or State Departments of Transportations will develop, test, and revise new curricula and education programs to train individuals at all levels of the transportation workforce."

The second provision, the Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Education Program, calls for outreach to students in grades K-12 with the goal of giving the students a better understanding of transportation and the careers available in transportation.

The OPCD has places priority importance on identifying and documenting transportation professional capacity building capabilities, also outreach capabilities for students in grades K-12. These capabilities are shared by various public and private agencies, educational institutions and professional associations.

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT: Through a previous Eisenhower assignment considerable study was devoted to working with professional and academic organizations to learn how community colleges interface with transportation agencies. This study will extend that effort and explore avenues for closer links between Community Colleges and public and private transportation agencies.

This assignment will include working with academic and professional organizations that have significant Professional Capacity Building (PCB) functions that may include such components as high school transportation awareness programs, and work study arrangements. A significant part of the study will be communicating with such organizations as the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, American Association of Community Colleges and with individual community colleges.

Following are descriptions of several relevant studies and other resources pertaining to this study.

1. The Transportation Curriculum Coordinating Committee has developmental efforts underway for engineering technicians in over a dozen State Departments of Transportation (DOTs).

2. A National Cooperative Highway Research Program study of professional resource capabilities of State DOTs has been completed.

3. An Iowa DOT- managed study on position classification is being conducted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Personnel and Human Resources Subcommittee.

4. A partial list of professional associations involved in transportation PCB include:

   American Society of Civil Engineers
   Institute of Transportation Engineers
   American Society of Engineering Education
   National Society of Professional Engineers
   American Association of Community Colleges

ACADEMIC CREDIT: To be determined.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES:

This assignment through day to day contacts has the potential to enhance and strengthen ties between the FHWA and the AACC through exchanges of visits by government and academic officials, preparing technical articles, and participating in national and regional conferences.

The assignment is expected to yield a technical report, suitable for presentation to a national conference, setting forth study results and paving the way for more productive collaboration between government agencies, academic institutions and associations.

TECHNICAL ADVISOR:

Clark Martin
Chief, Affiliate Programs
Office of Professional and Corporate Development
Federal Highway Administration
703 235 0547
clark.martin@fhwa.dot.gov

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GRF Project #6

Grants for Research Fellowship

TITLE OF PROJECT: Capturing and Reflecting True Transportation System Operating and Lifecycle Costs in the Planning Process.

SPONSOR: Federal Highway Administration, Office of Planning

LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT: 6-9 months

DISCIPLINES: Planning, Public Administration, Political Science

PREREQUISITES: Master's Candidate

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

Federal transportation planning requirements call for financial constraint in the metropolitan long-range transportation plan, the transportation improvement program and the statewide transportation improvement program. Federal requirements also call for a system-level estimate of costs to adequately operate and maintain federally-funded facilities for the metropolitan long-range plan and transportation improvement program.

Capturing operating and life-cycle costs can be difficult because the agency that prepares documents for the planning process may have limited responsibility for system operations or system preservation. Further agencies use different methods for assessing operating and life cycle costs.

To assist state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations with identifying and including accurate operational costs in the transportation planning process, this research will focus on the current use and opportunities for capturing and reflecting transportation system operating and lifecycle costs in the planning process.

In Task 1, the researcher will look at the largest metropolitan areas. In 2002 and 2006, the FHWA Office of Planning collected financial information from long-range transportation plans in the 19 largest metropolitan areas. Building on this data, the researcher working under the general direction of the Office of Planning and consulting with the Office of Asset Management and Office of Operations will develop follow up questions then interview (remotely) practitioners involved in the planning process from around one-third of the 19 areas.

In Task 2, the researcher will look a small sample of medium-sized metropolitan areas (between 200,000 and 500,000 population) to identify metropolitan planning organizations that are reflecting operating and lifecycle costs in the transportation planning process. The sample should lead to interviews with practitioners in around the same number of areas as in Task 1. Task 1 and 2 are concurrent.

In Task 3, the researcher will present findings from the interviews for FHWA personnel from planning, asset management and operations. The researcher also may present findings a second time for state DOT and MPO stakeholders.

ACADEMIC CREDITS: 6 ‑ 9 credits

OUTPUTS/PRODUCTS: Report on current methods for capturing and reflecting operating and life cycle costs in transportation planning.

