The Center’s Education Goal is: To develop a multidisciplinary program of course work and experiential learning that develops a future work force to support intermodal transportation activities.

The center’s education program will include include three major components:

• CIFTS education program will expand and enhance the existing transportation education offerings at the University of Memphis and Vanderbilt University. In addition, CIFTS will work to create joint programs in areas of interdisciplinary synergy within and between the two institutions and other key regional partners, covering engineering, business, law, and public policy.
• The education program will also include a workforce development component, with the goal of increasing the number of trained, skilled workers and educated professionals in transportation and logistics. There is an industry-wide need for people at all levels - entry, skilled worker, management, etc. The competencies required may be linked to an educational/career pathway that includes certificates, associate degrees and baccalaureate degrees.
• An additional aspect of workforce development lies in promoting transportation careers to K-12 students. The University of Memphis has a distinguished track record of offering summer engineering programming to middle and high school students. CIFTS will build on this foundation to explore opportunities for transportation career-specific programs for enhancing transportation content coverage as a component of existing programs.

Curriculum Development

The first education program underway is Intermodal Freight Curriculum Development. This project, spearheaded by faculty at Vanderbilt University is described below.

Scope

The research will consist of developing a curriculum in which graduate students interested in freight management, freight professionals, and stakeholders working with freight professionals can be exposed to the policies, concepts and methods utilized in managing intermodal transportation systems.

This introductory course will be oriented around subjects that are timely and critical, such as:

• Fundamentals of transportation systems analysis
• Freight transportation systems
• Railroad operations
• Truck operations
• Maritime operations
• Inland waterway operations
• Airport operations
• Pipeline operations
• Intermodal terminals
• Special topics
  • Hazardous materials transportation
  • Defense logistics
• Freight transportation modeling

Each stage of course development and refinement will be a joint activity involving the Vanderbilt University and the University of Memphis. It will be initially offered as a graduate course at the both institutions (using distance-based learning technologies, as appropriate).

In a later phase (not covered by this task), it is anticipated that the course will debut as a professional, executive management offering. It is also anticipated that the freight management fundamentals embedded in this curriculum will be assembled into a primer or handbook for widespread dissemination to interested parties.

Deliverables

The following deliverables are associated with performing this task:

• Literature review of existing courses & textbooks
• Draft course syllabus
• Review of potential educational delivery mechanisms
• Completed course modules
• Initial offering of introductory course to graduate students

Workforce Training

The Center is establishing linkages with on-going programs in the region that focus on developing a skilled transportation workforce. One such program is the WIRED program at Mid-South Community College in West Memphis, Arkansas. The director of this program, Dr. Sunny Morris, is chair of the Center’s Education Committee.

Promoting Transportation Careers

An initial proposal has been submitted to the State of Tennessee to create a Governor’s School at the University of Memphis in Transportation and Logistics. The Governor’s School program in Tennessee creates special opportunities for high ability high school students to study a subject in depth in an intensive summer program. Students earn six hours of college credit by taking introductory courses. The program also includes guest lectures by professional in the field and site visits to industry.

Student Support

Five graduate students are associated with the Center, supported by a combination of UTC funding, University support, and financial aid from other sources.