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The Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2) is proud to announce a $100,000 contribution from Honda in support of the Southeast Data Competition for an Efficient Transportation System Design. This funding underscores Honda’s commitment to making a meaningful impact in our communities by supporting initiatives that align with our shared core areas of focus, particularly in STEM education. [AH1] [CM2] [CM3] 

With Honda’s support, the data competition—first launched in 2024 at North Carolina A&T State University—will now expand across the Southeast through CR2C2’s seven consortium universities:

●      University of Kentucky

●      The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

●      The University of Alabama

●      North Carolina A&T State University

●      Clemson University

●      University of Georgia

●      Florida Atlantic University

The competition invites undergraduate and graduate students from all participating institutions to develop innovative, data-informed solutions that make transportation systems more efficient—especially rural communities. Students will work in interdisciplinary teams, gain hands-on experience with real data, and engage with transportation professionals and local stakeholders.

Finalists from each school will be invited to present their solutions at a special event in 2026—where awards will be presented to students who excel in different categories.

To learn more about the pilot implementation of the program in 2024, visit:

https://www.cr2c2.com/education-and-outreach/student-engagement-opportunities/data-competition-2024