Support Center Portal Between Campus and DOT

"Hey, Ron, how do I do this?" is the question of the day in the new Department of Transportation Support Center at North Dakota State University. Up to seven engineering students work with drafting and design for roadways in North Dakota. They use the same professional engineering software used by DOTs across the country. They're learning what it's like to be a transportation engineer.

The Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, through this new DOT Support Center, has high hopes - both for the practical work students can do in the Center and for the future of having engineers involved in transportation. The North Dakota DOT and the UGPTI have long enjoyed a productive working relationship.

(left to right standing) Travis Eckroth, Matt Wegwerth, Joe Chapman, president, NDSU; Dave Sprynczynatyk, director, NDDOT; Matt Linneman; (seated) Corey Bergman, Stephanie Weigel, Ron Henke.

Transportation engineers are in short supply and this program may encourage students to look at transportation issues as a career. Dennis Jacobson, director of the Center, lists four main goals for the Center:

• To expose young engineers to transportation as a career field
• To develop better engineers who have realworld experience on actual DOT projects
• To develop positive relationships between engineering and computer information systems students and the NDDOT
• To develop joint NDSU and NDDOT research projects utilizing the core competencies of each organization

Ron Henke, who brings 10 years of experience with the NDDOT to the DOT Support Center, is the hands-on answer man for the students. He's there while they work through Microstation CAD drafting and GEOPAK civil design packages.

The students begin with drawings for intersections, figuring out dirt quantities, doing vertical and horizontal adjustments - real world work they'll do when they graduate. They'll add surveying and further research, part of the practicality that builds the program itself.

(left to right standing) Graig Schnell, VP-academic affairs, NDSU; Gene Griffin, director, UGPTI; Grant Levi, NDDOT; Dennis Jacobson, director, DOT Support Center; (seated) Joe Chapman, president, NDSU; Dave Sprynczynatyk, director, NDDOT.

Students learn to use professional manuals, including the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Manuals show what goes into a set of plans and how to meet standards. According to Henke, this is critical to learning organization and how to manage drawings.

Getting experience in the DOT Support Center enhances employability for the graduates. They also learn the team concept of construction - critical to success in the field. Jacobson points out that work in the office and work in the field don't always intersect and engineers have to be able to make needed adjustments and on-the-spot technical innovation.

The partnership of the NDDOT, North Dakota State University students, faculty and staff, and the transportation professionals at the UGPTI creates an innovative education program of academic assets meeting pressing issues in transportation.