school policy on field trips

Creating Effective Field Trip Safety Policies

Field trips have long been an exciting part of the educational experience, offering students a break from the classroom routine and a chance to explore the world beyond their textbooks. These educational outings are also linked to improvements in students’ academic performance , social-emotional development, and long-term career prospects. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, students who take part in school trips are gaining meaningful benefits.

With that being said, there are many field trip safety concerns and potential risks associated. This emphasizes the importance of well-structured policies and procedures to ensure that students and accompanying adults can enjoy their outings with peace of mind.

In this blog post, we will discuss the steps to create effective safety policies for field trips including examples of safety rules and safety checklists.

Conduct a Thorough Risk Assessment

Before you can create effective safety policies, it’s crucial to first identify potential risks and hazards associated with trips off school grounds. This process involves the examination of factors such as transportation, location, activities, potential emergencies, student abilities, and more. By pinpointing potential dangers in advance, strategies can be developed to reduce these risks.

When conducting a risk assessment, consider the following key areas:

• Transportation: Assess the safety of the various modes of transportation including buses, walking, or other means.
• Location: Evaluate the climate, terrain, accessibility, and availability of healthcare facilities in the chosen destinations. Keep in mind unexpected weather changes.
• Activities: Examine the equipment used during activities and assess the physical challenges involved. For example, consider the potential risks associated with contact with animals.
• Potential Emergencies: Identify potential emergencies such as slips, trips, falls, bus accidents, dangerous environments, or insufficient security measures.
• Student Ability: Consider the physical capabilities, medical conditions, experience, and age of the students participating in field trips.

Assess the level of risk based on the likelihood or probability of the risk occurring and the possible consequences. This will help guide and prioritize risk management efforts.

While complete elimination of risk is often impossible, school field trip safety policies should provide assurance that all reasonable care and sensible preparatory arrangements have been made to manage potential hazards.

Adapt Field Trip Safety Policy and Procedures Based on Risk Assessment

Once the risks are identified through the risk assessment, safety policies should be adapted accordingly. This means addressing each potential risk with specific measures. Some examples of risk management strategies include the following:

• Having emergency contact information readily available.
• Ensuring appropriate insurance coverage.
• Designating trip leaders and chaperones.
• Setting aside emergency funds.
• Establishing adult-to-student ratios (with lower ratios being preferable, such as one adult per 4-6 children).
• Outlining emergency procedures.
• Setting age requirements for participation.
• Maintaining first aid kits.
• Specifying dress codes.
• Keeping families informed about trip details.

Schools are obligated to carry out suitable and sufficient precautions in terms of supervision, protection, and training before, during, and after the trip.

The following sections include a more in-depth explanation of effective safety policies in the top areas related to school field trips.

Train Staff on their Responsibilities

One crucial detail in effective field trip safety policies is the training and responsibilities of staff. Teachers and staff involved in field trips should always review school policies and procedures well in advance of the excursion. Being familiar with these guidelines ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding safety protocols and expectations.

Staff training can include the following:

• CPR and First Aid certification.
• Crisis management training.
• Familiarity with emergency protocols.
• How to identify potential hazards related to the trip’s destination and activities.
• Responding appropriately in emergency situations.

It is advisable to request that volunteers obtain CPR and First Aid certification. This extra layer of preparedness can be invaluable in ensuring the safety of all participants.

Another important responsibility of school staff is effective communication:

• Administrators should communicate with staff beforehand on safety policies and protocols.
• Teachers and staff should maintain communication before, during, and after the field trip with students, families, and school administrators. Open channels of communication should be created to ensure everyone is informed and prepared.
• Teachers and chaperones should establish and communicate clear behavioral expectations and guidelines for students to follow during the trip.

