SAFER-SIM and the National Advanced Driving Simulator have created a resource that gives Scouts the chance to earn Merit Badges Online. Scouts can watch through the videos on our YouTube channel, which will guide them through the process of earning the Traffic Safety Merit Badge and the Engineering Merit Badge.[+]
SAFER-SIM got the chance to attend the FTC Competition in Cedar Rapids, on February 29th, 2020. We brought the MiniSim, our portable simulator, and interacted with 170 individuals at the event. We showed attendees the dangers of texting and driving on hazardous road conditions. [+]
The Southeast Iowa STEM Festival took place at Southeastern Community College, in Burlington, IA. SAFER-SIM got the chance to interact with 155 attendees, including kids and parents of all ages. Participants got to engage with our MiniSim, where they learned about the dangers of texting and driving. [+]
The 2020 Linn County STEM event was at Kirkwood Regional Center in Hiawatha. SAFER-SIM had the chance to display and promote driver safety research through our driving simulation. 320 different people tried our texting and driving simulation, as well as our stopping distance simulations.[+]
The University of Iowa hosted high school students as part of Project Lead the Way tours focused on engineering careers. They discussed STEM fields and the safety research happening at the National Advanced Driving Simulator and the University of Iowa. 49 students participated on the tours from Marion Home School Assistance Program, Mid-Prairie High School, Kirkwood Regional Center, and Marion High Schoo. [+]
Tim Brown, director of drugged driving at NADS and traffic safety merit badge counselor, presented information on the traffic safety merit badge to a local boy scout troop. The group discussed safe driving, demonstrated lighting systems on a vehicle, checked tire tread and tire pressure, and even interviewed a law enforcement officer. The 15 boys met all requirements for the merit badge. [+]
SAFER-SIM presented excellence awards to recognize students contributions to the work we do! An award was presented to 5 undergraduate students, one from each SAFER-SIM institution.
SAFER-SIM presented excellence awards to recognize students contributions to the work we do! An award was presented to 5 graduate students, one from each SAFER-SIM institution.
NADS got the chance to interact with 152 kids at the Johnson County STEM Fair. Through our portable miniSim, we displayed the dangers of texting while driving and unpredictable weather conditions.
SAFER-SIM got the chance to display the miniSim to 79 adults at the Fall Prevention Awareness, Health & Resource Fair. We helped them better understand the dangers of distracted driving, especially texting and driving. [+]
NADS went to the Iowa State Fair and displayed our portable simulator to 586+ people over the course of two days. We demonstrated the dangers of distracted driving and unpredictable weather conditions.[+]
The National Advanced Driving Simulator hosted a STEM Day at the Johnson County Fair this summer. STEM Day conveniently took place on Kids Day, where we around 15 exhibitors with hands-on activities prepared for the kids. These attractions attracted 650+ people! [+]
25 Mandela Washington Fellows from Sub-Saharan Africa visited and toured the NADS facility. They received a guided tour and got the chance to interact with the miniSim.
20 students in grades 8–10 in the Perry Research Scholars Institute (PRSI) visited the NADS facility. The PRSI is an academic program at the University of Iowa’s Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. These students learned about the research we are currently conducting and some of the research we have previously published. They then had the opportunity to tour the facility and ask any questions they had. [+]
8 local Boy Scouts visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator. Dr. Tim Brown, traffic safety merit badge counselor and NADS researcher, provided the material to complete the requirements for the merit badge. The scouts then toured the facility. [+]
A group of 15 kids aged 11-14 in a bicycling summer camp toured the NADS facility. They got to see the driving simulator and do demos on the miniSim.
