Profile of Marshall J. Burak, Ph.D.
IISTPS Board of Trustees
Dr. Marshall J. Burak began his service as a Member of the Board of Trustees of the International Institute of Surface Transportation Policy Studies in October 1992. His leadership, experience, skills, and innovation greatly enhance the development of the Institute.
For the past fourteen years, Dr. Burak has served as Dean and Professor of Finance in the College of Business at San Jose State University. In addition to Dr. Burak's academic experience, he has a wealth of industry involvement in financial management and control of operations, related treasurer/controller functions, banking and new venture creation.
Dr. Burak earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1958. He continued his program of study at UCLA, earning a Master of Business Administration degree in Finance in 1959, and was elected to a Scholastic Honorary Fraternity, Beta Gamma Sigma.
In 1968, he received a Doctor of Business Administration degree in Finance with a special interest in International Finance and Trade from the University of Southern California.
As the Chair of the Academic Committee of the IISTPS Board of Trustees, Dean Burak is responsible for the development of a Transportation Policy and Management concentration within the MBA program at SJSU. Also, he continues to oversee the development of an interdisciplinary Master of Science degree program in Transportation Policy and Management (MS/TPM).
Dr. Marshall Burak's diverse expertise and leadership bring excitement, innovation, and creativity to the Institute and help to guide IISTPS into the future.
Research
IISTPS POLICY
RESEARCH PROJECTS
The following policy research projects, guided by IISTPS Research Director Pat Piras, are now underway, with assistance from an Interagency Agreement with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans):
Conduct of Background Research and Establishment of an International Surface Transportation Policy Conference In California
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Project Leader: Timeline: |
Gail Murray March 1995 -October 1995 |
Analysis of Federal Budget "Outlay" Rates on Public Transportation Funding, with California as a Case Study
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Project Leader: Timeline: |
Dr. Peter Haas April 1995 - April 1996 |
Issues Relating to the Emergence of the (Information Superhighway) and California Societal Changes
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Project Leader: Timeline: |
Dr. Jan Botha March 1995 -January 1996 |
Development of a Statewide Transportation Information Network Utilizing ITIS (the International Transportation Information System)
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Project Leader: Timeline: |
Sandra Belanger February 1995 - December 1995 |
In addition, six more projects are under discussion with Caltrans, RSPA and other sponsors:
CONGRATULATIONS...
The Women's Transportation Seminar of the San Francisco Bay Area recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Shirley Chan, a student assistant at IISTPS.
Shirley, one of the top students in her undergraduate Civil Engineering program at San Jose State University, was elected an officer of the American Society of Civil Engineers Student Chapter for the fall 1995 semester. She plans to pursue a graduate degree in transportation engineering.
Congratulations, Shirley, and good luck in your studies!
AND TO...
Information Systems
IISTPS Online:
TransWeb
IISTPS has now moved into the world of interactive information via its new World Wide Web site on the Internet. Research Associates Sandra Belanger, Stephen Kwan, and Franklin Lockfeld have designed an extensive web site that allows the user to access other transportation web sites around the world.
Sponsored by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), TransWeb is one of the most comprehensive transportation web sites available with access to local, regional, national, and international web sites via Netscape or Mosiac.
Education
IISTPS EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES UPDATE
Interdisciplinary teams of IISTPS Research Associates (RAs) have been busy this Summer implementing plans that support IISTPS long term educational goals. Development of the Master of Science degree in Transportation Policy and Management is continuing while the MBA specialization in Transportation Policy and Management will begin in the Fall semester. A new graduate level course, Introduction to Transportation Systems, will be offered through the San Jose State University MBA Office this Fall.
IISTPS sponsored a very successful transportation education colloquium on June 6, 1995. The colloquium was planned and managed under the leadership of IISTPS Research Associates, Dr. Burton Dean and Mr. George Gray. Over 100 participants had an opportunity to share thoughts with a panel of transportation policy experts on a wide range of leading edge topics. One of the panel members was our IISTPS Executive Director, Rod Diridon. Another thought provoking education colloquium covering different topics is planned for later this year.
Research Associate Dr. Dirk Wassenaar is conducting a series of education program orientation sessions at transportation employers' sites. These sessions provide an informal setting for a continuing discussion of the employer's educational needs in the transportation policy and management and what we can develop and offer to the employer. This has been a mutually beneficial approach to industry education partnerships.
The paper, "An Assessment of Needs for Management Training and Education in the U.S. and Canada," developed by Research Associates, Dr. Joe Giglierano and Mr. Rob Vitale, was presented by Dr. George Whaley at the Association of Management annual conference in Vancouver, B.C. Canada on August 2-6, 1995. The paper will be published in the proceedings of the conference.
Research Associates, Dr. Bonnie Canziani, Dr. Herb Oestreich and Dr. George Whaley (team coordinator) continue to serve as a West Coast team of facilitators for National Transit Institute (NTI) in NTI supervisory training programs. Contact Alan Gibbs or Don Miklas at (908) 932-1700 should you have interest.
On a different note, we regret to announce that Dr. George Whaley is leaving his position as IISTPS Education Director after 1 1/2 years to return to the SJSU faculty. The current educational framework was developed by a dedicated team of Research Associates under the leadership of Professor Whaley. Many thanks for a job well done.
We welcome the new Education Director, Mr. Rob Vitale. Mr. Vitale is a lecturer in the College of Business at San Jose State University. Welcome aboard, Rob.
FIRST MS/TPM CLASS
OFFERED AT SJSU
The Master of Science in Transportation Policy and Management conducted its inaugural class at San Jose State University on August 31, 1995. The class, Business 297D: Introduction to Transportation Systems, is being taught by Mr. David Salladay.
The objectives of the class are to provide students with broad exposure to the various surface transportation modes, systems, and technology, with an intermodal and international focus; to explore the regulatory and environmental requirements characterizing the transportation sector; and to expose students to practicing professionals in various aspects of transportation planning, design, and management. The course will also focus on case examples of local, regional, national, and international transportation projects of note, viewing the process from conception to implementation.
Two additional MS/TPM courses are now in final review and are scheduled to be offered beginning in the spring semester of 1996. For more information about the program, please call Mr. Rob Vitale, the IISTPS Education Director, at 408/ 924-7560.