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Generate Field Trip Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans

One of the cornerstones of effective safety policies for school field trips is a comprehensive emergency preparedness and response plan. This plan should be an integral part of staff training and responsibilities. Teachers and chaperones must be skilled in emergency procedures, and everyone should know their roles and responsibilities. The following includes examples of what should be included in emergency preparedness and response plans:

• Teachers and staff should carry a well-stocked first aid kit along with essential items such as bottled water, sunscreen, a working cell phone, any emergency medications students may need, a list of emergency phone numbers, and parent/guardian contact information.
• Following any medical assistance, if needed, teachers should contact the student’s parents/guardians as soon as possible to keep them informed. Documenting the incident through an accident report is also essential for maintaining records and assessing the effectiveness of the response.
• Teachers and chaperones should be made aware of the prevention of lost or missing students. Matching t-shirts or bracelets can help identify students quickly. Clear instructions should be given to students regarding where and when to meet up, emphasizing the importance of always staying with their assigned buddies. Teachers and chaperones should maintain a roster and check students against it multiple times throughout the day to ensure that no one is left behind.

Emergency preparedness, clear procedures, and prevention measures all contribute to a safer and more enjoyable trip for everyone involved.

Quickly Report Student Accidents

Automate the reporting, tracking and management of accidents, including documenting if first aid was administered, investigations, witness statements, and communicating with all key personnel.

Medical Considerations and Consent Forms for Field Trips

Before embarking on any field trip, it’s essential to collect medical information and signed consent forms from parents/guardians. This step is not just a formality; it’s a vital component of ensuring the safety of every student. Medical information helps educators and chaperones be prepared for any unexpected situations that may arise during the trip. Including this as a safety policy will guarantee its completion.

Consent forms serve as a legal agreement between the school and parents/guardians, outlining the details of the trip and giving them peace of mind about their child’s participation. The forms should provide a comprehensive overview of the trip, including its cost, specific clothing requirements (such as sunscreen, raincoats, or closed-toe shoes), lunch details, and transportation arrangements.

For students with allergies, especially severe ones, it’s crucial to make all participants aware of these allergies so they can respond quickly in case of an emergency. Additionally, any necessary medications should be properly labeled with the student’s name, medication name, dosage, and the time it should be administered.

No child should be excluded from field trips due to their medical condition. Accommodations should be considered and made in advance.

School Field Trips Transportation Safety Measures

Transportation is often a significant aspect of school field trips, and addressing safety considerations related to it is vital. School buses are often the chosen mode of transportation for field trips due to their safety record. However, it’s crucial for everyone involved, from drivers to parents and students, to understand school bus safety.

The qualifications of the drivers operating the vehicles are critical. It should be ensured that buses or cars used for transportation are driven by trusted adults who are responsible and qualified drivers. Drivers should not only be licensed and experienced but also familiar with the specific route and the needs of the students on board. Including regular background checks and training in your safety policies can help maintain the quality and reliability of the drivers.

There should be contingency plans for transportation-related emergencies such as vehicle breakdowns or accidents. These plans should outline:

• Steps to take during a vehicle breakdown or accident.
• Communication protocols.
• Evacuation procedures.
• How to contact emergency services if necessary.
• Having a backup plan in case a vehicle breaks down.
• Plan for students with disabilities or special needs .

Furthermore, schools must ensure that an adult is present in the vehicle whenever children are on board. No child should ever be left unattended. Regular inspections of the vehicle should also be conducted after each trip to ensure no child has been inadvertently left behind.

By having these plans in place beforehand, schools can help ensure that all students reach their destination safely and securely.

Gather Post-Trip Evaluations and Feedback

Accidents can occur even with the most comprehensive safety protocols in place, and when they do, it’s essential not to assign blame but instead focus on improving the system. Post-trip evaluations provide a platform for schools and organizations to review the incident objectively, dissect the events leading up to it, and understand the root causes. By doing so, schools can avoid making the same mistakes in the future and continually refine their safety protocols. The goal is not to point fingers but to create an environment where learning from accidents leads to safer field trip experiences.

One of the most valuable aspects of post-trip evaluations is the input from those directly involved: teachers, students, and parents/guardians. Each of these stakeholders brings a unique perspective to the table.

• Teachers, who are responsible for organizing and supervising the field trip, can provide insights into logistical challenges, communication gaps, or unexpected issues that may have arisen during the trip.
• Students can share their observations about their own behavior and the behavior of their peers, helping educators and organizers understand potential risks or lapses in safety awareness.
• Parents, being concerned guardians, can offer valuable feedback from an outsider’s perspective, pinpointing areas where safety could be improved.

