Civil and Environmental Engineering Chair leads high school students in traffic data collection project

DETROIT (June 25, 2014) - This spring, Joseph Hummer, professor and chair of civil and environmental engineering in Wayne State University's College of Engineering, shared his traffic engineering expertise by leading a group of Birmingham high school students in a traffic data collection and analysis project. The students were participants in Birmingham Public Schools' STEMx Research and Design course, which provides opportunities for students to develop a STEM-related project while taking part in authentic data internships with professionals from the surrounding area.

Birmingham STEMx students stop for a photo after surveying traffic.

Hummer taught the students how to collect authentic traffic data and analyze the efficiency of intersections. The students chose intersections to study, collected and analyzed data, and determined cost-effective solutions. Two of the students presented their results for the intersection of Big Beaver Road at Adams Road to engineers at the Road Commission for Oakland County on June 19. The consensus among the engineers was that the students had done a thorough analysis and made reasonable recommendations. Hummer hopes that the project can be repeated with the Birmingham Public Schools next year and eventually replicated in schools throughout the area.

"We were delighted when Doug Baltz of Birmingham Public Schools reached out to us," says Darin Ellis, associate dean for academic affairs and student services. "Partnerships like this are critical to ensuring a strong pipeline of students interested in STEM degrees needed for the careers of tomorrow."

For more information about College of Engineering community partnerships, contact Jasmine Roberson at 313-577-3040 or jasmine@wayne.edu.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.