OXFORD, Miss. – A University of Mississippi professor is
the inaugural recipient of a regional Institute of
Transportation Engineers award for teaching excellence.
Waheed Uddin, acting chair and professor of civil
engineering, was presented the Epps/Dart Award by the Deep
South Section of ITE on campus during a recent student
chapter meeting. Named after distinguished transportation
engineering professors James W. Epps and Olin K. Dart, the
honor recognizes Uddin’s many years of outstanding
instruction and leadership of UM’s ITE student chapter.
“Under Dr. Uddin’s mentoring, the Ole Miss student chapter
placed second in the Southern District ITE student
chapters, and one of his students won the DSITE
Undergraduate Student Paper Award,” said Bob Mabry, a past
president of DSITE and the Southern District of ITE and
presenter of the Epps/Dart Award. “These achievements made
the Ole Miss student chapter the most award-winning in the
Deep South Section.”
The award was originally to have been presented at the
DSITE meeting, but Uddin was out of the country at that
time.
“Since Bob was scheduled to be at Ole Miss for a
presentation, it was a good opportunity to make the award
in front of some of Dr. Uddin’s students,” said Dart, a
life member of ITE and a past president of DSITE.
Uddin described the presentation as “a pleasant surprise.”
“Having Bob Mabry announce and present this award and
plaque to me following his lecture to civil engineering
faculty and graduate students was most unexpected,” said
Uddin, who is also director of the Center for Advanced
Infrastructure Technology at Ole Miss. “I am honored to
receive the 2007 Epps/Dart Award, which recognizes my
contributions in teaching students and mentoring
transportation professionals in Mississippi and Louisiana.”
“I am extremely pleased that Dr. Uddin received this
recognition,” said Alex Cheng, chair and professor of civil
engineering who is on sabbatical until January. “He has an
engaging style with his students and has mentored many of
them through the ITE chapter’s activities.”
“This is a great honor for not only Dr. Uddin, but the
civil engineering department at Ole Miss,” said Kai Fong
Lee, dean of engineering. “I commend him for the effective
mentoring he provides to his students.”
Besides the Ole Miss chapter, DSITE has active student
chapters at Mississippi State University (from which Epps
retired), Louisiana State University (from which Dart
retired), University of Louisiana-Lafayette and Southern
University. Mabry is working to establish a sixth student
chapter at Jackson State University. All civil engineering
faculty members at universities with active student
chapters are eligible for the award.
ITE is an international educational and scientific
association of transportation professionals who are
responsible for meeting mobility and safety needs. Founded
in 1930, ITE boasts 17,774 members in 92 countries,
including 2,100 in the nine-state Southern District, and
282 in the Deep South Section. Levels of participation
include Life Member, Institute Affiliate, Member, Student
Member and Fellow.
For more information about civil engineering at UM, visit