Patrick Conner and Laura Slusher were recognized as finalists for the 2020 College of Engineering Staff Awards of Excellence. Patrick Conner was named the recipient of the Professional Achievement Award, and Laura Slusher was a finalist for the Leah H. Jamieson Leadership Award.

Patrick Conner is a Research Manager for the Purdue University Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP).

The LTAP program supports research projects for the benefit of lndiana local agencies. To support this mission, Pat has developed strong relationships with Indiana local agencies, supporting associations, the Indiana Department of Transportation, higher education institutions, and industry.

It is due in large part to those relationships that our state lawmakers and leadership regard the LTAP program as a valuable resource.

Patrick took over as project lead of the Asset Management Program (AMP) and development of the Data Management System (DMS) that was prescribed by the Indiana General Assembly. He assumed a leadership role of the DMS project at the final stage of development and without complete knowledge of the program's deliverables. The DMS, now fully operational, allows cities, towns, and counties in Indiana to upload their inventory and road condition data, analyze data, and develop reports.

Laura Slusher is a Project Manager for the Purdue University Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP).

Since July of 2010, she has been a wonderful asset for many Hoosiers across the State of Indiana.

In large urban cities and small rural communities, Laura has become one of Indiana's trusted resources for roadway safety and traffic management issues. On many occasions, local leaders have praised her assistance with safety issues and traffic control.

Laura has taken the initiative to develop safety projects that produce tangible results. Many of those projects involve proven countermeasures that improve safety and save lives. Much of her time and energy is devoted to the engineering and implementation of low-cost roadway safety measures. Laura's efforts help our local leaders focus their resources and develop solutions for high crash locations in their communities.