NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in China

Hargrove Stephanie, Knoxville TN

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Stephanie Raven Ann Hargrove of University of Tennessee, Knoxville to conduct a research project in Engineering during the summer of 2013 at Beijing Jiaotong University in Beijing, China. The project title is "Traffic Enforcement in China using License Plate Recognition Technology." The host scientist is Dr. Xuedong Yan. China has been in constant growth for many years, including the rapid rise of vehicle ownership, urban road development and construction of new roadways. Though China is attempting to curb expansion by limiting vehicle ownership, this rapid growth of China's transportation system and users requires rapid responses to road safety problems including the implementation of programs, development of technology and increase of manpower to respond. This research aims to examine China's existing enforcement programs and optimize speed enforcement and urban vehicle tracking using license plate recognition (LPR) technology. The overall goal is to incorporate the findings of past research and advance the future use of LPR technology as a highly-accurate and dependable enforcement tool world-wide. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the Fellow will present the research findings on the University of Tennessee campus and will continue mentoring undergraduates and high school students in the importance of science, technology and transportation.