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Distinguished Lecture Series: Fall 2004
University of Virginia Center for
Transportation Studies |
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December 2 at
3:00-4:45 pm
UVA Rotunda Building, Lower
West Oval Room |
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| Evolution of Highway Transportation |
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| Dr. C. Michael
Walton |
Abstract
The highway system represents a vital investment
in social overhead capital that has served
as a catalyst for our nation’s economic expansion. Technology,
such as wireless communication and advanced sensors, is beginning to impact
the highway vehicle and roadway infrastructure environment. New institutional
arrangements will be required to more effectively link the vehicle manufacturers
with the owners of the infrastructure. The emerging enterprise is an enormous
opportunity for innovation coupled with significant challenges.
Biography of Speaker
Dr. C. Michael
Walton is Professor of Civil Engineering
and holds the Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial
Chair in Engineering at The University of Texas
at Austin (UT). In addition, he holds a joint
academic appointment in the Lyndon B. Johnson
School of Public Affairs. For more than 30 years he has pursued a career
in transport policy and engineering analysis.
A native of Hampton, VA, he received a B.S. in
civil engineering from the Virginia Military Institute.
Following four years as a regular army officer
he returned to academia where he earned Masters
and Ph.D. degrees from North Carolina State University.
During this period he served in the Office of the
Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation in
Washington and with the North Carolina State Highway
Commission in Raleigh.
Dr. Walton is a member of the National Academy
of Engineering. He is a past chair and member of
the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive
Committee. Currently he serves as chair of the
TRB Subcommittee for the National Research Council
(NRC) Oversight and ex-officio member of the Governing
Board of the NRC. In other professional society
affairs he serves as the First Vice Chairman of
the American Road and Transportation Builders Association
(ARTBA) and a member of the Board of Governors
of the Transportation and Development Institute
of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
In addition, he is a founding member of the Intelligent
Transportation Society (ITS) of America and a past
chair of the Board of Directors. He has served
on or chaired a number of national study panels
including those mandated by Congress and others
of the NRC. Other professional or technical society
memberships include American Society for Engineering
Education, Institute for Operations Research and
the Management Sciences, Institute of Transportation
Engineers, International Road Federation, National
Society of Professional Engineers, Society of American
Military Engineers, and the Urban Land Institute.
Dr. Walton has received numerous honors and awards
for his scholarly pursuits. Recently Dr. Walton
was named to America’s Top 100 Private Sector
Transportation Design and Construction Professionals
of the 20th Century by the American Road and Transportation
Builders Association. This honor recognizes “outstanding
individual achievement, innovation and leadership
in transportation design and construction.” He
received the 2000 George S. Bartlett Award in recognition
for outstanding contributions to highway progress.
He was selected by a Board of Award comprised of
the President and Executive Director of each of
the three sponsoring organizations—American
Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO), TRB and ARTBA. The Bartlett
Award is unusual in that it is the only award jointly
sponsored by the three organizations and is considered
to be among the highest honors in the highway transportation
profession. The American Society of Civil Engineers
noted the technical contributions of Dr. Walton
by honoring him with several awards including the
1999 Francis C. Turner Lecture for contributions
to transportation research, education and practice,
the 1992 James Laurie Prize for contributions to
the advancement of transportation engineering;
the 1987 Harland Bartholomew Award for contributions
to the enhancement of the civil engineer’s
role in urban planning and development; and the
1987 Frank M. Masters Transportation Engineering
Award, for innovations in transport facility planning.
The Transportation Research Board presented Dr.
Walton with the 1998 W.N. Carey, Jr. Distinguished
Service Award which is among its highest honors
in recognition of outstanding leadership in support
of transportation research. In 1995, he was named
TRB’s Distinguished Lecturer in recognition
of the research contributions over his entire career.
The American Road and Transportation Builders Association
presented Dr. Walton with the 1994 S.S. Steinberg
Award recognizing his outstanding contributions
to transportation education. The Institute of Transportation
Engineers has awarded him the 1996 Wilbur S. Smith
Distinguished Transportation Educator Award in
recognition of outstanding contributions to the
transportation profession by relating academic
studies to the actual practice of transportation.
He received the 1995 Distinguished Engineering
Alumnus Award from the College of Engineering at
North Carolina State University. The College of
Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
awarded Dr. Walton the 1996 Joe J. King Award,
their highest professional award, in recognition
of his outstanding leadership to the engineering
profession.
Dr. Walton has contributed to more than 200 publications
in the areas of ITS, freight transport, and transportation
engineering, planning, policy and economics, and
he has delivered several hundred technical presentations.
He has served as senior editor or contributing
author for a variety of technical reference books
and manuals and as a member of the editorial board
for several international journals.
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| Dr. Michael Walton was Fall 2004 Distinguished Lecturer |
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| Dr. Lester Hoel presents Dr. Walton with a gift in appreciation of his visit and lecture |
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| Dr. Walton speaks to faculty, staff, and students in the Lower West Oval Room of the Rotunda |
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