The importance of conducting a post-trip evaluation cannot be overstated. It’s not just about reacting to accidents; it’s about proactively seeking opportunities to enhance safety policies and procedures for future field trips. By involving all participants in this process, schools foster a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, ensuring that each field trip is safer and more enriching for all involved.

As we’ve explored in this blog post, ensuring the safety of students, and accompanying adults during field trips must remain a top priority.

To recap the key points covered:

• We’ve highlighted the need to establish thorough safety policies and procedures for field trips. These policies should encompass all aspects of the excursion, from transportation and supervision to emergency response plans.
• We’ve stressed the significance of continuous improvement in safety protocols. The ever-evolving nature of risks and challenges means that safety policies should never remain static. Regularly reviewing and updating these protocols ensures that schools stay ahead of potential hazards and can adapt to new circumstances.

Comprehensive safety policies, diligent supervision, and adaptability are the cornerstones of a successful and secure field trip experience. By prioritizing student safety and continually refining safety protocols, educational institutions can provide students with the best of both worlds: valuable educational experiences and peace of mind for parents and educators alike.

Privacy Overview

• Our Mission

Yes, Field Trips Are Worth the Effort

Culturally enriching trips can boost grades and decrease absences and behavioral infractions, new research reveals. 

As a teacher, Elena Aguilar often looked for opportunities to get her students out of the classroom and into different neighborhoods or natural environments. “We did the usual museum trips and science center stuff, but I loved the trips which pushed them into unfamiliar territory,” writes Aguilar , an instructional coach and author. Nudging kids out of their comfort zones, she says, “taught them about others as well as themselves. It helped them see the expansiveness of our world and perhaps inspired them to think about what might be available to them out there.”

Aguilar’s thinking made an impact: 15 years after traveling with her third-grade class to Yosemite National Park, a student contacted Aguilar on Facebook to thank her for the life-changing excursion. “You changed our lives with that trip,” the student wrote. “It's what made me want to be a teacher, to be able to give that same gift to other kids.”

As schools grapple with pandemic-related concerns about balancing in-seat instructional time with non-essentials like trips, new research published in The Journal of Human Resources argues that field trips, and the vital educational experiences that they provide—whether it’s a visit to a local museum or a big commitment like Aguilar’s national park trip—deliver a host of positive social and academic outcomes and are worth the effort.

“The pandemic should not keep schools from providing these essential cultural experiences forever,” asserts Jay P. Greene , one of the study’s co-authors and a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, in an opinion piece for the Daily News . “If schools make culturally-enriching field trips an integral part of the education experience, all students—especially those whose parents have a harder time accessing these experiences on their own—would benefit.”

In the study, researchers assigned more than 1,000 fourth- and fifth-grade students in Atlanta to two groups. One group participated in three to six “culturally-enriching” field trips—visits to an art museum, a live theater performance, and a symphony concert—while students in the control group stayed put in class. The outcome? Kids in the field trip group “scored higher on end-of-grade exams, received higher course grades, were absent less often, and had fewer behavioral infractions,” compared to students in the control group, according to a ScienceDaily brief . Benefits lasted two to three years, Greene writes, and were “most visible when students were in middle school.”

“We are able to demonstrate that a relatively simple intervention—and we consider it pretty low-touch; three field trips in a year, maybe six field trips in two years—can actually have some substantial impacts,” says lead study author Heidi Holmes Erickson in an interview with The 74 . “They’re not just limited to social benefits. It shows that smaller interventions can actually have some significant effects on academics as well.”

Field trips aren’t a threat to in-class instruction, Erickson notes, they’re a tool to help bolster engagement and expand students’ horizons. “It's possible to expose students to a broader world and have a culturally enriching curriculum without sacrificing academic outcomes, and it may actually improve academic outcomes,” Erickson says. Far from harming test scores, the researchers found that culturally rich excursions reinforce academics and “students who participated in these field trips were doing better in class.”

