Texas A&M University, the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and TTI are exploring a long-term research partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras). Texas A&M’s Dr. Kumbakonam Rajagopal from mechanical engineering, a graduate of IIT Madras, has been actively leading these discussions and assisting each agency with staff interactions and development of mutual strategies.
In January, IIT Madras hosted an Indo-U.S. workshop on “Recent Advances in Transportation Engineering.” Vice Chancellor of Engineering Dr. Kem Bennett, Forsyth Chair Professor Rajagopal, Associate Professor Dvahg Swaroop, Associate TTI Agency Director Ed Seymour, Research Engineer Kevin Balke, Senior Research Fellow Dallas Little and Researcher Eyad Masad participated in the workshop or are involved in developing the partnership.
“India is making great investments in its transportation systems,” Seymour said. “Teaming the expertise of these premier organizations creates a platform for innovative research and development that benefits the organizations and their countries. ”
Seymour also attended another international safety workshop while in India. The New Delhi workshop was sponsored by the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE). One aspect of that program involved road safety education for villages. While touring a village, Seymour and others were highlighted in the local papers.