News Service

1-31-07

Shashi Nambisan named director of Iowa State's transportation center

AMES, Iowa -- Shashi Nambisan will be the new director of the Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State University. He begins his new position Thursday, Feb. 1.

Nambisan comes to Iowa State from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he directed the Transportation Research Center and was a professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering. Nambisan began his academic career at the university in 1989 as an assistant professor.

John Brighton, Iowa State's vice president for research and economic development and the leader of the search committee that selected Nambisan, said he was impressed with Nambisan's prior experience leading a transportation center, his academic credentials and his national reputation in transportation research.

Nambisan directed the transportation center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for eight years. He was also assistant director from 1993 to 1998. He has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, a master's degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. His research interests include transportation safety, risk analysis, transportation planning, infrastructure management and air transportation.

Nambisan, who will also be a professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering at Iowa State, said he's excited about the "three P's" at Iowa State's transportation center -- the people, programs and partnerships.

"The Center for Transportation Research and Education has an excellent complement of all of these," he said. "The center's potential for future growth and continued impact is great."

The Center for Transportation Research and Education at Iowa State was established in 1983 as one of the Federal Highway Administration's original Rural Technical Assistance Programs. The center conducts transportation research, educates transportation students and offers national, regional and local transportation services and programs.

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Shashi Nambisan

Quick look

Shashi Nambisan, who directed the transportation center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for eight years, will be the new director of Iowa State University's Center for Transportation Research and Education.