Physical Assets Funding/Financing: SPTC Experience

ByMusharraf Zaman

Director, Southern Plains Transportation CenterThe University of Oklahoma, Norman

2014 CUTC Summer MeetingLincoln, Nebraska

June 2-5, 2014

Consortium Members

1. The University of Oklahoma (Lead) 2. Oklahoma State University (Member) 3. Langston University (Member: HBCU) 4. University of Arkansas (Member) 5. Louisiana Tech University (Member) 6. University of New Mexico (Member: HSI) 7. University of Texas at El Paso (Member: HSI) 8. Texas Tech University (Member)Theme: Climate-Adaptive Transportation and Freight Infrastructure

Physical Assets

Major existing facilitiesOklahoma MesonetWest Texas MesonetNational Weather CenterSevere Storm LaboratoryRadar Innovation Laboratory

ChallengesUpgradeMaintenance

Guiding philosophyList of major facilitiesSharing to gain

Physical Asset Challenges

Procuring New AssetFaculty start-upCluster hire (university strategic plan)Sponsored Research Incentive (SRI)NSF – Major Research Instrumentation

DOT SupportNot allowing equipment maintenance

Lab SpaceNew spaceRenovation of existing space

Physical Assets Challenges: International Collaboration

SPTC International CollaboratorsIIT-Bombay, IndiaShandong University, China

Sharing to gainCollaboration regionallyCollaboration nationallyCollaboration internationally

Encouraging/promoting collaborationRewarding collaboration