A group of 20 women in 7th-9th grade who have an interest in engineering toured the NADS facility. We gave them an overview of engineering disciplines, a hands-on component, and showed them some of our current research in action. [+]
23 undergraduate students interested in mathematics/statistics toured the NADS facility and got to do demos on the miniSim. They also learned about the kind of data that can be collected during a driving study and how it directly impacts lives. [+]
An inaugural meeting for the creation of an Iowa Chapter of Women in Transportation Seminar (WTS), though the name is now a misnomer, was held in Ames, Iowa on June 13, 2019. WTS is an international organization with the mission of advancing both the transportation industry and the professional women who are a growing part of it (https://www.wtsinternational.org/). Three SAFER-SIM researchers attended, Cara Hamann, Dawn Marshall, and Michelle Reyes. It is exciting to be a part of expanding an organization that will help recognize and promote the many women involved in transportation careers in Iowa.[+]
A NWJHS STEM team of 11 toured our facility as they were prepping to go to Nationals. They had to submit an entry for the Digital Media Competition, where their challenge was to create informative and persuasive digital media promoting the advantages of autonomous vehicles. In order for them to get a better understanding about autonomous vehicles, they spoke with Chris Schwarz and he gave them a tour of our facility. [+]
6 high school students from Cedar Rapids Jefferson visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator. The students were working on a distracted driving project and wanted to learn how UI studies driving safety. They discussed distraction, new vehicle technology, and the research simulators and vehicles. [+]
SAFER-SIM staff attended the Iowa City STEAM Fest on Sunday, April 7th, and we had the chance to interact with 102 people. Of these 102 people, we got to speak to adults and kids about driving safety, as well as the effects of distracted driving. Using the driving simulator, kids and adults got to test out the texting and driving simulation, as well as the stopping distance simulation.[+]
At an event called Magical Playground located at Center Point Urbana High School, SaferSim interacted with 120 kids aged 5-9. We displayed our portable simulator and allowed the kids to test out the stopping distance simulations, in order to show them the dangers of driving in different weather conditions. [+]
The Junior Science and Humanities Symposia Program regional competition took place at the University of Iowa. 20 high school students involved with the program visted the National Advanced Driving Simulator. They learned about the driving safety research being done by NADS and took a walk-through tour of the facilty. By connecting talented students, their teachers, and research professionals, JSHS aims to widen the pool of students prepared to conduct research vital to our nation.[+]
4 boys came to the University of Iowa to receive their Traffic Merit Safety Badge on March 2nd, 2019. Safer Sim staff displayed a Powerpoint with different aspects of driving safety. As well as that, the scouts got to try the driving simulator. A police officer also came, having a conversation with the scouts, as well as the opportunity for questions. Lastly, we had different interactive activities, such as showing them the different functions of a vehicle, checking the tire tread, and looking at stopping distance.[+]
SAFER-SIM staff attended the Southeast Iowa STEM Festival in Burlington. An on-road research vehicle was brought to the event, and staff described the advanced driver assistance systems on the vehicle. These safety systems use sensors to assist the driver in certain situations, and attendees saw the connection to STEM related fields. 150 people interacted with the exhibit.[+]
Safer Sim staff passed out fliers about an upcoming driving research study, as well as discussed the National Advanced Driving Simulator to the public.
Safer Sim staff interacted with 79 people through this event. Of these 79 people, we got to speak to a variety of adults, teens, and kids about driving safety. Using the driving simulator, we got to discuss the effects of distracted driving, and specifically people tested out the texting and driving simulator.[+]
SAFER-SIM visited Iowa Mennonite High School to discuss distracted driving as well as display our portable driving simulator. A local county sheriff was part of the presentation to further highlight the laws and dangers of texting and driving.[+]
SAFER-SIM led tours, and a total of 56 students attended from 6 different schools.
SAFER-SIM staff attended the Highland Steam night, and we had the chance to interact with 91 people. Of these 91 people, we got to speak to adults and kids about driving safety. Using the driving simulator, we got to discuss the effects of distracted driving, and specifically people tested out the texting and driving simulator.[+]
Kirkwood Community College organized a "Rollin Rally" to showcase how important transportation is in society. SAFER-SIM exhibited the portable driving simulator to showcase the dangers of texting and driving. The exhibit also included the Volvo XC90 to discuss new assistance technologies found in vehicles.[+]
Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce organized a Barnyard Bash in Fairfield, IA. SAFER-SIM was invited to showcase our portable driving simulator to attendees. 104 people - children and adults - stopped by the exhibit to learn about driving safety.[+]
Two summer programs visited and toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. Women in Science and Engineering as well as the Junior Scholars Institute brought high school aged students to the facility to interact with scientists, learn about career and education paths, and discuss safety. 40 students were involved[+]
A local drivers education class toured the National Advanaced Driving Simulator. 31 teens took part in the tour and discussed safe driving habits.
SAFER-SIM exhibited its portable driving simulator at the African American Musuem of Iowa's 2018 Juneteenth Celebration in Cedar Rapids. SAFER-SIM presented STEM and safety topics using the interactive simulator. 76 indivuduals experienced the activity.[+]
The Jefferson County STEM Festival was held on April 30th at the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center. We displayed the portable simulator, allowing 104 students from ages K-8 to test our texting and driving simulation, which shows the risks and dangers of texting while driving. [+]
SAFER-SIM staff attended the Anamosa STEM fest last night, and we had the chance to interact with 159 people. Specifically, kids and adults had the chance to test out the texting and driving simulator. We used the simulator to display the effects of distracted driving. [+]
Jacob Heiden used the portable simulator as an educational tool at Prairie Ridge Elementary. The studnets engaged in a STEM exercise to examine stopping distance. 180 3rd and 4th graders participated in these activities.[+]
Students enrolled in the course "Vehicle System Dynamics Course" went as a group for a tour of the National Advanced Driving Simulator. In total, there were 31 attendees at the tour. The group listened to a presentation by Chris Schwarz on NADS capabilities and realistic dynamics. Then, the group toured the facility and experienced some Mini Sim demo drives.[+]
Tim and Alex conducted interviews with 13 students at Solon high school and included feedback afterwards on things like their resumes and cover letters, as well as first impressions and how they answered the questions.[+]
Iowa City Parks and Recreation in partnership with the Southeast Iowa STEM Hub and local STEAM organizations hosted the annual STEAM Festival on April 15th at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. SAFER-SIM attended the festival, allowing participants to drive the portable simulator and to learn about distracted driving. 204 kids from the ages K-12 learned about the dangers of texting and driving.[+]
Over the weekend, four representatives from Safer Sim went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst for the Northeastern/Mid-Colonial Student Leadership Summit. Throughout the weekend we had the chance to listen to professional guest speakers, network, speed interview, and much more. It was a great opportunity to interact with so many people from the ITE community, as well as learn so much from peers and professionals. [+]
14 students from Newton High School Pre-Calculus class toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. They learned about how NADS addresses safety issues and how math is important in research.
