Michael Knodler Named President of ARTBA Research and Education Division

The American Road & Transportation Builder Association (ARTBA) Research and Education Division has named Professor Michael Knodler of the UMass Amherst Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Department as its new president. Knodler’s new status becomes official during the 2025 ARTBA National Convention, held from September 28 to October 1 in Irving, Texas. This honor follows closely on the heels of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) choosing Knodler as its new vice president over the summer. 

Among other significant positions at the Riccio College of Engineering (CoE), Knodler is the CEE’s William W. Boyer Endowed Professor, the director of the UMass Transportation Center (UMTC), and the associate director of the Arbella Insurance Human Performance Laboratory.

The ARTBA mission “brings together all facets of the transportation-construction industry to responsibly advocate for infrastructure investment and policy that meet the nation’s need for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.” The ARTBA Research and Education Division includes universities, institutions, or other groups involved in transportation research and education.

The CUTC, established in 1979 by the major transportation-research centers and institutes in the U.S., provides a forum for universities and centers to interact collectively with government and industry. It also promotes university research, education, workforce development, and technology transfer as essential to the nation’s transportation system.

In addition, Knodler is the director of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Region 1 New England University Transportation Center (NEUTC), which is a seven-school consortium led by our group at UMass and focused upon advancing transportation safety.

Knodler, whose research expertise is in transportation safety, operations, design, and education, joined the CEE faculty in 2005 and has accumulated a wealth of professorships, directorships, honors, and responsibilities. 

The purpose of Knodler’s Boyer Professorship is to help retain and support outstanding faculty who have made significant contributions to the academic reputation of the CoE and the performance of its students through activities such as nationally recognized research, appointment to professional-association-leadership posts, student-experiential-education opportunities, and cross-campus collaborations.

As director of the UMTC, Knodler guides its work with state, federal, and industrial agencies to promote research and education. The UMTC also includes Baystate Roads, the Massachusetts Cooperative Research Program, and the University of Massachusetts Traffic Safety Research Program. 

Knodler is also the associate director of the Human Performance Lab, which makes use of driving simulators, virtual-reality headsets, eye trackers, and physiological-monitoring equipment to conduct cutting-edge research on younger drivers, older drivers, driver-training programs, roadway design, and the impact of autonomous vehicles. 

Among many other awards, Knodler has received the James L. Tighe Teaching Award in 2011 and 2019, the Harvey B. Boutwell Award from the Northeastern District of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) in 2011, and three prestigious awards from the New England ITE: the William P. McNamara Distinguished Service Award in 2010, the ITE Service Award in 2009, and the Young Engineer of the Year Award in 2005.

In addition, Knodler was selected as the CoE Outstanding Teacher in 2013, the CEE Outstanding Researcher in 2015 and 2023, and the CoE Outstanding Senior Faculty Member in 2022. Knodler has also served as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Affairs for the CoE.

Knodler received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Transportation Engineering) from UMass Amherst in 2004, his M.S. in Civil Engineering from UMass Amherst in 2002, and his B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UMass Dartmouth in 1999.