Meanwhile, class trips don't need to be elaborate productions to make an impact: small excursions outside the classroom—"low-touch," as the researchers call them—can pack a punch. Here’s how three educators recommend dialing it back with low-stakes options that are both engaging and stimulating for students, but might not require days to prepare and plan:

Make Them Bite-Sized : Instead of allocating an entire day to a field trip, educational consultant Laurel Schwartz takes her classes on micro field trips , or “short outings that can be completed in a single class period.” These real-world encounters, she says, are especially beneficial for English learners and world language students. A micro field trip to a nearby park or around school grounds, for example, can be a great opportunity to “enhance a unit on nature and wildlife while reinforcing vocabulary for senses, colors, and the concepts of quantity and size,” Schwartz writes. “Afterwards, students might write descriptive stories set in the place you visited using vocabulary collected and defined together by the class.”

Try Teacher-Less Trips : To encourage exploration and learning outside of the classroom, former social studies teacher Arch Grieve removes himself from the equation with teacher-less field trips rooted in students’ local communities. Grieve only suggests options that are directly tied to a unit being discussed in class—like attending a talk at a local university or visiting a museum or cultural festival—and offers extra credit to incentivize students. “These trips allow for a greater appreciation of my subject matter than is possible in the school setting, and perhaps best of all, there's little to no planning involved.”

Explore Virtual Options : It may not be as fun as visiting in person, but the Internet makes it possible to visit museums like The National Gallery of London and The Vatican Museums without leaving the school building. Middle school English teacher Laura Bradley likes to search the Museums for Digital Learning website by topic, keyword, and grade level, to find lessons and activities that meet her unique curricular needs. The site grants access to digitized museum collections, 3D models, audio files, documents, images, and videos. 

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• Learning Center

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• Position Statements

School-sponsored Trips - Equitably Addressing Student Health Needs

Position Statement

printable version

NASN POSITION

It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) to actively support and protect the right of all students, including those with healthcare needs or disabilities, to participate in school-sponsored trips, in accordance with federal regulations (U. S. Department of Education [USDOE]/Office for Civil Rights [OCR], 2020). The registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred to as school nurse) has the expertise necessary to prepare, plan, educate, and coordinate with staff, families, students, and other healthcare professionals in arranging equitable, inclusive, and appropriate care for all students to be able to attend school-sponsored trips.

BACKGROUND/RATIONALE

School-sponsored trips complement, enhance, and enrich student educational experiences and may take place during regular school hours or extend beyond the traditional school day. These offsite academic or extracurricular activities may include day field trips, intramural or interscholastic competitions to other schools, or overnight trips to different cities, states, or countries. School-sponsored trips require school nursing oversight and expertise with additional planning for students with healthcare needs or disabilities. To participate, some students may need healthcare services during the trip that involve, for example, medical treatments or procedures, health monitoring, medication administration, dietary adjustments, and/or transportation aid (Krol & Penny, 2024).

To address student health and safety needs, it is imperative that school systems collaboratively engage school nurses in a timely manner throughout all phases of planning and implementation of school‐sponsored trips, including the initial trip approval process. School district policies, protocols, and procedures should be developed and maintained with school nursing input, to incorporate parameters involving the planning and provision of healthcare on school-sponsored field trips. Students who require special healthcare support should have individual healthcare plans (IHPs) and/or emergency action plans (EAPs) written by a school nurse, to guide care throughout the school day including during school-sponsored activities (NASN, 2022; Halbert & Yonkaitis, 2019).

The school nurse determines the healthcare support necessary for individual student participation in school-sponsored trips, such as whether a student’s healthcare needs require the presence of a nurse or if care may be legally and safely delegated to unlicensed assistive personnel, in accordance with each state’s nurse practice act (NASN, 2018). School policy may allow a student to self-carry and administer medication themself and/or self-manage their own care, with formal written authorization from parents/guardians, student’s healthcare professionals, and in consultation with the school nurse (McClanahan et al., 2019).

Federal laws protect each student’s right to a free and appropriate education with equal access and participation in any school-sponsored activity, including trips. All schools that receive federal funds are subject to this requirement (USDOE/OCR, 2020). The local education agency is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations, related aids, or services, if needed (including nursing care) for qualified students, consistent with students’ 504 accommodation plans (504) or individualized education programs (IEP). While schools may invite parents/guardians to chaperone on trips, school officials cannot require that a parent/guardian of a child with a health condition or disability attend with their child if parents of students without a health condition or disability are not required to accompany their children.

