Gregory Winfree, Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology for the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), acknowledged RailTEC and the NURail Center when he reflected on 2015’s transportation research and educational accomplishments in his December 31 Fastlane blog post. He described four examples of how USDOT is having an impact advancing safety, mobility, and environmental sustainability through new opportunities for cooperative transportation research and innovation. Among these were the USDOT-supported University Transportation Center program in general and RailTEC and the NURail Center in particular, citing their role educating the next generation of transportation professionals through world-class research and facilities. Earlier this year, Assistant Secretary Winfree participated in the grand opening of RailTEC’s new Research and Innovation Lab (RAIL). Railway Track and Structures also published an article about Winfree’s DOT Fastlane blog.