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Patrick J. O'Mara, P.E. (Class of '96 - M.S.) was formerly a Senior Engineer with Eng-Wong, Taub & Associates in New York City. He holds a B.S.C.E. from Manhattan College and an M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from UConn. Since 1995, he has specialized in the conduct of pedestrian and accident studies (assessing pedestrian conditions for introducing Long Island Rail Road service into New York City's Grand Central terminal, and improving pedestrian and vehicular safety concerns along Queens Boulevard). O'Mara is an Associate Member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers and recipient of ITE's 2000 Past Presidents' and Young Consultant's Award for his study/paper on Queens Boulevard pedestrian safety. He is currently employed as a Senior Transportation Engineer with STV, Inc. in New York City.

Steve Popkin (Class of '99 - Ph.D.) has been selected as the next Chief of the Human Factors Division of the US DOT Volpe Transportation Systems Center in Boston. Steve earned both his M.A. (1992) and Ph.D. (1999), at the University of Connecticut under the advisement of Dr. Donald Tepas (now Emeritus Professor - Psychology Department at UConn) in Industrial/Organizational Psychology (Human Factors/Ergonomics area of specialization). Research for both of his degrees focused on the analysis of data gathered from freight train locomotive engineers. Steve's completed his undergraduate studies at Penn State University.

Dr. Jana M. Price(Class of '00 - Ph.D.) has worked at the National Transportation Safety Board since 2001 as a Transportation Research Analyst in the Office of Research and Engineering. At the Safety Board, she conducts safety studies addressing all modes of transportation as well as providing statistical and human factors support for accident investigations. Most recently, she completed a study assessing the risk factors associated with weather-related general aviation accidents. Jana has continued to pursue her interest in fatigue issues at the Safety Board by helping to develop and coordinate a two-day course on investigating human fatigue factors in transportation accidents. Jana also presented a paper on this topic at the International Fatigue Management in Transportation Operations conference held in Seattle in September 2005. Jana M. Price, Ph.D., National Transportation Safety Board, 490 L'Enfant Plaza E., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20594.

Xiao Qin, P.E. (Class of '02 - Ph.D.) is currently working for the Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research involves intersection safety and hazard mitigation, weather safety and work zone safety. He is also assisting the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in improving the safety program and developing new safety analysis tools. Xiao was formerly employed as an ITS/Safety Specialist with the Maricopa Association of Governments in Phoenix, Arizona, where he worked on projects involving traffic signal systems, ITS evaluation, ITS data collection, ITS training, ITS outreach, and ITS planning.

Kari Edison Watkins, P.E. (Class of '03 - M.S.) is with Wilbur Smith Associates in New Haven, CT, currently serving as project manager for the high-profile New Haven, Hartford, Springfield Commuter Rail Implementation Plan. In addition, she is back at UConn teaching transportation design and planning as an adjunct professor. Kari enjoys balancing work and teaching with spending time with her one year old daughter.

Erika B. Smith, P.E. (Class of '04 - M.S.) earned her M.S. degree in Civil Engineering while working full time for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT). After receiving her B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from UConn, Erika began working in ConnDOT's Division of Traffic Engineering, where she developed plans for traffic signals, signs and pavement markings. After seven years, she was promoted into the Division of Research and has been there for the past three years. Her research includes investigating new pavements to help minimize rutting, modifications of crash impact-attenuation systems, and safety benefits and potential crash migration due to the installation of rumble strips. In her spare time, Erika enjoys traveling and spending time with family, friends and her dog "Spooky."

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