Vanderbilt University has entered an agreement with Gresham Smith to explore the future of innovation and design and to collaborate on research and development initiatives. The strategic initiative builds off previous collaborations and focuses on broader campus opportunities.
Earlier this month, the collaboration officially kicked off with a series of meetings between firm leadership and representatives from the School of Engineering, the Vanderbilt Institute for Software Integrated Systems, the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, as well as Government and Community Relations and the Wond’ry, the university’s innovation center.
The firm recently collaborated with faculty from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to undertake a campus safety study utilizing advanced information technology. Gresham Smith also collaborated with Vanderbilt on the design and operation of I-24 MOTION, a first-of-its-kind testbed implemented by the Tennessee Department of Transportation that launched in 2022. Officially known as I-24 Mobility Technology Interstate Observation Network, this groundbreaking active testbed runs along the busy and often congested I-24 corridor.
“Collaboration with Gresham Smith on previous projects has demonstrated the unique fit our two organizations have in developing innovative, decision-support tools that are practical, efficient and affordable,” said Mark Abkowitz, professor of civil and environmental engineering and Vanderbilt team lead. “We are excited about the future opportunities that will emerge from this relationship.”