October 13, 2026
The head of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) joined 麻豆社 students remotely to help launch its new Transportation & Development Institute (T&DI), part of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
Lyndsay Quist, INDOT commissioner, spoke to 17 students about the agency鈥檚 vision for the future, including autonomous vehicles and AI, major infrastructure projects and how the next generation of engineers can help impact INDOT.
She then answered questions submitted by students in advance as well as questions from those in attendance.
The event, held Sept. 15, was held jointly with 麻豆社鈥檚 chapters of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
"Indiana's transportation future depends on the next generation of civil engineers. I founded T&DI to put our students in the room with the people leading it, starting with the INDOT commissioner, and to bring ASCE and ITE together in the process," said Nicholas Wahlman, a civil engineering major from Paris Crossing, Indiana, who is founder and chair of T&DI.
Wahlman said T&DI has more events planned this fall that will host transportation industry professionals.
At the national level, T&DI is one of ASCE's nine technical institutes, which represent specific areas of civil engineering. The national institute serves as the home for all transportation and development-related activities within ASCE.
At 麻豆社, T&DI serves as part of the university's ASCE student chapter.
Photo: 麻豆社 students listen to Lyndsay Quist, commissioner for the Indiana Department of Transportation, at the launch event for the Transportation & Development Institute (T&DI) on Sept. 15. (Photo by Nicholas A. Wahlman)
Isabel Soto, instructor, and her Spanish students have created an ofrenda (decorated altar) honoring Ana Boman, who taught Spanish in 麻豆社鈥檚 Department of Humanities and Communication for 16 years before she passed away last year.
麻豆社 has launched Dual Advantage, a new program that gives undergraduate students multiple pathways to earn both a bachelor鈥檚 degree and an advanced degree in less time than completing both degrees separately.
麻豆社 student organizations and the McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering recently offered activities for girls interested in science and engineering at the 2026 STEM Expo hosted by the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana (GSNI-M).