TTI’s Park and Zietsman Selected as Regents Fellows for 2024–2025
The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has named two leaders from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) as Regents Fellows for the 2024–2025 fiscal year. Established in 1988, the award recognizes and honors service, extension and research professionals who have provided exemplary professional service to society that has created large and lasting benefits to Texas and beyond.
TTI’s Senior Research Scientist Dr. Eun Sug Park and TTI Deputy Agency Director and Chief Research Officer Dr. Joe Zietsman were among the 13 staff members chosen from the A&M System’s agencies to be designated Regents Fellows.
Dr. Park is a nationally recognized expert in TTI’s Data and Spatial Analytics program with more than 25 years of experience in transportation-related statistics issues. Since joining TTI in 2001, she has led major modeling and data analysis efforts, including Bayesian approaches for safety and pavement performance and advancing research on multi-pollutant health impacts. She currently serves as PI or co-PI on several multimillion-dollar National Institutes of Health and Federal Highway Administration projects focused on crash modification factors and the impacts of regulatory intervention to reduce shipping-related air pollution on public health. Eun Sug has earned numerous national awards and is recognized as a fellow of the American Statistical Association, an elected member of the International Statistical Institute and an editor of the journal Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems.
“Dr. Park is a renowned global leader in advancing statistical science,” said TTI Agency Director Gregory Winfree. “She has generously shared her knowledge and expertise with more than 170 researchers across TTI. Her passion for improving the use of data has elevated both the quality of our research and the capabilities of our researchers.”
Dr. Zietsman serves as deputy agency director and chief research officer at TTI overseeing a $126 million annual research portfolio. With more than 27 years of experience, Dr. Zietsman is an internationally recognized expert in sustainable transportation, strategic management of transportation systems and health and transportation. He has led research projects totaling more than $55 million and was instrumental in the development of a one-of-a-kind, climate controlled environmental testing facility at the Texas A&M RELLIS campus (the Clean Transportation Research Complex). He directs a successful U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Center focused on efficient mobility and has held several influential roles within the National Academies Transportation Research Board. A registered professional engineer with a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Texas A&M University, Dr. Zietsman is also deeply involved in academic mentorship and instruction, contributing to graduate education across the university.
“Dr. Zietsman has been a true asset to TTI,” said Winfree. “As Deputy Director, his strategic leadership has reinvigorated collaboration across our research programs. Moreover, he stands as a pillar among environmental researchers, driving innovation and impact.”