National Academies Selects First TRR Editor-in-Chief

Jennifer Dill of Portland State University will serve as the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the Transportation Research Record (TRR). She has served as a handling editor for TRR since 2019 and is a current member of the TRB Standing Technical Committee on Women and Gender in Transportation.

“The appointment of the TRR Editor-in-Chief is a significant milestone for our journal,” says Ann Brach, Director of Technical Activities at TRB.

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Act now to secure your exhibit space at the 2025 TRB Annual Meeting. Don't miss this opportunity to demonstrate your organization's support for transportation research and innovation, and to showcase your products and services.

John M. Mason, Jr. received the 2023 W.N. Carey, Jr. Distinguished Service Award

Submit Your Nomination for a TRB Award

Nominate a candidate for any one of TRB's most prestigious awards: the W.N. Carey, Jr. Distinguished Service Award; the Roy W. Crum Distinguished Service Award; and the Robert E. Skinner, Jr. Distinguished Transportation Research Management Award. Find more information on the awards and the nomination process. Submit your nomination by July 31.

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PFAS "Forever Chemicals" Can be Reduced in Highway Construction and Maintenance Projects

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of more than 6,000 contaminants of emerging concern that can harm both ecosystems and human health. These anthropogenic compounds contain carbon–fluorine bonds that make them stable and persistent in the environment, earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.”

Practices to Identify and Mitigate PFAS Impacts on Highway Construction Projects and Maintenance Operations (NCHRP Synthesis 630), released this past week from TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program, documents current state departments of transportation practices for identifying locations of potential PFAS contamination and mitigating the impacts of PFAS related to highway construction and maintenance operations. The study considers PFAS impact and mitigation efforts in all phases of highway project development (planning, design, right-of-way acquisition), construction, and maintenance.

TRB has a wealth of resources for untangling the issues behind environmental health.

Translating Research Into Practical Innovation 

"I envisioned a future where drones could automatically fly and collect data on infrastructure, while AI could process that data to make inspections safer and more cost-effective. I was fascinated by the potential of this technology to solve the problem of aging infrastructure and the impact it could have on people's lives,” says Abraham Lama, cofounder of gNext, winners of the TRB Young Member’s Council 10th and final Six Minute Pitch competition. 

Read more about the inspiring story of gNext and learn how to get involved with future editions of the Three-Minute Thesis, a Young Member’s Council TRB Annual Meeting session inspired by the Six Minute Pitch. 

"Just 10 percent of plastics are actually recycled," reports The New York Times, citing a National Academies/TRB consensus report, in an article about how much we should worry about the value of recycling.

"Over the past several decades, commercial aviation safety in the United States has improved more than fortyfold," notes The New York Times, citing a National Academies/TRB consensus report and also quoting Amy Pritchett, Chair of TRB's Committee on Emerging Trends in Aviation Safety, in an article about whether planes are safe right now. Penn State also looks into the committee's research.

This year’s Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill may order a National Academies/TRB study on the health and safety impacts for temperatures less than 65 degrees or more than 85 degrees in aircraft cabins, reports Simple Flying.