Vanderbilt highlights smart mobility research, innovative solutions at Nashville expo
Over the next two days, leaders from across the state will convene at Nashville’s Music City Center, where the latest advancements in smart mobility will be experienced firsthand. Vanderbilt is a sponsor and a participant in the event, where faculty and students will exhibit the latest in their smart mobility research and innovation work.
The second annual Tennessee Smart Mobility Expo on Dec. 5-6 will be hosted by TennSMART, a consortium co-founded by Vanderbilt in 2018. The event will highlight groundbreaking transportation research and solutions for industry and government experts, as well as university researchers and innovators—a testament to Vanderbilt’s leadership in turning today’s challenges into tomorrow’s solutions..
This year’s primary themes, “Innovation in the Lab” and “Innovation in the Field,” will showcase state-of-the-art technologies and strategies reshaping Tennessee’s transit infrastructure and workforce.
Vanderbilt’s exhibit, featuring a VandyRides electric shuttle, will demonstrate the tangible impact of the university’s research on daily life.
“Vanderbilt is rapidly transforming complex transportation challenges into opportunities for innovation across Tennessee,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “Our role in this expo demonstrates our deep commitment to shaping the future of mobility through pioneering research, discovery and collaborative action to develop and advance practical and sustainable solutions.”
Diermeier will introduce the “Test it in Tennessee” panel, focusing on leveraging the state’s technology platforms, like the I-24 Motion testbed and Chattanooga’s Internet of Things deployment, for cutting-edge innovation. Dan Work, professor of civil and environmental engineering, is part of that panel as well.
Faculty and graduate students will present their research at Vanderbilt’s expo booth.
The booth will be staffed by representatives from Government and Community Relations, along with Cara Ince, director of research and innovation public partnerships, and Chris Rowe, executive director for industry collaborations from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation.