Organizational Structure
Research
The Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS-Davis) was established in 1991 as a formal UC Davis organized research unit (ORU) reporting to the campus’s Vice Chancellor for Research. ORUs are created in the University of California system to coordinate faculty from multiple academic departments who study in the same interdisciplinary field. The Institute also reports indirectly to the College of Engineering dean, who is designated as the “responsible dean” for ITS-Davis due to extensive programmatic overlap. In addition to the departmentally-based academic faculty that affiliate with ITS-Davis, the Institute hires Ph.D. research faculty and experienced program managers to support its large research programs.
ITS-Davis assembles teams of academic faculty, research faculty and graduate students to collaborate on research projects. These projects are organized within three primary research areas:
- Travel behavior and transport systems modeling
- Environmental vehicle technologies
- Climate change, air quality, and other environmental impacts
Education
Except for ITS-Davis, all UC Davis ORUs are only research organizations. The Institute, however, is unique in that it also hosts an interdisciplinary graduate degree for Transportation Technology and Policy (TTP). The TTP education program has its own set of requirements and courses leading to a master’s or Ph.D. degree. Students may also affiliate with ITS-Davis while pursuing a graduate degree through a traditional academic department such as Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or Environmental Science and Policy. The Institute’s academic and research faculty teach courses within the TTP program and within the traditional academic departments.
Outreach
A key component of ITS-Davis’s mission is the dissemination of research to benefit government, industry and non-governmental organizations. ITS-Davis’s outreach activities include: hosting workshops, seminars and conferences; distributing faculty publications; and producing ITS-Davis e-news. This outreach function is coordinated by the Institute’s development and external relations staff.
Size and Scope
Institute research, education and outreach involves approximately 150 members of the UC Davis community. There are currently 60 affiliated faculty and 80 graduate students working with ITS-Davis. A ten-person staff supports the Institute with fundraising, public communication, financial management, grant administration and other business services.