The University of Texas at AustinAdvanced Institute

Undergraduate Summer Internshipin Transportation

send application to: Dr. Chandra R. BhatUSIT 2012

The University of Texas at AustinDepartment of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering

1 University Station C1761Austin, Texas 78712-0278

e-mail: usit@engr.utexas.edu / telephone: (512) 232-6272 / fax: (512) 475-8744

Feel free to contact the USIT 2012 office if you have any questions.

usit applicationn a m e :current mailing address:

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e-mail:permanent address:

current address good until:

date of birth:current school or college:expected graduation date:credit hours completed in major:

total credit hours completed:

GPA (cumulative):

GPA (in major):

area of interest in transportation:

name of recommenders:

UT Austin May 29 - August 10

2012

A Career in TransportationIf Transportation Engineering interests you as a pos-sible career, The University of Texas at Austin’s Under-graduate Summer Internship in Transportation (USIT)can help you in your decision and prepare you foradmission to a graduate program. The internship is anintense 11-week program that provides unique insightinto transportation engineering education and a possiblecareer in the field.

The InternshipUSIT is sponsored by the Advanced Institute forTransportation Infrastructure Engineering and Manage-ment (the Advanced Institute). The Advanced Instituteis part of the Southwest Region University Transporta-tion Center. It is funded by the U.S. Department ofTransportation for the purpose of increasing the quality,number, and diversity of professionals entering thetransportation sector. The program will offer up to tenselected undergraduate students the opportunity to gainfirsthand experience in conducting transportationstudies and to actively participate in transportationresearch with graduate students under the supervisionof the Transportation faculty.

LecturesAll USIT interns will be enrolled in a colloquiumseries designed to introduce them to the transportationfield. Over the course of the 11-week program therewill be weekly lectures on a wide range of topics ontransportation engineering given by distinguishedacademics and practicing engineers. Lectures areintended to be informal so as to encourage discussion.

ResearchStudents participating in the internship will be exposedto active research programs with sponsors such as theTexas Department of Transportation, the U.S. Depart-ment of Transportation, the National Science Founda-tion, and the Capital Metropolitan Transit Authority.The University’s Transportation Engineering researchprogram encompasses a wide range of topics in theareas of: Transportation Systems Analysis; PavementMaterials, Design and Management; Traffic Scienceand Traffic Engineering; and Transportation Planning. Ongoing research opportunities include projects on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), telecommuting, network operations, performance of pavement materials,infrastructure management systems, land use-transpor-tation interactions, travel behavior modeling, conditionassessment and monitoring, accelerated infrastructuretesting, NAFTA-related international border traffic,port operations and intermodalism, bicycle facilities,transportation and air quality, and many others.

SupportInterns who are not current UT students will eachreceive a Fellowship of $4,500 over the 11-week periodof the program. UT student interns will each receive aFellowship of $3,500.

Internship ScheduleThe internship is an 11-week program beginningTuesday, May 29, 2012 and ending Friday, August 10,2012 and is intended to be a demanding as well asrewarding experience. Interns will be assigned to one,in some cases two, ongoing transportation engineeringresearch projects and are expected to work a minimumof 20 hours per week on that project. Students, how-ever, tend to devote a great deal more than the requiredminimum hours per week on their projects. Weekendsand evenings are not officially scheduled with activities,

USIT 2012 although interns in previous years have spent thistime with fellow interns and graduate students.

Austin SummersAustin is a unique mix of urban sophistication andrelaxed charm. Geographically, Austin is situated in thecenter of the State of Texas in the Texas Hill Country.It contains a network of rivers, lakes and natural cold-water springs. It also prides itself on an extensive greenbelt with endless hike and bike trails that afford anynumber of outdoor activities. Aside from being thestate capital, Austin is also the music capital of thesouthwest and as such contains a rich variety of livemusic, nightclubs and restaurants. Austin is home tothree Universities and to that end offers a great deal inthe way of cultural events, lectures, films, sports eventsand museum exhibits. The University of Texas atAustin’s campus alone is an incredible experience andcontains an impressive selection of facilities rangingfrom the renowned Lyndon B. Johnson School ofPublic Affairs Library to the new, state-of-the-artRecreational Sports Center.

AccommodationsParticipants are encouraged to use the room and boardplans provided by the University of Texas at Austin.Information regarding the University’s summerhousing may be obtained on the Internet athttp://www.utexas.edu/student/housing and/or bycontacting the University’s Housing and Food ServiceOffice directly at (512) 471-3136. This office alsomaintains information on nearby off-campus housing inthe event an applicant prefers to house him/herself.

Admission Eligibility/Selection CriteriaThe internship is open to any currently enrolled collegeengineering junior or senior who is seriously considering

pursuing a graduate education in transportation engineering. Students graduating before December2012 are ineligible. The internship accepts studentswho have both the desire and ability to work on trans-portation research projects and have demonstratedcomputer, math and writing skills. Selected USITparticipants will be notified of their acceptance no later than Friday, April 6, 2012 . Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible.

Application ProcedureThe deadline for application to the program is Monday, March 19, 2012. To apply, complete theattached application form and submit it with a resume,a personal (one page) essay describing your interestsand career goals, official transcripts, and two letters ofrecommendation. Recommendation letters and officialtranscripts should be mailed directly to the followingaddress:

Dr. Chandra R. BhatUndergraduate Summer Internship

in Transportation (USIT)The University of Texas at Austin

Dept. of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering1 University Station C1761Austin, Texas 78712-0278

e-mail: usit@engr.utexas.edufax: (512) 475-8744

telephone: (512) 232-6272www.caee.utexas.edu/dept/area/trans/undergrad_opp/usit.html

The University of Texas at Austin