By Ines Aviles-Spadoni, M.S., M.A., UFTI Research Coordinator/Communications
The UFTI’s reception during the 2025 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting held January 5 to 9 in Washington, D.C., took place on a snowy evening that added a touch of winter charm to the event. Despite the weather, the much-anticipated gathering which took place at Calico, a restaurant in Washington, D.C., drew more than 100 attendees.
A highlight of the evening included a tribute to Lily Elefteriadou, who served a decade as the UFTI’s director. During her tenure, Elefteriadou secured three U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) University Transportation Centers (UTCs) and established the I-STREET Living Lab, among her many achievements. Kyle Riding, the UFTI’s interim director and chair the UF Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, presented Elefteriadou with a commemorative plaque in recognition of her visionary and outstanding leadership to the Institute.
With the search for a new director currently underway, the reception served as a great platform for potential candidates to explore the opportunity and engage with faculty, students, and staff. The search committee that is tasked with finding the next UFTI director will start reviewing applications at the end of January 2025.
Beyond the reception, faculty, students, and staff presented posters and papers during TRB and others chaired or attended committee meetings. Collectively, the UFTI’s contributions to this annual conference help to shape the future of transportation and it reflects the Institute’s commitment to advancing the field. Furthermore, two UFTI-affiliated faculty members, Ruth Steiner and Siva Srinivasan, were honored with prestigious awards during the conference.
The very snowy conditions did not deter guests from attending the UFTI’s reception at TRB. In fact, the snow added a memorable touch to an event which was filled with networking and the sharing of research ideas, catching up with old friends, making new ones, and celebrating milestones and achievements.