The SMARTER Center serves the Mid-Atlantic as a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) University Transportation Center (UTC) for Region 3. Our work is funded and guided through USDOT’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology (OST-R), whose Office of Research, Development and Technology administers the national UTC program. That partnership structures how federal research investment becomes deployable technology, a stronger workforce, and a safer, more efficient transportation network for the region.
A Technical Partnership
OST-R is the UTC program’s essential working partner. The SMARTER Center coordinates closely with OST-R through regular reporting, program reviews, and direct, on-site engagement, keeping our research aligned with USDOT’s priorities for safety, innovation, and real-world deployment. USDOT research leadership has toured BearAlert, Autonomous Wheelchair, and SMART Intersection deployments firsthand, engaging with the students and researchers advancing the program’s mission. We are honored to carry this work forward under the leadership of Assistant Secretary Seval Oz and RD&T Director Dr. Firas Ibrahim.
A Longstanding Commitment
Since our establishment in 2023, the SMARTER Center has been proud to contribute to the UTC program’s legacy of advancing American transportation. We are grateful for OST-R’s sustained investment and partnership, which make our research, workforce, and technology-transfer activities possible — and we remain committed to the program’s mission of delivering practical, high-impact solutions for the nation’s transportation system.
Together with USDOT and OST-R, the SMARTER Center is turning research into real, deployable mobility solutions, helping build a safer, more efficient transportation future for the Mid-Atlantic and the nation.