LITERATURE REFERENCE:

Integrating Asset Management into the Metropolitan Planning Process, a peer exchange organized by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Office of Asset Management and Office of Planning. It was held in Traverse City, Michigan on July 18-19, 2006. See http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/state/intassetmgmt.pdf

Technical Advisor

Mr. David Kuehn, AICP
Community Planner
Department of Transportation
FHWA Office of Planning
1200 New Jersey Avenue S.E (HEPP-20)
7^th Floor, Room E72-322
Washington, DC 20590
Office Phone Number 202 366 6072
Office Fax Number 202 493 2198

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INF Project #3

EISENHOWER INTERN FELLOWSHIP

TITLE OF PROJECT: The Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act (Uniform Act)

SPONSOR: Federal Highway Administration, Office of Real Estate Services (HEPR)

LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT: Calendar year 2007 for 6 Months

DISCIPLINES: Public Policy, Transportation, Government, Social Sciences and Engineering. Experience in establishing policy, doing research or statutory or regulatory drafting.

PREREQUISITES: College Seniors, Masters and Ph.D. Students

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT: An exceptional opportunity is available to work with a multi-agency team to develop proposals for Congress to amend a law that affects 19 Federal government agencies and programs expending hundreds of billions of dollars annually. The participant will contribute to the development of proposals to update the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act (Uniform Act) by working with the Lead Agency for the entire Executive Branch, the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Real Estate Services.

OUTPUTS/PRODUCTS: This exceptional developmental assignment will involve contacts with many affected Federal Agencies. The work products will reach the highest levels in FHWA as well as officials in the USDOT Office of the Secretary and OMB. There will be multiple opportunities to use skills in communication, analysis, presentation, planning and leadership.

Experienced graduates of executive leadership programs will provide mentoring and coaching. These coaches recently were very successful in publishing a Final Rule in the Federal Register that administratively addressed the same Act. They have many valuable experiences to share. This is a dynamic assignment in an exceptional and unique office and the work products will have crosscutting long-term impacts on many Federal government programs. Located at US DOT Headquarters in Washington, DC two blocks from the Air and Space Museum and the National Mall.

ACADEMIC CREDITS: TBD

Technical Advisor

Arnold Feldman
FHWA Office of Real Estate Services
(202) 366-2028
Fax: (202)-366-3713
Arnold.Feldman@fhwa.dot.gov

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INF Project # 4

EISENHOWER INTERN FELLOWSHIP 

TITLE OF PROJECT: Transit Technology Research Projects

SPONSOR: Federal Transit Administration

LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT: 12 months

DISCIPLINES: Engineering, Transportation, and Planning

PREREQUISITES: Master's Candidate

DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT: FTA's Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation, Office of Technology provides, professional general engineering services, program management and technical guidance in matters concerning electrical and mechanical systems associated with transit bus and rail research, demonstration, innovation, and technology deployment. The work requires the incumbent to apply engineering judgment and managerial skills to select among multiple engineering alternatives to initiate, coordinate, integrate, and manage research and technology development programs.

To improve fixed guideway system capacity and safety without adding more tracks or modifying stations at enormous costs, FTA initiated an Infrastructure Technology program that addresses project delivery innovation, rail vehicles, composite materials, tunnel design and construction, and transit station design.

ACADEMIC CREDITS: TBD

OUTPUTS/PRODUCTS: The major work product would be the development of scopes of work, case studies, and technical support of key issues affecting transit infrastructure and assess state-of-the-art advances that will make public transportation more secure, convenient, accessible and environmentally friendly. Specific areas of concentration may be in the areas of 1) light rail vehicle costs and crashworthiness, 2) shared track operations, 3) carbon fiber composite manufacture and production, 4) transit use of composite materials, 5) operations and maintenance costs and service reliability, 6) transit infrastructure maintenance, 7) transit and traffic signal coordination, 8) global positioning systems & geographic information system applications, 9) best practices from international transit projects, and 10) synthesis of FTA safety applications of risk management and risk assessment.

TECHNICAL ADVISER:

Terrell Williams, Senior Engineer
Federal Transit Administration
Office of Research, Demonstration and Innovation
400 7^th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20590
(202) 366-0232
Terrell.Williams@fta.dot.gov

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2007 DDETFP Applicant Checklist (Keep This Page for Your Records)

 

Dear Applicant:

This letter is provided in an effort to ensure that all information is submitted in a timely manner. Incomplete packages will be returned. Please pay attention to all deadlines and information.

Prior to sending your packet to Universities and Grants Programs, 4600 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 800, Arlington, VA 22203, ensure that you have reviewed your application thoroughly and are confident that all materials are enclosed.

If you would like confirmation of delivery provide a Postage Paid Postcard with your return address.

Application Items
- Date of Birth	_____
- Citizenship	_____
- 5 Copies of Application Packet	_____
- Contact Information	_____
o Phone #
o Alt Phone #
o E-mail
Faculty Advisor Signature	_____
Signed Application	_____
Official University Transcripts	_____
Letters of Recommendations (minimum 4)	_____
Resume/CV	_____
Approved Project List	_____

 

Comments:

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[1] Transportation-related disciplines can be found at www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov