Katie Turnbull, Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) executive associate director, was honored with the Regents Fellow Service Award during The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Reception and Dinner Feb. 10.
Turnbull’s vast professional accomplishments, combined with her unique blend of management skills and volunteer efforts, made her TTI’s top candidate for the award, according to TTI Agency Director Dennis Christiansen.
“She has brought professionalism, prestige and mission-critical research to TTI and has more than 40 years of service to the transportation industry,” Christiansen wrote in nominating Turnbull. “Her many contributions have resulted in significant improvements to the transportation system — both statewide and nationally.”
The Regents Fellow Service Award Program began in 1998 to recognize research professionals whose exemplary professional service has contributed to large and lasting benefits to Texas and beyond.
Turnbull began her TTI career in 1989 and became nationally recognized in the areas of high-occupancy vehicle and high-occupancy toll facilities, public transportation, travel demand management and intelligent transportation systems. She manages TTI’s Planning and Environment Research Group, which includes 100 researchers, support staff and students located in seven TTI offices in Texas, Washington, D.C., and Mexico City. Turnbull has also held leadership positions with the Transportation Research Board (TRB), the Institute of Transportation Engineers and the American Public Transit Association.
While Turnbull’s career has focused on mobility enhancement, she has also helped develop the next generation of transportation professionals. She has authored or coauthored more than 200 publications and is the recipient of numerous achievement awards that recognize her leadership and tireless service to the transportation industry.
“Joining the list of TTI researchers who have received the Regents Fellow Service Award is a real honor,” notes Turnbull. “I have had the opportunity to work on numerous research projects that have resulted in improvements to transit services and the transportation system, benefiting the traveling public.”