REES 2024 Program

Monday, June 17

6:00 – 8:00 PM

Group Dinner for Early Arrivals - Pay on Own

Tuesday, June 18

7:00 – 8:00 AM

Breakfast on Own

8:00 – 8:30 AM

Registration/Check In

8:30 – 8:45 AM

Safety Briefing, Welcome & Introductions
Brian Sawyer, Director of Fleet Engineering, Utah Transit Authority

8:45 – 10:30 AM

Industry Needs from Universities
Contractors - TBD
Passenger Mechanical - Jens Steger, Head of Engineering, Stadler US
Transit Agencies - Greg Gerber, Director Talent Acquisition, Utah Transit Authority
Communications/Signals - Dan Meservey, Director of Operations, Modern Railway Systems

10:30 – 10:45 AM

Break

10:45 AM – 12:15 PM

Industry Needs from Universities (continued)
Class I Railroad - Steve Ashmore, Assistant Vice President-Engineering Infrastructure, Union Pacific Railroad
Short Line Railroads - William Riehl, Chief Engineer Structures, Genesee & Wyoming Rail Services
Engineering Consultants - Matthew Sibul, USA Southwest Mountain Transportation Lead, WSP
Freight Rolling Stock - Maureen Werner, Vice President of Engineering, MxV Rail

12:15 – 1:15 PM

Lunch (Lunch Provided)

1:15 – 2:30 PM

Town Hall on Industry Needs from Universities

2:30 – 2:45 PM

Break

2:45 – 3:45 PM

AREMA & APTA Presentation:  Resources to Assist Universities
Michael Pochop, Vice President, Hanson Professional Services, Inc.
Bryan Sooter, Director-Standards, American Public Transportation Association

3:45 – 4:45 PM

REES & pREES Modules Overview, Discussions, Q&A for new Professors 
David Nelson, PE, Senior Research Engineer, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan Tech Transportation Institute
Bryan Sooter, Director-Standards, American Public Transportation Association

5:00 – 6:00 PM

Reception

6:30 – 9:00 PM

Dinner & Freight Railroad Keynote Presentation (Dinner Provided)
Jay Fox, Executive Director, Utah Transit Authority

Wednesday, June 19

TBD

Breakfast on Your Own

TBD

Tour - Utah Transit Authority Warmsprings Commuter Rail Facility

TBD

Tour - Stadler (included Lunch Break)

TBD

Tour - Union Pacific Railroad Salt Lake City Intermodal Terminal

5:00 – 6:00 PM

Reception

6:00 – 8:30 PM

Dinner & Passenger/Transit Railroad Keynote Presentation (Dinner Provided)
Steve Ashmore, Assistant Vice President-Engineering Infrastructure, Union Pacific Railroad

Thursday, June 20

7:00 – 8:00 AM

Breakfast on Own 

8:00 – 10:00 AM

Research Programs & Opportunities Panel Discussion
DOT Volpe Center - TBD
FRA Research Funding - Mark Patterson, Associate Administrator, Office of Research, Data & Innovation, Federal Railroad Administration
FTA Research Funding - Molly King, Deputy Associate Administrator, Federal Transit Administration
Ensco, Transportation Technology Center - Ruben Peña, Government Service Transportation, ENSCO
AAR and MxV Rail - Scott Cummings, AVP, MxV Rail Research & Innovation 

10:00 – 10:15 AM

Break

10:15 – 11:45 AM

DOT/FRA Centers Presentation and Panel Discussion
Center for Excellence, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - Dr. Christopher P.L. Barkan, Professor, Executive Director of the Rail Transportation & Engineering Center (RailTEC), Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Dr. Anthony Saka, Professor, Transportation and Urban Infrastructure Studies, Morgan State University
Center for Railroad Safety, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - TBD
Rural Railroad Safety Center, Kansas State University - Dr. Eric Fitzsimmons, Associate Professor, Kansas State University

11:45 AM – 1:00 PM

Lunch (Lunch Provided)

1:00 – 2:30 PM

Current Programs in Academia Panel Discussion
Michigan Technological University - David Nelson, Senior-Research Engineer, Rail Transportation Program at Michigan Tech
Fresno State University - Dr. Ching Chiaw Choo, Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Program
University of South Carolina - Dr. Dimitris Rizos, Director, Railway Engineering Graduate Certificate
United States Military Academy West Point - Dr. Gary Jordan, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering
Morgan State University - Dr. Anthony Saka, Professor, Transportation and Urban Infrastructure Studies
University of New Mexico - Dr. Fernando Moreau, Associate Professor, Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering

2:30 – 2:45 PM

Break

2:45 – 4:00 PM

Open Topic Discussions

4:00 – 4:30 PM

Path Forward/Closing
Bryan Sooter, Director-Standards, American Public Transportation Association

4:30 PM

Adjournment