Airport Cooperative Research Program's University Design Competition

Event Date: August 16, 2022
Hosted By: FAA-Sponsored
Contact Name: Mary Sandy
Contact Email: https://vsgc.odu.edu
Priority: No
College Calendar: Show
The FAA-sponsored Airport Cooperative Research Program’s University Design Competition for Addressing Airport Needs provides an outstanding opportunity for individual students or student teams working under the guidance of faculty advisors to design solutions to real-world issues addressing our nation’s airports and the National Air System.

Flyer HERE

Students win cash prizes ($3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, and $1,000 for third place) in each of four different broad categories:

·        Airport Operation and Maintenance 

·        Airport Management and Planning

·        Airport Environmental Interactions

·        Runway Safety/ Runway Incursions/Runway Excursions Including Aprons, Ramps, and Taxiway 

Airport needs embrace many disciplines including all engineering fields, environmental science, business, data science, computer science, psychology, and many others.  

A variety of multidisciplinary topics are suggested, but students can come up with their own relevant topics for their design solution.  The Competition is an excellent open-ended design project for capstone courses and is also frequently used in other courses, for independent study, or as a professional society student chapter project. 

First place winners present their work at an award ceremony at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine in Washington, D.C., and also at a relevant national professional conference.  All expenses are covered. 

Interaction with airport operators and industry experts is required.  The Competition provides access to experts and to airport operators through its program website.  


The Competition runs from August 16, 2022 to May 12, 2023.  Students can work in either or both academic semesters.  Additional information regarding the ACRP University Design Competition can be found at the Competition website located at www.trb.org/ACRP/ACRPDesignCompetition.aspx.  The updated guidelines for submission are attached and can be found at https://vsgc.odu.edu/acrpdesigncompetition/guidelines/

The Airport Cooperative Research Program is part of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies.  The Virginia Space Grant Consortium manages the Competition on behalf of the ACRP. 

We hope you will consider this opportunity which has provided 2,706 students and 169 faculty advisors from 90 institutions with an outstanding educational opportunity immersed in real-world needs and that you will share it with other faculty or students who might have an interest.