Pietrucha to step down as director of Larson Transportation Institute

By Stefanie Tomlinson

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — After seven years of dedicated service, Martin Pietrucha has expressed his intention to step down as director of theThomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (LTI) at Penn State.

During Pietrucha's tenure, the LTI has grown in several directions and become one of the leading such institutes for transportation research, education and service in the United States.

According to Amr Elnshai, Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering, "Martin has done an outstanding job to balance and advance the multiple directions of the Larson Institute, while maintaining an active role in his home department of civil engineering. We are indebted to his service over these many years."

A national search will be conducted to identify a new director for LTI. Patrick Fox, head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State, will chair the search committee. Pietrucha has agreed to remain in his position until a new director is appointed.

"The Larson Institute has been a huge part of my professional life since the first day I set foot on the Penn State campus. I am happy to have played a small role in its continuing success and growth, which is largely due to the continuing efforts of our outstanding faculty, exceptional students and dedicated staff," said Pietrucha.

Pietrucha joined Penn State in 1990 as an assistant professor of civil engineering.

He currently serves as president of the research and education division of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, a federation whose primary goal is to aggressively grow and protect transportation infrastructure investment to meet the public and business demand for safe and efficient travel. Prior to that, he served as the president of the Council of University Transportation Centers, a consortium of university-based transportation research units.

Founded in 1968, the Larson Institute brings together top faculty, world-class facilities, and enterprising students from across the University in partnership with public and private stakeholders to address critical transportation-related challenges.