PacTrans Conference – Fairbanks, AK

The annual Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) Region 10 Conference was hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) this year.

ITE students who were given the opportunity to attend were exposed to PacTrans funded research projects, listened to ideas from a panel of leaders in transportation technology, learned about the Alaska’s unique transportation system, and networked with faculty and students from other PacTrans affiliated universities. Additionally, UAF organized tours showcasing the unique infrastructure challenges Fairbanks faces with respect to extreme weather events and permafrost. This included a tour of the permafrost tunnel research facility operated jointly by UAF and the United States Army Corp of Engineers.

ITE students came back from PacTrans with a better appreciation for the research community in the Pacific Northwest and a broadened perspectives on engineering challenges faced outside of their own communities.