The UC Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS Berkeley) welcomed State Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) during a recent visit to the UC Berkeley campus on Oct. 28, 2022.
During the visit, Sen. Newman learned about the importance of the research and policy work made possible through the Statewide Transportation Research Program (STRP) funded by the State of California through the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (Senate Bill 1) and the Public Transportation Account at ITS Berkeley and the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies, and about opportunities where ITS Berkeley and the senate can work together on policy and information briefing.
He also learned about the innovative work on automated controls, electrification, and equity at California PATH from Faculty Director and Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Scott Moura; exciting new developments on hydrogen fuel cell and electric grid work at the Transportation Sustainability Research Center from Co-director Tim Lipman; and the latest research on building resilient infrastructure and reusable and self-healing material at the Center for Smart Infrastructure from Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Tracy Becker.
Newman also met with a number of other campus departments, including Goldman School of Public Policy (GSPP) Dean David Wilson and GSPP students, toured the Alt: Meat Lab at the Berkeley Food Institute where he tasted plant-based foods from five start-up companies founded by recent alumni, and had a conversation on K-6 mandatory recess and children's health and well-being at the School of Public Health with Assistant Dean for Research Jennifer Ahern, Assistant Research Professor Hannah Thompson of Community Health Sciences and Valerie Shapiro and Mai Xi Lee from the Center for Prevention Research in Social Welfare.