15 students from St. Dominichs High School in the St. Louis area traveled to the University of Iowa to see the National Advanced Driving Simulator. They discussed safety, research and STEM fields, and they toured the facility.[+]
NADS organized an open house for the University of Iowa's College of Engineering students on April 11th, 2018. Students came in and tried out the Mini Sim and asked any questions they had about the simulator. [+]
Muscatine Middle School students visited the University of Iowa campus to engage in STEM activities. 26 students interested in engineering used the driving simulator to test and visualize stopping distances. [+]
Jacob Heiden brought the portable simulator to Bettendorf Middle School. The simulator was used as a supplement to the Science class' motion lesson. The students discussed graphing, motion, and distracted driving. They used the simulator as a hands-on learning experience. 291 students took part in the demonstrations over a two day period.[+]
SAFER-SIM presented a PowerPoint to 180 students including topics such as driving safety/research, purposes of simulation, and specifics about NADS. Following the PowerPoint, the students had the chance to complete the texting and driving simulation, as well as the stopping distance simulations. [+]
The Twain Elementary STEAM Night was held on on March 22nd, 2018 at Mark Twain Elementary School. The attendees learned about the dangerous effects of texting and driving by having the opportunity to drive on SAFER-SIM's distracted driving simulator. This event allowed children and families to explore the exciting fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). During our time there, we interacted with 124 people, including students and families.[+]
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8 Boy Scouts came to the University of Iowa on Saturday, March 3rd, to receive their Traffic Safety Merit Badge. SAFER-SIM displayed a Powerpoint discussing different aspects of driving safety and vehicle parts. Additionally, we did hands-on activities such as checking the tire tread, stopping distance, and showing them the different functions of a vehicle. A police officer then came in and they had a chance to ask him any questions they had. [+]
A group of 28 students interested in physics had the chance to tour NADS
Over the course of 3 days, engineering students from across the Midwest had the opportunity to attend workshops, listen to engineering speakers, attend tours, and network with professionals in the industry. On February 23rd, 2018, Professor Dan McGehee gave 40 students a tour of NADS to share expert insight on vehicle safety and engineering research. [+]
The 2018 Linn County STEM Fest was on Tuesday, February 20th. The event was at Kirkwood Regional Center in Hiawatha. SAFER-SIM had the chance to display and promote driver safety research through our driving simulation. 321 different people tried our texting and driving simulation, as well as our stopping distance simulations.[+]
SAFER-SIM researchers and students traveled to Orlando, Florida on February 4th-6th to attend the University of Central Florida Symposium. The first day consisted of a campus tour and social networking, while the second day included guest speakers and professor presentations. The final day was wrapped up with students' posters and awards and a directors' meeting. The overall goal of this symposium was to gain knowledge through different guest speakers and network with many different individuals. 65 people attended this event.[+]
A group of 40 students from Lone Tree High School received a tour from NADS on January 25th, 2018. They listened to a brief presentation on what NADS is and what they do, and then got to walk around the facility to see different simulators, such as the NADS-1.[+]
We conducted interviews at Lone Tree High School for six students in the 11th grade. The interviews were ten minutes long, and included five minutes of feedback afterwards on things like their resumes and cover letters, as well as first impressions and how they answered the questions.[+]
SAFER-SIM exhibited at the Career Caravan and interacted with 160 students. This event was designed to introduce high school students to a variety of different careers. Students had the chance to listen to speakers in that field talk about their personal career paths, educational background, skills they use on a daily basis, and how coursework relates to what they do in their jobs.[+]
Dr. Tim Brown and Jacob Heiden visted Solon Middle School to share their experiences working in a STEM field, discuss safety, and interact with the simulator. 138 seventh and eighth grade students took part in this activity.[+]
The Cedar Rapids STEM Institute took place on from December 18th-20th, 2017 at the Linn County Regional Center. 366 seventh grade students got to try out the portable driving simulator in order to show the dangers of texting and driving. [+]
15 students from Newton High School received a tour at NADS on December 8th, 2017. These students were specifically interested in math-related fields, such as statistics.
