The TRB Executive Office (EO) is headed by Executive Director Victoria Sheehan. Providing policy and operational leadership for all TRB programs and activities, the TRB Executive Office oversees committee appointments, report reviews, webinars, staffing, communications, international initiatives, and information technology. The office also supports the TRB Executive and Division Committees and manages the Transportation Research Information Services’ (TRIS’) suite of library, database, and thesaurus resources.

Oversight Activities

The EO supports the work of the TRB Executive Committee, which provides policy direction to TRB programs and activities within the overall policies of the Academies. Oversight of committee and panel appointments and of report review is the responsibility of the TRB Division Committee, which ensures that TRB meets institutional standards and that its activities are appropriate for the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Craig Philip , Chair, TRB Division Committee, represents TRB as an ex officio member on the NRC Governing Board. The EO processes the TRB’s large volume of committee and panel appointments and maintains committee membership records. A hallmark of the Academies is its institutional process to ensure the independent, rigorous review of reports. In maintaining these high standards, TRB follows Academies' guidelines that carefully match the review criteria and procedures to the type of report.

Program Development and Strategic Initiatives

In addition, the EO is responsible for ensuring stable, long term revenue streams for TRB and for coordinating strategic initiatives across the board's various divisions. To carry out these responsibilities, the EO helps facilitate the increased use of technology to deliver TRB products and services; oversees the development and implementation of action plans for strategic, long term, cross cutting, and critical issues; encourages the exploration of new and innovative ways to facilitate information transfer within the rules of the Academies; helps promote the value of TRB products and services; oversees TRB’s international participation strategy; and is responsible for helping to ensure the continued development of the next generation of TRB volunteers.

Communications

In coordination with the National Academies’ Office of the Chief Communications Officer, the EO is responsible for development, coordination, and execution of TRB communications activities.

TRB uses social media to help our audience stay connected to transportation research. In addition, the TRB Weekly--a free, customizable email newsletter--keeps readers up to date on TRB activities and highlights select transportation research initiatives at the federal and state levels, as well as within academic and international transportation communities.

TRB’s Webinar program provides the latest insights and innovations across the transportation industry and allow attendees to earn valuable professional development credits. The program connects attendees with experts sharing cutting-edge research from TRB Standing Technical Committees and Cooperative Research Programs. Plus,

Information Technology

The TRB IT group’s primary focus is systems operation, maintenance, and management. Central to its activities is the MyTRB portal that allows TRB volunteers and friends to connect to, engage in, and support various TRB activities; attend TRB webinars; take full advantage of attendance at the TRB Annual Meeting; and much more.

Transportation Research Information Services (TRIS)

TRIS provides a gateway to the world’s most comprehensive transportation research resources is in the world. Explore essential information on current, completed, and needed research, as well as the Transportation Research Thesaurus—a tool that provides a common and consistent language for producers and users of transportation information. Components of TRIS include:

• TRB Library
  The TRB Library is the primary archive for publications of the Transportation Research Board, Highway Research Board, Strategic Highway Research Program, and the Marine Board. The library was founded in 1946 to provide information services to TRB staff, sponsors, TRB committees and panels, and researchers.
• Research Needs Database
  TRB’s standing technical committees spot emerging issues and develop research needs statement designed to spark studies that tackle real-world challenges in transportation
• Research in Progress
  Featuring information on more than 10,000 ongoing and recently completed transportation research projects, the Research in Progress database highlights work funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, state departments of transportation, and universities across the country.
• Transportation Research Information Documentation database
  Comprising approximately 1.5 million records—including journal articles, conference proceedings, technical reports, and books—the Transportation Research Information Documentation (TRID) database stands alone as the most comprehensive bibliographic resource for transportation research. It provides a single, organized source for discovering information on published and ongoing research worldwide.
• Transportation Research Thesaurus (TRT)
  The TRT provides a common and consistent language for producers and users of transportation information. It encompasses all modes and aspects of transportation, with terms organized hierarchically under 21 top-level concepts.