E-rise RLL: arkansas smart transportation research incubator through data engineering and science

The University of Arkansas, Fayetteville received a $3.39 million Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Office of Integrative Activities (CFDA 47.083) awarded July 15, 2025, with completion targeted for June 30, 2029. The Arkansas Smart Transportation Research Incubator Through Data Engineering and Science (AR-STRIDES) project delivers research capacity building, network development, and workforce training in data-driven supply chain technologies and analytics solutions for next-generation transportation and logistics systems. The initiative leverages advanced computing methodologies including artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data technologies, real-time data processing, and statistical modeling to address industry needs in autonomous, electrified, interconnected, and shared transportation systems.

AR-STRIDES is delivered through a collaborative multi-institution partnership comprising the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, Southern Arkansas University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and North Arkansas College. The Arkansas High Performance Computing Center provides technical expertise, hardware infrastructure, storage capabilities, and training services to support computationally intensive research activities. Project outcomes are designed to strengthen Arkansas' research competitiveness and innovation economy while advancing statewide economic development in the transportation and logistics sector through enhanced data analytics capabilities and computing expertise across the state's higher education institutions.

Abstract

Next generation transportation and logistics systems include those that are autonomous, electrified, interconnected, and shared. These systems are transforming traditional supply chains. The arkansas smart transportation research incubator through data engineering and science (AR-strides) project aims to increase statewide research capacity. AR-strides also aims to advance economic competitiveness in arkansas through statewide network building, use-inspired research, and synergistic workforce development related to data-driven supply chain technologies and data analytics solutions for next generation transportation and logistics. Recent growth in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and computing expertise in arkansas will be leveraged to further develop the next generation transportation and logistics ecosystem across arkansas. Project outcomes have potential to provide significant and sustainable traction for the arkansas? Innovation economy in accordance with the arkansas science & technology plan. Project partners include the university of arkansas, arkansas state university, southern arkansas university, university of arkansas at pine bluff, and north arkansas college. AR-strides will address the needs of the transportation and logistics industry in arkansas by strengthening arkansas' research competitiveness and capabilities in computing and data analytics. Employed research methods will include access control models, artificial intelligence, big data technologies, cryptographic techniques, data replication and backup strategies, machine learning, real-time data processing, scalable storage architectures, security audits, and statistical models. The arkansas high performance computing center will provide expertise, hardware, storage, support services, and training to enable computationally- and data-intensive research. The scientific vision has potential to break down silos across arkansas institutions of higher education and industry by creating meaningful connections between data science and analytics researchers and transportation and logistics stakeholders. Expected jurisdiction-wide impacts will result in arkansas being positioned as a national leader in its defined domain: a statewide network delivering modern data-centric solutions to next-generation transportation and logistics challenges. Use-inspired perspectives and societal impacts will be integrated across research and workforce development activities leading to expanded employer access to skilled and retained talent in arkansas. This project is supported by the epscor research infrastructure improvement program: epscor research incubators for stem excellence (e-rise). E-rise supports the development of sustainable research infrastructure and capacity in epscor jurisdictions through collaborative, hypothesis-driven, or problem-driven research and workforce development to improve competitiveness in stem fields. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.