For school-sponsored trips that take place in a different state, the school nurse needs to review licensing laws, regulations, and scope of practice in the destination state well in advance of travel (Krol & Penny, 2024; Brous, 2019). Each state board of nursing regulates nursing practice, addressing protocols such as medication administration and delegation. U.S. states and territories that participate in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) allow nurses to practice in all compact states/territories under one multistate license (National Council of State Boards of Nursing [NCSBN], 2023a). Some non-compact states may grant a temporary license or visiting nurse status for very short-term practice situations as in the case of a school trip. The school nurse is responsible for abiding by the destination state’s nurse practice act and licensing regulations, including NLC states (NCSBN, 2023a). U.S. state nursing licenses are not recognized in most other countries. For trips occurring outside of the U.S. that may require the provision of nursing care, it is necessary part of trip planning to determine the destination country’s nursing license requirements and scope of practice (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2023b).

Equitable, inclusive, and appropriate healthcare for all students while on school-sponsored trips requires school nursing expertise for preparing, planning, educating, and coordinating with staff, families, students, and other healthcare professionals. Commitment to assuring safe healthcare actively supports and protects the right of all students to have equal opportunities for participation in school-sponsored trips.

Brous, E. (2019). The law and school nursing practice. In J. Selekman, R. Shannon, & C. Yonkaitis (Eds.), School Nursing: A Comprehensive Text (3rd ed., pp. 136-153). F.A. Davis.

Halbert, L. & Yonkaitis, C. (2019). Federal laws protecting students with disabilities. In J. Selekman, R. Shannon, & C. Yonkaitis (Eds.), School nursing: A comprehensive text (3rd ed., pp. 154-171). F.A. Davis.

Krol, M. & Penny, F. (2024). School-sponsored field trips. In C. Resha & V. Taliaferro (Eds.), Legal resource for school health services, (pp. 741-748). SchoolNurse.com

McClanahan, R., Shannon, R. A., & Kahn, P. (2019). School health office management. In J. Selekman, R. Shannon, & C. Yonkaitis (Eds.), School nursing: A comprehensive text (3rd ed., pp. 888-908). F.A. Davis

National Association of School Nurses. (2018). Delegation . https://www.nasn.org/nasn-resources/resources-by-topic/delegation

National Association of School Nurses. (2022). School nursing: Scope and standards of practice (4th ed.). Author.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2023a). Nursing licensure compact. https://nursecompact.com/files/2023_NLC-1pager.pdf

National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2023b). Global Regulatory Atlas – jurisdictions. https://regulatoryatlas.com/?fbclid=IwAR1KPCJTrCWvDt6NyUIG-Gjb1lH95uCFjkXhDBMcxQHkoewYFHrM07Sy2s

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2020). Protecting students with disabilities. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html

Acknowledgment of Authors:

Wendy Doremus, DNP, MS, RN Shanyn Toulouse, DNP, MEd, RN, NCSN Catherine F. Yonkaitis, DNP, RN, NCSN, PHNA-BC Lori Kelley, MSN, RN, NCSN

Adopted: June 2013 Revised: January 2024

Suggested citation: National Association of School Nurses. (2024). School-sponsored trips – Equitably addressing student health needs (Position Statement). Author.

All position statements from the National Association of School Nurses will automatically expire five years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time.

National Association of School Nurses

1100 Wayne Ave, Suite #925 Silver Spring, MD 20910-5669

Telephone: 240-821-1130

Email: [email protected]