17 eighth grade females who are a part of the WiSE Femineer Program attended a tour at NADS on December 6th, 2017. The purpose of this program is to inspire female students to pursue STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) in their education and careers. [+]
The Washington County STEM Festival was held on November 30th, 2017 at the Kirkwood Regional Center. The goal of the festival is to nurture interests of children and families in the exciting fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). SAFER-SIM exhibited the distracted driving simulator to show attendees the dangerous effects of texting and driving. 145 people interacted with our simulator during this time.[+]
135 took part in the National Advnaced Driving Simulator's "Science of Driving" presentation at the STEM Institute.
42 girls age 10-14 visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator as part of Girls Tech Career Day. The girls learned about career opportunities in technology, driving safety, and experimented with a driving simulator.[+]
281 K-12 students interacted with the distracted driving exhibit and saw the dangers of texting and driving.
The National Advanced Driving Simulator exhibited a table at the Johnson County Career Fair. 67 local high schools students discussed engineering programs and learned about transportation safety careers.[+]
71 Girl Scouts became Driving Safety Researchers at the STEM Event organized by the University of Iowa's State Hygienic Lab.
SAFER-SIM staff set up the portable simulator at the UI Healthcare: Discovery event. 175 people tested out the driving simulator.
59 local high students visited and toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. These students are involved in the engineering track of Project Lead the Way program, and they discussed driving safety research, education, and career opportunities. [+]
4 students for the University of Iowa chapter of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers toured the NADS facility.
SAFER-SIM exhibited at the Oelwein Family STEM Festival. 397 individuals interacted with the distracted driving demonstration.
SAFER-SIM visited Des Moines Area Community College and shared their transportation safety expertise with 102 college-aged students. The student experienced the dangers of distracted driving on a simulator and used a virtual reality headset to learn about advanced technologies in cars.[+]
4 visiting scholars from Japan toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator.
On Saturday and Sunday, NADS employees Jacob, Julie, Marissa, and Patrick traveled to Des Moines for the Iowa State Fair. It is there that they were able to showcase the MiniSim as well as facts about driving and ATV safety to 1,030 people in total![+]
On Wednesday, 42 members from the Central Iowa Power Cooperative toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. They were able to ask questions about vehicle safety, as well as learn more about the research that is performed at NADS[+]
On Saturday, Jacob, Marissa, and Patrick traveled to the Iowa Speedway for STEM Day. They were able to present a texting and driving scenario on the MiniSim to 168 people and were able to demonstrate the dangers of distracted driving. [+]
On Tuesday employees Jacob, Patrick, and Marissa exhibited at the Johnson County Fair's first STEM Day. They, along with other exhibitors, presented different careers and activities pertaining to the STEM field. Over 205 people were able to use the MiniSim and learn more about the dangers of texting and driving! [+]
On July 21, 26 members of the Holiday Ramblers RV Club visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator. They were able to learn more about vehicle safety, as well as the research that is performed at NADS.[+]
On Thursday 25 members of the Trail Trekkers visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator. While on the tour they were able to learn more about the relationship between cars and cyclists on the road, and ask questions about vehicle safety. They also had the opportunity to drive one of the MiniSims on site.[+]
34 members of the Holiday Rambler RV Club visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator on Wednesday the 12th, and were able to tour the facility as well as learn more about vehicle safety technology. [+]
On Tuesday, 19 students from the Perry Research Scholars Institute visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator. PRSI is a program run for students in grades 8-10 through the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa. The students were able to tour the facility and ask questions regarding research and careers in the STEM field to NADS research scientists. Afterwards, the students were able to listen to a presentation by the Injury Prevention Research Center, as well as take a tour of the Hank Lab on campus. [+]
28 students from Pakistan interested in careers in STEM visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator on Monday, and were able to learn more about the work and research that is done at the facility, as well as run practice drives on the MiniSim.[+]
On June 15th, 34 students from a local drivers education program visited NADS and were able to observe the NADS-1 simulator, as well as learn more about the semi-automated vehicles on-sight as a part of their course material. [+]
A SAFER-SIM staff member participated in mock interviews at Lone Tree High School. Jacob Heiden interviewed 6 juniors and helped teach professional skills the students can use in the future
STEM Innovator high school students gave their final project pitches at Kirkwood Regional Center. One team developed an idea for a cell phone app to reward teens for not speeding. SAFER-SIM researchers served as business partners and technical resources for this team.[+]
Jacob Heiden and Jacob Ohrt attended the Southeast Iowa STEM Festival. They spoke with 289 people about driving safety, research, and STEM topics.
