PhD Candidate Sharika Hegde Honored with CCAT’s Outstanding Student of the Year Award at TRB
Sharika Hegde, a fifth-year PhD candidate at Northwestern University, has been awarded the prestigious Outstanding Student of the Year Award by the Center of Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT). This accolade was presented on January 5 at the 104th Annual Transportation Research Board (TRB) Convention in Washington, D.C., during the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) winter banquet.
Hegde expressed her gratitude and reflected on the significance of this recognition. “Receiving CCAT's Outstanding Student of the Year is a meaningful honor, especially as I complete my dissertation. It's a valuable opportunity to reflect on my work's broader impact,” she said.
In attendance to celebrate her achievement was her father, R. Jayakrishnan, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Irvine. Hegde acknowledged her father as one of her earliest inspirations for pursuing a career in transportation research. “I want to thank my dad for inspiring my interest in transportation,” she said.
Hegde’s research, which centers on developing advanced simulation tools to model transportation dynamics, has been one of the highlights of her academic journey. She shared, “The simulation tools I've developed have been my proudest achievement. They represent countless hours of tackling complex algorithmic challenges to create fast, efficient simulators that accurately model transportation dynamics.”
As a standout member of the CCAT and CUTC communities, Hegde emphasized the importance of the connections this recognition has afforded her. “This recognition provides valuable opportunities to connect with the CUTC community. I look forward to networking with researchers and faculty across different institutions,” she added.
Hegde credited her success to the support system that has accompanied her throughout her PhD journey. She acknowledged her advisor, Professor Hani Mahmassani, and the collaborative environment he fostered. “I'm deeply grateful to Prof. Mahmassani for giving me the freedom to explore diverse projects, making my PhD journey both engaging and fulfilling,” she said. She also thanked her peers, Max, Meredith, and Gretchen, for their encouragement.
As Hegde approaches the completion of her PhD this year, focusing on her dissertation, “Multimodal Mobility in Human-Centered Urban Streetscapes: Flow Modeling & Integrated Network Design,” she reflects on the highs and lows of her academic journey. “This award is particularly meaningful right now, as my research progress hasn’t been linear. It's encouraging to receive this acknowledgment of my work and motivates me to maintain momentum through the final stages of my PhD,” she shared.
As she prepares to graduate, Hegde continues to inspire peers and professionals with her passion, resilience, and vision for the future of connected and automated transportation systems.
For other students pursuing rigorous research, Hegde offered a piece of advice: “Stay focused on your goals, even when progress feels slow. Remember that setbacks are normal in research – keep working consistently through challenges.”
About CCAT
As part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the University of Michigan, along with its partners, have created the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation (CCAT). CCAT aims to significantly advance the evolution of the U.S. next-generation transportation systems with emerging technologies on safety, mobility, cybersecurity, and equity. CCAT serves as the Region 5 University Transportation Center designated to address the field of comprehensive transportation safety, congestion, connected vehicles, connected infrastructure, and autonomous vehicles.
CCAT Consortium Partners
