UFTI Staff Presents to K-12 Students as Part of UF WiSE Spring Break Camp

On April 2, 2019, 14 middle school students participating in the UF Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Spring Break Camp learned about transportation engineering and designed a “Complete Street” using StreetMix.net, an online design tool. The session and activities were led by the STRIDE Center’s Ondine Wells, K-12/Technology Transfer coordinator. Students also learned about research and technology from the I-STREET initiative currently being implemented in Gainesville, FL. The last portion of the workshop focused on traffic signal technology where students tried their hand at signal timing using Gridlock Buster, an online game developed by the University of Minnesota. This was followed by a visit to the UFTI’s Traffic Signal Lab where camp participants met with Ph.D. student, Aschkan Omidvar. Omdivar explained to the students how traffic signals are controlled and why it’s impossible for all lights at an intersection to be green at the same time. The WiSE Spring Break Camp is supported by the UF Biodiversity Institute, iDigBio and the National MagLab.