The National Advanced Driving Simulator participated in the 2017 Hawkeye Innovation Expo. This event brings UI faculty, staff, and students together to celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship. Jacob Heiden and Jacob Ohrt spoke with 66 people about how NADS is on the cutting edge of transportation research and technology.[+]
Jacob Heiden discussed driving safety and science with about 200 local 5th grade students.
SAFER-SIM exhibited at the Northeast Iowa STEM festival to 222 individuals, including K-12 students and parents.
Dawn Marshall judged student posters at the College of Engineering Research Open House.
National Advanced Driving Simulator researchers Dawn Marshall, Tim Brown, and John Gaspar assisted with mock interviews at Solon High School.
SAFER-SIM and the National Advanced Driving Simulator hosted a tour for Metro High School. 25 students (ages 14-18) discussed driving safety and research. The students walked through the facility and viewed the tools used to examine driver behavior. By laying the seed now, some of these students will decide to pursue a degree in transportation safety or engineering. [+]
Dr. Tim Brown and Jacob Heiden visited Bettendorf Middle School with the SAFER-SIM traveling simulator. They presented 3 topical themes to the 8th grade science students: interpretation of graphs, effects of friction on the road, and distracted driving. The simulator allowed 133 8th grade science students to visualize the science topics in a unique and engaging way. Each class also received datasets and graphs relating to their drives. The students used these tools to analyze their specific drives and examine vehicle motion at different time points. [+]
Dr. Tim Brown and Jacob Heiden spent Saturday, March 4th at Merit Badge University discussing safety with Boy Scouts. Merit Badge University is a program at the University of Iowa that allows scouts to receive a merit badge in one day. 7 Boy Scouts aged 14-17 earned their Traffic Safety Merit Badges. [+]
In the Iowa City Community Leadership Program, individuals participate in one year of leadership and professional development, meeting once a month to learn about the challenges and opportunities for specific segments of our community, from government to agriculture to education. On Friday, March 3rd, the Community Leadership Program held its Economics Day to learn about area development groups, small businesses with a regional reach, and large companies that serve both national and global needs. 8 individuals from this program toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. They discussed safety research and the future of automotive technology.[+]
Jacob Heiden and Patrick McGill attended the Linn County STEM Festival in Hiawatha. 277 individuals, including K-12 students and their families, experienced the dangers of distracted driving using the portable miniSim. [+]
15 seniors from Fort Dodge High School visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator as part of their physics class.
Jacob Heiden of SAFER-SIM at the University of Iowa lead mock interviews at the Job Readiness Fair. High-functioning, special needs students were introduced to mock interviews and received feedback. Jacob worked with 4 students.[+]
Two groups of Lone Tree high school students toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. The tours were designed to introduce various engineering careers to the kids. 25 students total from 10th grade participated in the tour, which included a discussion of safety research and emerging transportation technologies.[+]
11th grade students from Lone Tree High School participated in mock interviews. Jacob Heiden interviewed 6 students and shared feedback and advice about their performance. This practice gave the kids knowledge and experience to build from as they continue their lives into college and beyond.[+]
Jacob Heiden of the University of Iowa spoke with 7th graders from Taft Middle School about a career pathway in engineering. He discussed the coursework and skills needed to be a researcher. He shared information about the safety research conducted at the University of Iowa and throughout SAFER-SIM sites. 67 children learned about engineering, research, and safety.[+]
The Southeast Iowa STEM Region held the Washington County STEM Festival on November 30, 2016. This event exposed students to activities developed and presented by STEM experts from business, community, organizations, higher education, and informal education venues. Jacob Heiden exhibited on behalf of SAFER-SIM. 193 individuals - children and parents alike - test drove the distracted driving simulator. They experienced the dangers of texting and driving first-hand.[+]
Jacob Heiden and Alec La Velle were speakers at the 2016 STEM Institute for Young Scientists, which is organized to show children different STEM pathways and careers. They presented to 239 seventh grade students from 4 schools. The presenters discussed different safety issues that could be tested on a driving simulator, such as impaired driving or distracted driving. The children were able to sit in the driver's seat of a simulated vehicle and see the devastating effects of texting and driving first hand. [+]
15 Boy Scouts from Troop 120 and their parents visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator. Tim Brown presented information about engineering and traffic safety to the individuals. He also led them on a tour throughout the facility. The scouts discussed simulation as a tool, drove scenarios on the miniSim, and even performed a traffic density experiment. These scouts are closer to the Engineering and Traffic Safety Merit Badges because of this tour.[+]
