TTI Summer Interns Share Research Experiences From 2026 Program
Following the conclusion of TTI’s 2026 Summer Internship Program, five interns share a closer look at their summer research experiences. Through the Center for Efficient Mobility (CEM), the National Center for Infrastructure Transformation (NCIT), the Southern Plains Transportation Center (SPTC) and the University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS), students spent 10 weeks contributing to transportation research while gaining valuable hands-on and professional experience. These interns reflect on the projects and experiences that defined their summer at TTI.
Kevin Cardenas | UTCRS
University: University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Project Title: Analysis of Railway Fatigue and Crack Propagations
Project Description: Investigate fatigue crack propagation in railway steel specimens through phased array ultrasonic inspection, cyclic fatigue testing and computational modeling techniques
“It’s been such a great summer working with Dr. Yong Rak Kim and his research assistants,” Cardenas reflected. “I’ve learned a lot working with them and, above all, I’ve had an enjoyable time because of the environment here.”
Jayden Best | NCIT
University: Prairie View A&M University
Major: Civil Engineering
Project Title: Experimental Testbed Design and Formwork Optimization for Evaluating Hydrodynamic Impacts on Concrete Bridges
Project Description: Working alongside graduate researchers, my project focuses on developing an experimental bridge testbed to evaluate how extreme floodwaters and hydrodynamic forces impact bridge structures. My role centers on the physical execution and CAD modeling phase: taking precise laboratory measurements, modeling a 20-foot Tx28 concrete bridge assembly and hydraulic actuator in SolidWorks and calculating material takeoffs for concrete deck formwork to prepare the specimen for dynamic flood loading tests.
“The most valuable part of my internship has been collaborating with faculty and students who share a passion for designing infrastructure that keeps our communities safe,” Best shared. “Bridging theoretical engineering concepts with hands-on laboratory modeling has deepened my technical skills and given me practical insight into structural construction.”
Jazmine Muniz | NCIT
University: Texas A&M University
Major: Economics
Project Title: Community Cost of Transportation Infrastructure Inflation
Project Description: My research examines how rising transportation infrastructure costs affect projects across Texas. I analyze the relationship between increasing construction material prices and project costs, exploring how inflation reduces the purchasing power of infrastructure funding and who ultimately bears the economic impacts when rising costs limit transportation improvements.
“The most valuable part of this internship has been applying economics to real transportation challenges and seeing how research can support better decision-making,” said Muniz. “This experience has expanded my understanding of how transportation infrastructure decisions influence economic development across Texas.”
Andrew Reams | NCIT
University: Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Major: Civil Engineering
Project Title: Load Distribution of Bolt Groups with Different Variation of Pre Tension
Project Description: This summer, I fabricated a lifting rig for the High Bay Laboratory. The rig consists of a 25-foot steel I–beam, four attachment plates and 30 fastener combinations. Along with the fabrication, I have also been able to research and gain a better understanding of pretension within structural steel connections.
Reflecting on his experience, Reams said, “The most valuable part of this internship has been working in the High Bay Laboratory. It allowed me to get a hands-on learning experience about structural design and load distribution.”
Shameem Monjazeb | NCIT
University: Texas A&M University
Major: Electrical Engineering
Project Title: Infrastructure-Based LiDAR Perception for Real-Time Wrong-Way Driving Detection and V2X SDSM Broadcasts
Project Description: Created an end-to-end software pipeline for LiDAR perception and wrong-way driving (WWD) detection and utilized the lab’s Roadside Unit, On-Board Unit and LiDAR to start implementing this pipeline on the edge to broadcast WWD alerts.
“The most valuable part of my internship was how much I learned, not only from the work itself but also from the incredible people I had the opportunity to meet,” Monjazeb shared. “Working with V2X technology transformed something that once felt abstract into something tangible, and I now have a much deeper understanding of a field I’ve always dreamed of being part of.”
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