A Program that Awards Research Stipends to Graduate Students

Sponsored by

• Federal Aviation Administration
• U.S. Department of Transportation

ADMINISTERED BY AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM (ACRP)

 

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES

 

PURPOSE

 

To encourage applied research on airport and related aviation system issues and to foster the next generation of aviation community leaders. The program is intended to stimulate thought, discussion, and research by those who may become the future airport managers, operators, designers, and policy makers in aviation. The focus of this research program is on applied research to help the public sector continue to improve the quality, reliability, safety, and security of the U.S. civil aviation system well into the foreseeable future.

 

THE AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM

 

Airports are vital national resources. They serve key roles in the transportation of people and goods and in regional, national, and international commerce. They are where the nation's aviation system connects with other modes of transportation and where federal responsibility for managing and regulating air traffic operations intersects with the role of state and local governments that own and operate most airports. Research is necessary to solve common operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the airport industry.

 

The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) carries out applied research on problems that are shared by airport operating agencies and are not being adequately addressed by existing federal research programs. The need for ACRP was identified in TRB Special Report 272: Airport Research Needs: Cooperative Solutions (March 2003), based on a study sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The ACRP undertakes research and other technical activities in a variety of airport subject areas including design, construction, maintenance, operations, safety, security, policy, planning, human resources, and administration.

 

RESEARCH TOPICS

 

The applicant selects the topic to be researched with supervision by a faculty member at his or her institution. Appropriate topics may be drawn from a wide range of subjects of interest to the U.S. public sector aviation community. A listing of possible subject areas is included as part of this announcement. Other possibilities are topics included in the TRB Research Needs Database, suggestions proposed by TRB Standing Committees, and additional research needs identified in previously completed ACRP projects. The TRB Database, information about TRB Standing Committees, and a listing of previously completed ACRP projects are available on the TRB web site:

 

http://www.trb.org/ACRP/ACRPProjects.aspx

 

Applicants are not restricted to these suggested topics as long as their proposals address the stated purpose of the Graduate Research Award Program.

 

Major research topic areas of interest include but are not limited to the following:

 

• Airport capacity and long-term planning

• Airport finance and development

• Airport safety

• Airport and systemwide planning

• Alternative revenue sources for different types of airports

• Cargo capacity and integration into airport operations and intermodal planning

• Economic impacts of airport expansion

• Environmental issues, including sustainability of the aviation system

• Human resources, including all participants in the aviation system

• Multi-modal transportation linkages

• Security and operations

• Technology and its effect on airport operations

 

Applicants can also search the TRB Research Needs database for possible subject areas.  In addition, an earlier report released by the Airport Cooperative Research Program, “Research Results Digest 5: Current and Emerging Issues Facing the Airport Industry,” outlines areas of interest that might suggest possible topics for research papers.

 

STIPEND

 

The Graduate Research Award Program on Public-Sector Aviation Issues will award up to 10 highly qualified applicants, selected by an ACRP panel of experts, a stipend of $10,000 each for successful completion of a research paper on a subject chosen by the candidate within the framework of the program’s purpose. Payments will be divided into four installments during the research, with the final payment contingent on completion and acceptance of the paper by the panel.

 

BENEFITS TO THE STUDENT

 

The research papers produced under this program will be eligible for presentation at the Transportation Research Board’s Annual Meeting, held in January in Washington, D.C.  This meeting is an international meeting attracting more than 10,000 transportation leaders from the United States and abroad, representing state, local, and federal agencies as well as private consultants, educational institutions, and many other institutions sharing an interest in transportation-related issues and research findings.

 

In addition, the highest-quality research papers will be considered for publication in an annual volume of the Transportation Research Record, a peer-reviewed journal of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies. To the successful students, participation at the TRB Annual Meeting and potential publication in the Transportation Research Record together provide an opportunity to become engaged in one of the pre-eminent forums for frontline transportation leaders, practitioners, and researchers from across the United States and around the world.

 

The Award Program will also assign two individuals who will serve as mentors to each graduate researcher.  Mentors will review the research approach and draft research paper and work with each researcher and faculty advisor throughout the program.  These individuals will be selected by the ACRP panel of experts. 

 

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

 

These awards will be offered only to persons who, on the date of the application, are both (1) citizens or permanent residents of the United States, or have a current student visa, and (2) officially enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited North American institution of higher learning for the upcoming academic year in a graduate course leading to a master’s or doctoral degree. Proof of both may be required.  Candidates in Master’s and Doctoral programs will be evaluated separately.  Applicants must submit the prescribed application form fully executed by the due date indicated. Two letters of reference will be required; one must be from a faculty member or department head who knows the applicant’s work or interest in the field.  Designation and commitment of a faculty research advisor (who may be one of the references) is also required.

 

CONDITIONS OF AWARD

 

Following selection for an award, each recipient will be offered a contract that will include requirements for completing the research paper in a timely manner. Compliance with this and other conditions, rules, and regulations governing this program is expected.  Failure to do so will constitute grounds for termination of the contract.

 

SCHEDULE

 

The objective of the current research program is to initiate awards by the fall semester.

 

•May: Applications due (May 30, 2013)

•August:  Contracts awarded to recipients

•Early October:  1st scoping discussion/meeting and review of draft work plan with mentor, advisor, and research grant recipient

•End of January:  1st interim review

•End of April:  2nd interim review

•Mid July:  draft due

•End of August:  Research papers due

•Following January:  Papers presented at TRB’s Annual Meeting, published as part of the Compendium of Papers for the meeting, and considered for publication in Transportation Research Record

 

EVALUATION AND SELECTION OF AWARD CANDIDATES

 

Applicants for awards will be judged on a number of factors. They include academic qualifications (academic accomplishments, references, and experience), career goals, and proposed research (quality of concept, approach, and potential value to the public sector aviation community). Final selection of candidates for awards will be made by a distinguished panel of experts from aviation and the academic community appointed by the ACRP. Applications will be judged on the following criteria:

 

•Quality and completeness of the application and the research proposal;

•Relevance to the purpose of the Airport Cooperative Research Program/Graduate Research Award Program;

•Résumé, including academic and work experience;

•References (including at least one academic reference) available to contact in support of the application;

•Commitment of a faculty advisor; and

•Writing sample submitted with the application.

 

ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM

 

The creation of a selection panel, the agreements with the candidates selected, the monitoring of the research progress, the forum for presentation and publication of the research papers, and other administrative matters are the responsibility of the ACRP of the Transportation Research Board.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

 

Application forms are available for download:

 

•PDF Version

•Microsoft Word Version

 

Two copies of the fully completed application package must be delivered to the following address by the deadline:

 

Graduate Research Awards Program

ATTN: Lawrence D. Goldstein

Senior Program Officer

Airport Cooperative Research Program

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW

Washington, DC 20001

 

The applicant is responsible for submitting all components of the application to TRB, including official transcripts, the proposed research plan, and reference letters as indicated in the application form.

 

Applications must be received by 4:30 PM, EDT on May 30, 2013.

 

To be considered, applications must be complete and include two reference letters plus a commitment letter from the designated faculty advisor (who may also submit one of the reference letters).  Reference letters must be included with the application in sealed envelopes signed on the back by the referees.

 

Inquiries should be directed to Mr. Goldstein:

Telephone: (202) 334-1866

E-Mail: lgoldstein@nas.edu  (e-mail is preferred)