Matthew Davis and Allison Rewalt were both honored at the 34th annual University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program’s Outstanding Student of the Year Awards ceremony in January in Washington D.C.
Davis, a doctoral graduate student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was named Outstanding Student of the Year by the Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2). Rewalt, a master’s student in CEE, received the same honor from the Center of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety (CPBS).
“It was really meaningful to be honored alongside Allison. She’s not only a good friend, but someone I deeply respect as a researcher,” Davis said. “Sharing this recognition with her made the moment even more special.”
Davis and Rewalt are both advised by CEE Associate Professor Candace Brakewood. The UTCs that honored Davis and Rewalt are run through the Center for Transportation Research at UT.
Each year, at the start of the Transportation Research Board’s annual winter meeting, the U.S. Department of Transportation honors the most outstanding student from each participating UTC for their achievements and promise for future contributions to the transportation field. Students of the Year are selected based on their accomplishments in such areas as technical merit and research, academic performance, professionalism, and leadership.
“Being named UTC Student of the Year is a tremendous honor. This award represents the best and brightest student researchers in the transportation field,” Brakewood said. “Both Allison and Matthew have demonstrated excellence in their graduate research and scholastic achievements, and they are very deserving of this prestigious award.”
Meaningful Research Pursuits
Rewalt is passionate about enhancing urban mobility and safety and embraces her role as an advocate for effective transportation solutions. Her research at UT involves pedestrian safety and transit access, analyzing crash data to identify risk factors and inform infrastructure improvements.
“I was just flattered enough to be nominated, and then to actually get picked was a big surprise to me,” Rewalt said. “It’s really encouraging, because I think research can sometimes be very isolating. So when people acknowledge you for your work, it feels really rewarding, especially when the work I do has direct implications on people’s lives.”
Davis’s current research in public transportation is focused on demographic travel behavior trends on demand response transit in rural Tennessee and also on low-income transit fare discounts nationwide.
“I am truly honored and thankful to receive this award. It was really unexpected, and I am deeply humbled, especially given the great work being done by so many talented student researchers across CR2C2,” Davis said. “I am also incredibly grateful to my advisor, Dr. Candace Brakewood, whose nomination and support have shaped my time at UT.”
Rewalt never imagined she would be doing research in pedestrian and bike safety until she arrived at UT. However, her work soon became even more meaningful.
“It all felt very random at first, but about a month or two into my program, a close family friend from home who was a pro cyclist got killed by a drunk driver,” she said. “Immediately I was like, ‘wow, this has really become full circle for myself, my family and my friend’s family.’ I always reflect on my research and think about how each individual victim has such a network of people that were affected by the crash. It makes what we do that much more far reaching.”
Contact
Rhiannon Potkey (865-974-0683, rpotkey@utk.edu)