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Instruction

REGULATION 642-1

PROCEDURES FOR PLANNING INSTRUCTIONAL FIELD TRIPS, ATHLETIC TRIPS, AND REQUESTS FOR ACTIVITY BUSES  

• Field Trip - Field trips are those trips that involve students leaving the grounds of the home school, under teacher supervision, whether motor transportation is used or not. Field trips must be based on educational reasons designed to reinforce or enhance the curricular program. The closest geographic location to meet the objectives of the field trip shall be selected.    
• Athletic Trip - Athletic trips are those trips that involve transporting student athletes and coaches to an athletic event.    
• School-Sponsored Field Trip - The school-sponsored field trip is one that is an outgrowth of the classroom or extracurricular activities. It has been planned as an integral part of the educational program (as opposed to a random, casual selection of opportunities) and is basically repeated from year-to-year as the learning activity with which it is planned is repeated, and the trip occurs during school hours.    
• School-Sponsored International or Non-Continental United States (CONUS) Trips - A trip which involves travel that includes transporting students to other countries, or outside of the continental United States that is scheduled and approved by school staff.    
• Extended Day Field Trip - A school-sponsored field trip which is planned to extend beyond normal school hours, to take place after normal school hours, or to occur on days other than school days (Saturdays, Sundays, holidays), but not planned as an overnight trip.    
• Overnight Field Trips - A field trip in which lodging away from the student’s home is required for completion of the trip.    
• Metropolitan Washington Statistical Area - The District of Columbia and suburban counties in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia. (Virginia: Arlington County, Clarke County, Culpeper County, Fairfax County, Fauquier County, King George County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Spotsylvania County, Stafford County, Warren County, and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park. Maryland: Calvert County, Charles County, Frederick County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County. West Virginia: Berkeley County and Jefferson County.)    
• Non-School-Sponsored Trips - A trip which may involve groups identifiable as students and/or teachers of Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS), but the responsibilities for which (including scheduling, parental consents, liabilities, cost, and supervision) are assumed by individuals other than PWCS, School Board, its administration, or its staff, regardless of the destination (see Section III). Any trip not approved by the principal and the Level Associate Superintendent is considered non-school-sponsored.    
• Activity Bus - Activity buses are used to transport students home after scheduled after-school activities.    
• Scope: This regulation is applicable to all trips planned and requests made for activity buses for students, whether they be elementary or secondary and whether they be curricular or extracurricular including athletic trips.    
• Whenever possible, county and district events shall be scheduled on weekends and on days and times when students will miss a minimum number of classes. To the extent possible, trips shall be planned during winter break, spring break, and at other times that minimize time missed from class. Coaches/sponsors shall seek cooperation from outside sponsoring agencies to have competitions or events scheduled on the weekends or holidays; e.g., Virginia High School League (VHSL), Virginia Music Education Association (VMEA), etc.    
• Academic competitions;  
• Planetarium trips;  
• Aquatics Center trips;  
• Graduation ceremony support; Athletic events; and Rescheduled trips scheduled before May 30, but postponed by the agency/event being visited.    
• Art museum programs and music, dance, and theater performances;  
• Elementary and middle school overnight trips to Prince William Forest Park;  
• All-county, regional, and state band, orchestra, choral, robotics, and art events;  
• Model United Nations trips and competitions;  
• Planetarium visits;  
• National Museum of the Marine Corps visit planned through the Teacher-In-Residence;  
• PWCS Aquatics Center;  
• Field trips taken on weekends or holidays; and  
• “Individual” academic competitions/awards in which students are successful (science fair competitions, math competitions, etc.).    
• The principal and appropriate Level Associate Superintendent shall approve all field trips prior to any action taken with students to prepare for the trip. Swimming, boating, other water activities, and skating are strictly prohibited during school-sponsored field trips, and requests of this nature shall not be approved except those trips involving water activities that are strictly and solely of an athletic or instructional nature; e.g., water safety instruction at the PWCS Aquatics Center, varsity crew, varsity swimming, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, etc. Such water trips shall be approved on a case-by-case basis by the Division Superintendent (Superintendent) or the appropriate Level Associate Superintendent in consultation with the Office of Risk Management and Security Services in advance of scheduling the trips. Only field trips of an instructional nature shall be approved during instructional time. While interest surveys may be appropriate, any attempts to raise money specifically for the trip in question, hold parent meetings, expend funds, or make definite plans shall be avoided until such trips are approved. The source of funds, which would pay for transportation, shall be identified on all field trip requests. The Superintendent (or designee), shall have the authority to cancel or otherwise restrict any field trip, approved or otherwise, if in the judgment of the Superintendent (or designee), circumstances arise which pose a threat to the safety or security of students or staff.    
