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The Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2) partnered with the Transportation Institute at North Carolina A&T State University to host this year’s Summer Transportation Institute (STI) cohort for an interactive facility tour. The group included 14 rising juniors and seniors from North Carolina and Carolina—students recognized for their academic excellence, leadership skills, and strong interest in STEM and transportation careers.

Participants explored topics such as safe street design, public transit, aviation, drone technology, and supply chain management—bridging classroom knowledge with real-world applications. They also engaged in hands-on projects, including bridge building and a campus safety street improvement project, which enhanced their problem-solving, teamwork, and engineering skills. Flight discovery and drone operation activities further allowed students to experience aviation principles and remote sensing technology in action. 

The program included field trips to the NCDOT Transportation Management Center, Greensboro Transit Authority, and NC A&T’s ACCESS Laboratory, along with study tours to Washington, D.C., and Wilmington, NC, provided firsthand exposure to traffic management, public transportation operations, and emerging transportation technologies. Through these immersive experiences, students gained valuable insights into higher education pathways and future careers within the transportation sector.

The tour to CR2C2 transportation facility offered students a rare, up-close look at cutting-edge transportation research happening on campus. In the AutoDrive Lab, Ph.D. student Michael Dejene Azage introduced the Aggies Autonomous Auto (A3) and discussed its role in advancing self-driving technology. At the UAV Lab, Mohammed Zakaria led a live drone demonstration, walking students through the research process from design to testing. In the Driving Simulator Lab, graduate students Azmol Fuad and Sita Ram Prasad Martha showcased in-the-loop simulation technology and an eye-tracking system used to study driver behavior.

Dr. Pandey also served as a guest speaker for the 2025 Summer Transportation Institute (STI), where I delivered an interactive talk titled “Highways 101: From Building Roads to Managing Traffic” to introduce high school students to careers in transportation.

The day concluded with an inspiring talk from Komal Gulati, graduate student and Chair of the CR2C2 Student Leadership Council, who shared her personal journey in the transportation field and offered advice for navigating education and career pathways.

CR2C2 is proud to support the next generation of innovators by fostering curiosity, expanding career awareness, and providing opportunities to engage directly with groundbreaking research.