Franklin Middle School in Cedar Rapids held a career speaker day to interest students in different career pathways. SAFER-SIM discussed the Engineering pathway and explained how simulation is used as a tool for safety research. 76 students learned about the different skills and coursework needed for a career in engineering.[+]
SAFER-SIM presented to 60 girls at Girls Tech Career Day in Iowa City. The career day is organized by the Iowa Tech Chicks and is designed to empower girls and show them fun career options from local women in technology. The girls formed a hypothesis, tested stopping distance on a driving simulator, recorded data, and analyzed their findings. These 11-14 year old children were exposed to the research process and formed a new excitement for technology and safety.[+]
Dawn Marshall and Jacob Heiden led high school students on a tour of the National Advanced Driving Simulator. 55 students visited the facility and went behind the scenes at one of the nation's premier transportation safety research centers. The students were from Cedar Rapids Prairie, Solon, and West Branch high schools. They are involved in Project Lead The Way, a nonprofit organization that provides transformative learning experiences for K-12 students and teachers. This tour showed the students how STEM concepts are used in the real-world to solve problems.[+]
SAFER-SIM exhibited at the Cedar Valley STEM Festival on Thursday, November 10. The goal of this festival was to promote, inspire, and engage youth in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics-related activities and to introduce children and parents to STEM careers. The event was organized by the Northeast Iowa Region Governor's STEM Advisory Council. 2779 individuals attended the festival. 366 K-12 students and their parents interacted with the SAFER-SIM distracted driving simulator.[+]
SAFER-SIM hosted a booth at the Johnson Country Career Fair. 5 schools participated in the career fair with over 100 students from grades 10-12. They learned about careers in the rapidly-changing transportation industry as well as skills and education needed.[+]
A local pack of Cub Scouts toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. 19 scouts visited the facility and stopped at five different stations within the building: NADS overview presentation, miniSim drives, NADS-1, control room, and garage. These children and their families learned about simulation as a tool and transportation research. [+]
SAFER-SIM researchers attended the Girl Scout STEM Event at the University of Iowa. About 150 Girl Scouts from Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois participated. The event focused on a relevant, real-world, age-appropriate problem or “mystery” that would meet the following Girl Scout’s STEM impact goals—increasing girls’ interest in STEM, increasing girls’ confidence in their STEM-related abilities, educating girls about STEM careers, and exposing girls to STEM professionals. These Girl Scout Brownies earned a STEM Badge as a result of their experiences on this day. SAFER-SIM presented a driving science demonstration where the Girl Scouts collected and analyzed data on different driving surfaces. 35 Girl Scouts formed a hypothesis, graphed data, and discussed their findings.[+]
Dawn Marshall and Jacob Heiden presented at Harding Middle School in Cedar Rapids. They presented to three 7th grade classes to enhance the students' career awareness. They also had the students brainstorm problems simulation could solve and plan experiments based on their problem. 55 students participated in this event.[+]
The Northeast Iowa Family STEM Festival is a community-wide partnership led by Northeast Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. The event was hosted on Thursday, October 20, 2016, at the Community Plaza in Oelwein. The free event attracted 648 people of all age groups. Attendees encountered 26 hands-on exhibits throughout the evening including the SAFER-SIM portable miniSIm. Jacob Heiden and Alec LaVelle showcased the dangers of texting and driving to the individuals, which included over 200 distracted drives by children.[+]
Matt Ellefson and Jacob Heiden visited the Howard H. Cherry Scout Reservation near Central City, IA to exhibit at the Boy Scout Council Camporee. They set up the SAFER-SIM portable driving simulator to show the scouts the texting and driving demonstration. Around 500 kids age 8-16 drove the simulator and experienced the distracted drive.[+]
SAFER-SIM hosted 10 Job Corps students from Otumwa, IA on October 6, 2016. Job Corps is a technical training program that helps young people improve their quality of life through career and academic training. The students that toured the facility are training to be professional bus and truck drivers, and they learned how SAFER-SIM researches different transportation safety issues.[+]
Jacob Heiden exhibited SaferSim's portable simulator to over 200 students at the DMACC campus in Boone, IA. He displayed the texting and driving demonstration to show the students the dangers of distracted driving. The students enjoyed the hands-on experience, and some teachers even incorporated it into their class. Jacob presented to classes including Introduction to Business, Business Law, Psychology, and College Experience. Many students were interested in driving safety as well as advanced driving technologies.[+]
