Diversity: Increasing the Diversity of Committee Members Blue Ribbon Award

The Blue Ribbon Award recognizes exemplary best practices of TRB standing technical committee activities and volunteer efforts associated with increasing the diversity of committee members.

Nominate Process

Nominations from free standing Sections or Group are due to the Technical Activities Council in September. The nomination process is left to the discussion of the Section or Group Chair and each Section and Group may make no more than one nomination per award category. The description of the committee’s best practice activities shall be no longer than 500 words and must relate specifically to the category for which the committee is being nominated. Activities do not have to be limited to the current year but should include recent activities up to and including the current year. Nominations of committees that won previous Blue Ribbon Committee Awards are acceptable providing that the nomination is based primarily on activities/programs other than those for which the committee won an earlier award.

Selection Process

The Technical Activities Council sponsors five blue ribbon awards that recognize exemplary best practices of standing technical committee activities and the volunteer efforts associated with those activities. The Blue Ribbon Award recipient committees serve as role models, with committee Chairs and members sharing their experiences with others. A subcommittee of the TAC will review the nominations based on the selection criteria and recommend selection of Blue Ribbon Award Committees in each of the five categories. The subcommittee may also recommend an honorable mention in each category. The recommendations will be considered by the full TAC during its fall conference call where final selections will be made.

• 2025 - Construction of Bridges and Structures Committee (AKC40) for concerted and successful efforts by the Committee to enhance and benefit from greater age, ethnicity, geographic, industry, and gender diversity.
• 2024 - Highway Traffic Monitoring Committee (ACP70) for its sustained effort to enhance committee diversity by attracting, promoting, and rewarding young professionals and people from under-represented groups and providing them with support and leadership roles
• 2024 - Freight Transportation Planning and Logistics Committee (AT015) for if commitment and success in enhancing committee diversity by identifying, strategizing, and prioritizing the active involvement of historically under-represented groups with non-traditional background in the TRB’s freight planning and logistics community
• 2024 - Design and Rehabilitation of Asphalt Pavements Committee (AKP30) for achieving multifaceted diversity through strategic membership outreach and recruiting
• 2023 - Freeway Operations Committee for engaging diverse participation through resetting committee membership and amplifying inclusive involvement and outreach
• 2023 - Rail Transit Infrastructure Design and Maintenance Committee for improving gender balance through dedicated outreach
• 2022 - International Trade and Transportation Committee for best practices in attracting and retaining members and friends from historically under-represented groups
• 2015 - Committee on Traffic Flow Theory and Characteristics for engaging young diverse participants through innovative and inclusive outreach and collaboration in research, education and training
• 2014 - Women's Issues in Transportation ABE70 (Policy & Organization Group-Policy Section) for “Cooperatively pursuing activities with the Women’s Transportation Seminar that enhance the professional development and career advancement of women in the industry