Michael Knodler Receives Distinguished Transportation Educator Award

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Michael Knodler, William W. Boyer Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of the University of Massachusetts Transportation Center, was recently presented with the 2026 ITE Distinguished Transportation Educator Award in Honor of Wilbur S. Smith by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).

The annual award, which Knodler received July 21 at the ITE Annual Meeting in Detroit, recognizes an educator who has made an outstanding contribution to the transportation profession by relating academic studies to the actual practice of transportation.

In its announcement of the award, ITE said that Knodler “exemplifies this purpose through more than two decades of teaching, mentorship, applied research, and professional service that have helped students connect with practicing professionals and become active participants in ITE and the broader profession.”

“A defining feature of Dr. Knodler’s educational philosophy is his integration of transportation practice into academic instruction. His courses incorporate applied projects, practitioner guest lectures, real data, safety challenges, and policy and implementation issues faced by agencies at all levels,” ITE said. “Beyond the classroom, he has created meaningful pathways for students to engage with professional practice through internships, summer employment, and research assistantships.”

Knodler has served as chair of the ITE Transportation Education Council and has held roles with the New England Section and Northeastern District, the Student Member Committee, the Technical Program Committee, and as the University of Massachusetts Student Chapter Advisor since 2005.

“Through an extensive portfolio of applied research, Dr. Knodler has helped agencies translate academic inquiry into practice,” the announcement added. “Over his career, he has secured more than $53 million in external research funding as principal investigator, with additional funding as co-principal investigator, from organizations including state departments of transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.”

More information about the ITE can be found at ite.org. For more information about Knodler’s work, visit umasstransportationcenter.org.

This story was first published by the UMass News Office.