RUTA-HC at Connections to Sustain Latin American Research Symposium
In March 2025, Dr. Losada-Rojas participated in the LAC event hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on Sustaining Science in Latin America. A huge thank you to our local hosts, UTEC – Universidad de Ingeniería y Tecnología in Lima 🇵🇪, and to all the participants who made this event so enriching! The symposium featured fascinating talks on topics like infectious diseases, biodiversity, artificial intelligence, sustainable energy systems, and water resilience—all under one roof. It was especially exciting to explore how transportation connects to and impacts each of these critical areas.
At RUTA-HC, we look forward to building on the collaborations sparked at this event and future ones!
UNM to collaborate with UC Berkeley on $10M USDOT grant for rural autonomous vehicle freight program
Faculty members from The University of New Mexico School of Engineering and Health Sciences Center will collaborate with the University of California, Berkeley on a $10 million, six-year project grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Rural Autonomous Vehicle Program to study the use of automated freight systems in rural communities.
Assistant Professor Lisa Losada-Rojas from the Gerald May Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (CCEE) and UNM primary investigator (PI) will lead The University’s contribution to a multi-university research project, titled ACCEL-RT: Autonomous Cargo Carriers for Enhanced Logistics in Rural & Tribal Areas. Professor Susan Bogus Halter, chair of CCEE, and Distinguished Professor Arthur Kaufman, vice president for community health, are co-PIs on the project. The funding supports the development and deployment of cutting-edge autonomous vehicle technologies to enhance freight logistics in rural and Tribal communities.
The team will also receive support from the New Mexico Transportation Center and Associate Professor Nicholas Ferenchak, director of the Center for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety.
“Rural communities often face significant challenges due to being underserved by the existing transportation network, which impacts accessibility, safety, healthcare, equity, and workforce or economic development,” Losada-Rojas said. “To address some of these issues, ACCEL-RT aims to enhance freight movement through the creation of a multimodal logistics supply chain powered by automation. We acknowledge the importance of collaborating closely with communities to truly understand their needs and priorities.”
For more information, visit UNM website
TRB 2025 Annual Meeting
We had an incredible time at the TRB 2025 Annual Meeting, with strong representation from the RUTA-HC group! Our team participated in four poster sessions and one lectern session, showcasing our research and engaging with the broader transportation community.
A special highlight of the conference was Dr. Losada-Rojas receiving a Certificate of Appreciation for her contributions as Co-Chair of the Time Use and Activity Patterns Subcommittee within the AEP30 Traveler Behaviors and Values Committee.
Below, you will find details on each of our presentations, along with photos capturing our experience.
- Si Lwin & Lisa L. Losada-Rojas. “Invited Student Poster: Complete Streets: Enhancing Health and Equity.” Poster Presentation.
- Yully Chavez Lasso, Nick Ferenchak, Willy Simon, Sagert Sheets, & Lisa L. Losada-Rojas. “Impact of Access Management on Arterial Road Crashes: A Case Study of Albuquerque, New Mexico.” Poster Presentation.
- Mauricio Perez & Lisa L. Losada-Rojas. “Invited Student Paper: Identifying Disparities in Albuquerque’s Bicycling Infrastructure Network.” Poster Presentation. TRB Minority Fellows Best Presentation Award.
- Adrianna Fragozo Alvernia A.L. & Lisa L. Losada-Rojas. “Microtransit in Rural and Small Urban Contexts: A Qualitative Analysis of System Characteristics, Benefits, and Challenges.” Oral Presentation.
- Adrianna Fragozo Alvernia & Lisa L. Losada-Rojas. “Microtransit Propensity Index: Feasibility and Prioritization Tool.” Poster Presentation.
- Ankit Aryal & Lisa L. Losada-Rojas. “Evaluating the inequality in EV charging stations in New Mexico.” Poster Presentation as part of Young Member Council Subcommittee Meeting.
- Dr. Losada-Rojas is recognized at the AEP 30 Traveler Behaviors and Values Committee Meeting.
We’re already looking forward to TRB 2026!
Right on track: Researchers use new tech to improve railroad safety
Railroads may bring to mind images of the Old West and the Industrial Revolution, but researchers at The University of New Mexico School of Engineering are working to bring new, cutting-edge technologies to even the smallest and most remote railroad systems as part of a national center led by Penn State University and funded by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
The new Rail Center for Research Enhancing Short Line Transportation (CREST), established by a $6.8 million grant from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program and set to begin this fall, proposed 10 research projects by several universities in partnership with railroads. Participating universities include Penn State, Kansas State University, University of Texas, Auburn University, University of South Carolina, and UNM.
Railroad companies own their tracks and are responsible for maintaining them, a task much easier for the largest companies, known as Class Ones. The new project aims to help short lines –– the smallest railroad lines that operate as small businesses–– become safer and more profitable by developing low-cost sensors, augmented reality and artificial intelligence that can be used to identify pieces of track that may need special attention, informing the prioritization of repair or maintenance decisions.
For more information, visit UNM website