• Walking field trips shall be approved by the appropriate Level Associate Superintendent. Since no transportation is required, notice to the Office of Transportation Services is not required.    
• The principal and the appropriate Level Associate Superintendent shall approve all field trips. It is expected that all necessary provisions shall have been made to protect the health, welfare, and safety of the students and bus driver, as well as any liability to the School Board or its employees. Such overnight field trips shall contribute to the educational program of the School Division.    
• Field trips are generally restricted to the metropolitan Washington D.C. area. However, trips to other areas included in districts established by the VHSL for athletics, arts, and forensics shall not be restricted. Also, field trips to such places as Williamsburg, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Gettysburg, and other points of historical interest shall be approved, if the trip is an integral part of the instructional program.    
• School-sponsored field trips shall be built into the design of the educational program. As curriculum development takes place, suggested field trips shall be listed. Such a list shall not be restrictive, but act as a guideline for judgment as to whether the proposed trip meets the definition for a school-sponsored trip.    
• Although a field trip shall provide unquestioned educational opportunities, incidental opportunities for travel shall not be considered as the basis for proposing a school-sponsored field trip, unless the trip opportunity clearly relates to an ongoing learning activity which would be enhanced by the trip.    
• Groups or individuals who take responsibilities for planning and carrying out non-school-sponsored trips consisting of groups of students and/or teachers shall make parents aware that such trips are not school-sponsored and that the schools assume no responsibility for the trip in any way whatsoever. No school time, instructional, or otherwise, shall be consumed by the distribution of written and/or oral communication regarding non-sponsored trips. If a school building is used after school hours regarding non-school sponsored trips, a building rental contract shall be completed and signed by the agency sponsoring the trip. Notices, forms, and information concerning such trips shall not be circulated through the school’s communications system. Non-school-sponsored trips shall not be taken during school hours. School Division buses shall not be used for non-school-sponsored trips.    
• The trip shall meet the definitions outlined in Section I above;    
• There shall be sufficient supervision which shall come from the teacher, the activity sponsor, and other responsible adults (parents, other teachers, teacher aides). The number of supervising adults required for each trip shall be determined by the principal (or designee);    
• Students shall have a signed Parental Consent Form (available at each school) for field trip approval and attach the form to the PWCS Trip Tracker request. Parents/Guardians of diabetic students taking overnight or extended field trips shall work with the school to ensure Glucagon trained staff shall be available to support the medical needs of these students. A copy of the Parental Consent Form is attached (Attachment II);    
• The activity sponsor shall complete a Field or Athletic Trip Request within the PWCS Trip Tracker application. This shall be forwarded through the appropriate approval chain automatically. The trip request shall arrive at the supporting Bus Operations Center 14 days prior to the trip;    
• The trip sponsor shall immediately notify the appropriate Bus Operations Center when a trip is postponed or canceled. Coaches or sponsors shall not reschedule a postponed trip without checking with the Office of Transportation Services to determine if transportation is available;    
• Trips in the metropolitan Washington area shall be terminated prior to 5:30 p.m. for the elementary and middle school levels. This time limitation does not apply to the senior high field trips;    
• Field trips are subject to the availability of transportation. If private vehicles are utilized, the approval form shall state that private vehicles shall provide transportation and that these vehicles are of an authorized type that meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) and are privately insured. This statement shall also be included on the parent permission form; and    
• No student shall be denied participation in a school-sponsored field trip based upon an inability to pay because of family circumstances.    
• The coach or sponsor shall leave with the principal (or designee) a list of all participating students and a phone number where a parent or guardian of each student can be reached in case of an emergency, and the complete round-trip itinerary with anticipated arrival and departure times;    
• The coach or sponsor shall have emergency information relating to each student and a copy of the itinerary;    
• The principal shall provide the coach or sponsor with the name and telephone number of the principal (or designee) to call in case of an emergency as well as the telephone number of the Director of Transportation Services (or designee);    
• The principal shall have, prior to the trip, an emergency telephone number where the coach or sponsor can be reached at the trip destination;    