The National Advanced Driving Simulator welcomed guests from the University of Iowa and the community at an Open House. The Open House was organized by the University to welcome our new president Bruce Harreld and to offer a behind-the-scenes experience to our facility. 73 individuals attended this event. They were able to demo the miniSim, tour the NADS-1 simulator, view the control room, walk around the simulator bay, and learn about the advanced safety features on the Volvo XC90.[+]
Researchers from the University of Iowa attended the 2016 Hawkeye Safety Conference. Dan McGehee, the director of the National Advanced Driving Simulator, lead a discussion about advanced safety features in cars during a breakout session. Other researchers exhibited displays including information about new safety technologies, texting and driving demonstration, and views of a the Volvo XC90 research vehicle. Over 500 individuals attended the conference with almost 100 individuals participating in our events.[+]
Three visiting scholars from Japan toured the National Advanced Driving Simulator. They saw the NADS-1 simulator, the Volvo XC90 with advanced safety features, and drove the miniSim. They learned about the exciting safety research taking place at the University of Iowa and the interdisciplinary skills and knowledge to perform this work.[+]
Joseph Kearney, Co-Director of the Hank Virtual Environments Lab, traveled to Massachusetts to present research to fellow SAFER-Sim colleagues at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. He discussed the results of experiments examining how texting pedestrians cross streams of traffic and compared two different approaches of Vehicle-to-Pedestrian communication technologies. The experiments were tested in the Hank Lab's Pedestrian Simulator, which is one of the most advanced and immersive such simulators in the world. A link to the abstract about this work is located below. Dr. Kearney also visited Volpe and had the chance to see and even drive some of their simulators. His visit is a great example of how collaboration can lead to new ideas and innovation.[+]
SAFER-Sim employees attended and presented at the 2016 Iowa State Fair. Jacob Heiden, Alec La Velle, and Matt Ellefson exhibited the SAFER-Sim miniSim in the UI booth on August 14. Attendees of the fair were able to drive the texting and driving demo and see the dangerous effects of taking your eyes and attention off the road. 3000-5000 people visited the UI booth, with 150 individuals driving the simulator and 1000 individuals viewing the demonstration. [+]
10 educators from Project Lead the Way visited NADS. These teachers from across Iowa took part in rigorous professional development sessions, which will empower and excite their students about STEM education. The teachers' work and dedication to STEM will help change the standard classroom into a unique, innovative work space where students are given the tools to succeed.[+]
Camp Connect currently is structured as a multi-year experience that is a summer engineering exploration program with differing programs for students who return in subsequent summers. The goal of the camp is to fuel kids to become more interested and realize their desire to become involved in the engineering field. Students engaged in scenarios that role-played the process of planning, funding and constructing a transportation-related project and a bridge building activity with popsicle sticks.[+]
The University of Wisconsin - Madison hosted the 4th SAFER-Sim Symposium on June 2 - 4, 2016. This event took place in Madison, Wisconsin on the University's beautiful campus. Students, faculty, and site directors from each SAFER-Sim consortium site attended this symposium. The approximately 60 attendees, 30 being students, collaborated at the symposium events that included networking dinners, a poster session, and presentations by students and transportation professionals. This collaboration within SAFER-Sim and across engineering and social sciences fields will build relationships that will drive future improvements in simulation research and road user safety. [+]
As part of an ongoing weekly event throughout the summer, the Carver College of Medicine organized "Science Thursday" for University of Iowa employees to eat lunch outside and experience a scientific demonstration. SAFER-Sim was the scientific demonstration this week, as Dr. Tim Brown and Jacob Heiden exhibited the texting and driving demo on the miniSim. Over 100 individuals were able to see the devastating effects of distracted driving in a simulated and safe environment.[+]
90 students from Iowa City West High School visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator as part of their career day. They toured the facility and saw the NADS-1, NADS-2, and even drove the texting and driving miniSim. They were also introduced to advanced safety features by the MyCarDoesWhat team.[+]
SAFER-Sim team members traveled to Norwalk to present to 8th grade science students. Dr. Tim Brown, Jacob Heiden, and Alec Lavelle discussed interpretation of graphs, friction, and texting and driving with 232 students. The students created a driving plan to replicate the graphs presented, brainstormed the stopping distances on different road surfaces (e.g. dry road, wet road, and icy road), and saw the consequences of texting and driving. They were able to test their ideas on these topics by driving the SAFER-Sim miniSim.[+]
SaferSim displayed the Texting and Driving Simulator at the 3rd Annual STEMFest at Southeastern Community College in West Burlington, Iowa. Over 800 individuals attended this event.
