AREMA Trip Provides NTC Students with Rail Knowledge and Professional Connections

Mid-September eight graduate students, one undergrad, and one postdoctoral research associate attended the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) 2018 conference in Chicago. The conference provides those in the railway industry, and students interested in it, the opportunity to learn more about the field committee meetings, technical discussions, keynote addresses, and a multitude of breakout sessions. The sessions include a variety of railway topics, ensuring the presence of railway engineering experts from all segments of the industry.

“The sheer volume shocked me, as there were just so many small parts that go into it that I would’ve never thought,” said undergraduate Jared Tomes. “Whether it be the smallest bolt being manufactured or new technology for switches, it was all rail related.”

The students’ trip was sponsored by Union Pacific (UP), who hosted a field day prior to the conference. Attendees were given a safety briefing at the facility, shown a presentation of current engineering projects, and visited three active sites. Students were pleased to see UNL alumni were part of the UP team, to which Tiffany Trevino, a graduate student from NTC's Midwest Roadside Safety Facility, said, “meeting someone that was once in my shoes and now was an engineer at UP put things into perspective.” Another graduate student, Santos Ramos, was able to set up an interview with UP recruiters.

AREMA provided activities exclusively for students, including sessions on interview and resume tips and career opportunities in the rail industry. The presentation on careers highlighted perspectives on working for a design engineering firm in the industry. The presentation on careers highlighted perspectives on working for a design engineering firm in the industry. The presenter's goal was to “cement each student's commitment to remaining within the railroad industry” and recruit young professionals.

UNL students Ahmed Rageh, Ernest Tufuor, Huong Pham, Antonio Hurtado Beltran, and Hossein Bahmyari represented the university in the Quiz Bowl. The competition included categories about AREMA, general industry knowledge, and popular culture topics related to railway. The contest included 5 rounds of 10 questions, increasing in difficulty. The teams had one minute to discuss and answer each question. The students used this opportunity to showcase their knowledge of the industry and learn new rail facts.

Students continued to show their competitive sides in the poster competition. Both Bahmyari and Rageh participated, and Bahmyari and Rageh participated, and Bahmyari came away with first place. Bahmyari's poster, titled “The Improvement of the Hydromechanical Behavior and the Shear Strength Characteristics of a Collapsible Soil Stabilized with Cement”, displayed the materials, experimental program, results, and conclusion of his project testing the strength of collapsible soil at different water contents. The research was conducted by Bahmyari, a graduate assistant in UNL's Department of Civil Engineering, and Amir Vaili, PhD candidate in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Najafabad.

The “Meet the Next Generation” panel and perception on the last day provided prospective employees and students the opportunity to learn about the industry and meet representatives from railway companies. In turn, it gave representatives the chance to establish relations with potential employees. Mike Ellis said of the companies “it appears they are looking to hire employees with “people skills”, particularly those who work well with others to solve problems.” The event was a great end to an experience full of learning and networking, helping NTC students to establish connections for bright futures in engineering.