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Session 2270

The first Summer Transportation Institute (STI) at the University of Puerto Rico: An experiment in motivating high school Puerto Ricans to study transportation related careers

Antonio A. González-Quevedo, Didier M. Valdés-Díaz, Freya M. Toledo-Feria School of Engineering University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

Abstract

The Civil Infrastructure Research Center (CIRC) of the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) managed the first Summer Transportation Institute at the University of Puerto Rico during the summer of 2001. The objective of this program was to expose a group of high school students to a variety of academic experiences designed to motivate them toward professions in the field of transportation. High school students soon to enter their Junior Year were eligible to participate on our first Summer Transportation Institute in Puerto Rico. The activities were very diverse and included two trips to San Juan, the capital city of Puerto Rico, each time with an overnight stay. Besides these and other day-long field trips, our institute provided class sessions in transportation related topics, as well as participatory working sessions for the students to develop their projects. The participants also learned to write technical reports and prepare presentations, and about opportunities to study and work in the areas related to transportation. A number of sports activities, competitions, and motivational activities complemented the academic activities.

Our institute was a complete success due in part to the enthusiastic support we received from National Summer Transportation Institute Resource Center, as well as from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez administration at all levels. We also received support from the state and federal transportation agencies.

I. 2001 Summer Transportation Institute Organization

The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (UPRM) served as the administrator of the first Puerto Rico Summer Transportation Institute (PR-STI). This STI was beneficial because it provided the opportunity to expose soon to be juniors in high school to a diverse group of transportation educators and professionals working in various modes of transport.

Primarily, the 2001 PR-STI emphasized both the benefits associated with a career in transportation as well as the education required to enter this important field. The PR-STI was designed to create an educational and training delivery system that: (1) attracted secondary school students to and enhance their interests in careers in transportation: (2) improved mathematics, science, and technology skills; and (3) through creative partnerships, strengthened

“Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright© 2002, American Society for Engineering Education”

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Toledo, F., & Gonzalez-Quevedo, A., & Valdes-Diaz, D. (2002, June), The First Summer Transportation Institute (Sti) At The University Of Puerto Rico: An Experiment In Motivating High School Puerto Ricans To Study Transportation Related Careers Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10590