24 students from the 7th grade class at Solon Middle School visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator. The students learned about the exciting transportation research taking place throughout the University and also had a chance to drive the miniSim.[+]
SaferSim Director Dawn Marshall and Dr. Tim Brown gave a tour of the National Advanced Driving Simulator. 12 Students from an Ergonomics class within the College of Engineering and from the Institute of Industrial Engineers organization attended the tour. They were given the opportunity to drive the NADS-1 and the miniSim.[+]
As part of a SaferSim education project, the University of Iowa College of Education and the National Advanced Driving Simulator partnered to develop a science-based curriculum using a driving simulator. The students involved with this project demonstrated their ideas in class to 20 pre-service teachers while collecting feedback and data throughout.[+]
SaferSim researchers participated as judges at the University of Iowa's 14th Annual College of Engineering Research Open House. This event had over 100 student posters showcasing the innovative research being done at the University.[+]
Transportation researchers and industry professionals from across the nation, which included over 50 separate universities, attended the Second Annual Safety Summit of USDOT University Transportation Centers. 9 safety-themed UTCs were represented, including SAFER-Sim. Dawn Marshall, SAFER-Sim Director, presented at this summit. A link to her SAFER-Sim presentation can be accessed using the link below.[+]
Alec LaVelle and Jacob Heiden of the National Advanced Driving Simulator attended Career Day at Mount Pleasant Middle School. 3 Masters Students in Secondary Science Education and a University of Iowa Professor also attended this event. They shared their experiences working in a STEM career and also exhibited the Texting and Driving Simulator to 85 students.[+]
Dr. John Gaspar of the National Advanced Driving Simulator participated in a training event at Elizabeth Tate High School in Iowa City. He performed mock interviews with 3 students to assist in their transition from high school to adult life.[+]
On March 7 and 8, the texting and driving simulator was exhibited at the DMACC campus in West Des Moines. Over 50 people had the chance to drive the simulator and see the consequences of distracted driving.[+]
Dr. Tim Brown and Jacob Heiden visited Bettendorf Middle School on March 1 with the SaferSim traveling simulator. They presented 3 topical themes to the 8th grade science students: interpretation of graphs, effects of friction on the road, and distracted driving. The simulator allowed 145 students to visualize the science topics in a unique and engaging way.[+]
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Jacob Heiden displayed the Texting and Driving Simulator at the Cedar Rapids STEM Festival on Tuesday, February 23. Over 800 individuals attended this event from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Attendees includes children from Pre-kindergarten to 12th grade and their families. 80 people drove the Texting and Driving Demo while many more gathered and watched the devastating consequences of distracted driving.[+]
Twenty-eight sophomores from Lone Tree High School participated in a discussion about simulation and safety issues, toured the NADS facilities, and drove a Texting and Driving demonstration on a driving simulator.[+]
SAFER-Sim was an exhibitor at Pearson's Health and Safety Fair on January 14, 2016. Pearson employees learned about the important work being done by SAFER-Sim in conjunction with the National Advanced Driving Simulator to further motor vehicle and driver safety. Over 100 employees viewed the exhibit. 30 individuals gained hands-on experience of the dangers of texting and driving through the use of the simulator.[+]
Six local teachers participated in a professional development session hosted by SAFER-Sim. They learned curriculum developed by the University of Iowa College of Education and the National Advanced Driving Simulator. The curriculum can be used to improve STEM education and includes two units: Graphing Interpretation Competition and A World with Friction.[+]
A team of high school students worked on projects to support the ATV simulator that is part of SAFER-Sim through the STEM Innovator program. The students are developing a website to help disseminate the work of the researcher using the ATV simulator and a smart phone application to increase ATV rider safety by providing information about the location and rules for several off-road vehicle parks in Iowa. The tour covered the types of educational and professional backgrounds of the staff at NADS and introduction to the simulators at the facility.[+]
SAFER-SIM Program Director Dawn Marshall spoke at the ASCE Transportation Conference in Ames, Iowa on November, 4th.
The 3rd SAFER-Sim symposium was hosted by the University of Central Florida on October 5 & 6, 2015 in conjunction with the International Road Safety and Simulation Conference in Orlando, Florida. Attendees included students involved in SAFER-Sim projects, faculty, and the five site directors. SAFER-Simposium events hosted at consortium sites continue to provide valuable leadership development and collaboration experience for the more than 70 attendees and particularly the 40 student attendees.[+]
UTC Safer-Sim Sponsorship of the first Women in Construction Workshop (WCW) was held in Summer 2015. It was the first-of-a-kind event that reaches out to female students in construction and civil engineering from developing countries who show great potential of success as future teachers, mentors, and society leaders and can further motivate other female or minority students to pursue degrees in STEM disciplines especially in construction and civil engineering. The workshop was conducted in Orlando in partnership with two major universities in Brazil (University of Campinas) and China (Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University).[+]
Beth Alicandri, Director of Office of Safety Progrrams at FHWA visited the National Advanced Driving Simulator.
Center Point-Urbana High School held, The Magical Playground of Science, so families could get together and experiment with science. NADS miniSim participated in the event, so attendees could test drive the advantages of simulation technology.[+]
Watch Dr. John Gaspar present his research, Investigating the effects of videophone conversations on younger and older driver performance.
SAFER-SIM director Dr. Sue Chrysler was happy to host a Center kick-off meeting on June 19, 2014. UTC program grant managers Robin Kline, Amy Stearns, and Caesar Singh were present from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation – Research. Dr. David Noyce from the University of Wisconsin-Madison also attended the meeting with two of his graduate students, Madhav Chitturi and Kelvin Santiago. The visitors reviewed grant deliverables and then toured the NADS facility and the pedestrian and bicycle simulation facilities on the main University of Iowa campus.[+]
