MSU hosting Transportation & Economic Symposium
Mississippi State's chief research officer will welcome federal, state and local officials, economic developers, and industry representatives and executives to campus on Tuesday, Feb. 21 for the 2012 Transportation & Economic Symposium: Transportation for Mississippi's Sustainable Economic Growth.
David Shaw, vice president for research and economic development at the land-grant institution, will be joined by Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) executive director Jim Barksdale and Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman for the opening session in Bost Extension Center at 12:30 p.m.
"We anticipate a very productive gathering that will help participants identify economic opportunities for sustaining and growing Mississippi's transportation centers while preserving livable communities and environmental quality," said Northern Gulf Institute co-director and MSU research professor Bill McAnally, who is coordinating the symposium.
Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) executive director Melinda McGrath, a Mississippi State alumna, will moderate a roundtable discussion of that agency's 25-year vision with the state's three elected transportation commissioners -- Mike Tagert, Dick Hall and Tom King -- at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Other activities include panel discussions on multi-modal success stories and future challenges and opportunities, a reception and poster session, brainstorming breakouts and networking opportunities that conclude at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22. (Click here for the complete conference agenda and list of pre-registrants.)
More than 200 attendees are expected, McAnally said.
In addition to MSU, sponsors of the event are Pickering Firm Inc., MDA and MDOT.
For additional information, please contact McAnally at mcanally@ngi.msstate.edu or 662-325-2809.
Jim Laird | University Relations
