Beyond the Research: Lessons from My Summer at Rensel Consulting

When I started the internship, I was tasked with supporting the work Rensel was doing for the Connected Corridor Advancement Initiative (CCAI), a multistate effort focused on advancing digital infrastructure and more consistent data sharing across major interstate corridors. As the summer progressed, my work expanded, and I also had the opportunity to support projects for New York State DOT, Iowa DOT, and Nashville DOT. Working across different projects gave me a much broader perspective on the challenges transportation agencies are navigating.   

That broader perspective led to one of my favorite parts of the internship - the opportunity to turn what I was learning into a passion project of my own.  

As I became more immersed in transportation projects, I began to realize just how much technology underpins the transportation systems we use every day. At the same time, when friends and family asked what I was working on, I often struggled to explain concepts like digital infrastructure, interoperability, and connected transportation in a way that made sense to someone outside the field.  

That experience made me think about the much larger challenge transportation agencies face when engaging communities around projects that can be highly technical, largely invisible, and raise important questions about technology, data, and privacy. 

That question became the basis for my Community Engagement Framework for Digital Transportation Infrastructure.  

Over the summer, I examined how Utah DOT’s Connecting the West initiative, Michigan DOT’s I-94 Connected and Automated Vehicle Corridor, and New York City DOT’s Smart Street-Activity Sensors Program approached public communication and engagement. Drawing from those case studies and existing research, I developed a framework focused on helping transportation agencies communicate technical concepts more clearly, address questions around data and privacy, and create more meaningful opportunities for participation. The final project includes five guiding principles and a six-step framework that agencies can adapt to their own projects and communities.  

The project also gave me the opportunity to present the project internally to the Rensel team and externally to two clients. Being able to share the framework with transportation professionals and hear their feedback was especially valuable and gave me the chance to see how ideas developed through research can translate into practical conversations with practitioners. 

That experience was made possible in large part by the mentorship I received throughout the summer. I’m especially grateful to Eric and Sheetal for trusting me with meaningful work from day one, making themselves available to answer questions and provide feedback, and encouraging me to explore my own interests. I truly felt like part of the team throughout the internship. 

I’m leaving Rensel with a much deeper appreciation for transportation policy, a new understanding of the technology and coordination that keep our transportation systems functioning, and an even stronger interest in how we can make complex public-sector projects understandable and accessible to the communities they are intended to serve.  

Thank you to everyone at Rensel Consulting who made this such a valuable summer! 

Maria J. Pereira