Author: Karen E. Philbrick (Karen E. Philbrick)

A black-and-white, six-wheeled little robot rolls by you on the sidewalk. A pole protrudes from its back, sporting a neon-orange flag. What is it carrying? What on earth is it doing on the sidewalk? In the U.S., wheeled delivery robots and drones can and are being used to reach the 4.5 million people who live in...

Most of us know someone with autism, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows 1 in 44 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder. Individuals with autism face hurdles in opportunities and support when it comes to education, employment, housing, health care and—you guessed it—transportation. How can we make transportation equitable and...

A teenage girl approaches the truck’s cabin. The rest area is dimly lit, but the driver can still see the purple encircling her eye. When he asks if she needs help, she glances behind her and shakes her head. The driver watches her hurry away to the next truck. He grabs his phone and dials...

A $1 trillion infrastructure bill is now coming to a local road, bridge or railway near you. The funding of this once-in-a-generation bill is history-making with some of the most significant investments in public transit, bridge repair, clean energy and passenger rail in decades—and in some cases the nation’s history. But what does the Infrastructure...

Reflective vests, painted crossing lines, bright orange flags and flashing signs—all aimed at protecting the safety of pedestrians across the nation. Speed limits—and speeding tickets—also help protect our most vulnerable commuters. Despite these critical safety protocols, the number of motor vehicle-related deaths remains staggering. Such a tragedy struck recently in Lafayette, California when a crossing...

Last year, 1,889 highway-rail grade crossing collisions occurred in the United States. In California, 40 individuals lost their lives in these collisions, and 55 more were injured. And while rail collisions are declining—there were more than 3,500 collisions in 2010 for comparison—there are still nearly 2,000 preventable deaths occurring each year. Public awareness campaigns and...

Miles of bumpers and brake lights. Impassable traffic jams. These daily sights on urban highways may feel inescapable, but many of these issues would improve or resolve with some serious transportation infrastructure repair. California road conditions rank among the worst in the nation, and the Bay Area and Southern California are the second and third...

The clothes we wear, the devices we use, and the food we consume—or at least the way we get it—is contributing to the global climate crisis. Increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accumulate in the atmosphere and cause global warming, disrupting our lives and negatively impacting our health. Environmental consequences like rising sea levels, drought, and...

Do you remember the sitcom the Jetson’s? They were a 1960’s futuristic family living with robotic inventions — they had smartwatches, drones, holograms, jetpacks, robotic help and more. But what was once unimaginable in this innovative cartoon is now commonplace. For example, sales of wearable electronic devices — including smartwatches — are projected to top...

As this challenging year draws to a close, many Americans are looking forward to the holidays — even if they might look a little different this year. Traditionally the holiday season inspires travel plans and joyful gatherings but this year health officials are pleading with people to stay home. As we were reminded on social...