• Overnight arrangements shall be made for participants when it is known, prior to taking the field trip, that the group would otherwise be returning after 1 a.m.; and    
• When it becomes apparent that the return trip shall be extensively delayed due to severe weather conditions, a disabling mechanical failure, accident, or other emergency pertinent to the safety and well-being of the passengers, the coach or sponsor shall call the principal (or designee) for further instructions, which may include permission to remain overnight.    
• Trips sponsors and approving administrators shall review the United States Department of State Travel Advisories prior to approving trips. United States Department of State Travel Advisory Levels 1 – Trip Approved by PWCS 2 – Trip approved with communication to the parents advising of the warning 3 – Trip will not be approved to countries/locations with this Travel Advisory Level 4 – Trip will not be approved to countries/locations with this Travel Advisory Level    
• Requests to travel to locales with a Level Three travel advisory recommending reconsideration of travel plans shall result in requests being denied and previously approved trips being canceled.    
• Unless approved by the appropriate Level Associate Superintendent on a case-by-case basis, field and athletic trips shall be canceled on Code Green and Code Red days.    
• Use of Student Drivers - No student drivers shall be used on a field trip. If private vehicles are used, these vehicles and their passengers shall be insured, and the parents or guardians of the students being transported shall give permission for the student to be transported by private vehicle.    
• Students shall be under the direct supervision of a teacher, sponsor, or chaperone during transit on field and athletic trips;    
• The person(s) supervising students during transportation shall be responsible for ensuring student compliance with the PWCS “Code of Behavior”;    
• School bus drivers shall assist in the supervision of students as necessary to maintain safety while students are on the bus;    
• The school is responsible for the payment of bus tolls, parking fees, and admission fees (if any) for school bus drivers and attendants when drivers and attendants are required to attend the function; and    
• The bus driver’s reservations and payment for lodging;  
• Funding for meals at the standard rate or for providing food with the group;  
• Supplemental pay for driving when required to be in attendance with the group or when conducting required services to maintain the bus for the trip (mechanical repairs, refueling, cleaning, etc.); and  
• Ensuring the bus driver receives eight consecutive hours of rest and does not drive after being on duty more than 15 hours. On-duty times include driving time and the time required to remain with the bus and all other work.  
• Field trips during regular school hours, when the majority of buses are available (9:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.), are limited to a forty-five (45) mile radius (central point - Independent Hill). Requests for field trips aboard school buses extending beyond 1:30 p.m. on a regular school day shall be approved by the appropriate Level Associate Superintendent in consultation with the Office of Transportation Services and based on the availability of resources. If the trip is approved by the Level Associate Superintendent but school buses/drivers are not available, the school may use charter buses for the trip; and    
• Extended-day and non-school-day field and athletic trips shall not exceed a 150-mile radius from Independent Hill. Commercial transportation shall be used for all trips in excess of 150 miles.    
• Commercial Transportation Periodically, the Purchasing Office shall provide to the schools, through electronic mail, a list of approved commercial bus carriers. Questions pertaining to commercial service contractors shall be directed to the Purchasing Office.    
• Any vehicle used to transport students shall meet Federal Passenger Car Occupant Protection Standards as defined by FMVSS. If a personal, rental, or leased vehicle is being recommended for use, a Field Trip Driver’s License and Vehicle Insurance Information form (Attachment I) shall be completed and attached to the PWCS Trip Tracker request for approval by the appropriate Level Associate Superintendent.    
• When a school rents or leases a vehicle, the school representative shall be required to obtain automobile liability coverage in the amount of $500,000 and to provide an insurance certificate with the Field Trip Driver’s License and Vehicle Insurance Information form (Attachment I). Minimum liability for privately owned vehicles is established by Virginia Law for personal, rented, or leased vehicles, the vehicle type can be determined by referring to the data plate or decal affixed to the door jam or door post on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The data plate provides the type designation (e.g., passenger car, station wagon, truck, bus, school bus, or multipurpose vehicle). The data plate shall also state that the vehicle meets Federal FMVSS. Vehicle registration cards shall not be utilized as a method of determining vehicle type since they will often have a different designation than that on the data plate.    
• Passenger car;  
• Station wagon;  
• School bus;  
• Activity bus;  
• Commercial buses provided through contract carriers licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and  
• Certain late model minivan passenger vehicles (manufactured 1995 or later) which are certified by the manufacturer to meet Federal Passenger Car Occupant Protection Standards. Vehicles that meet Federal Passenger Car Occupant Protection Standards have permanently-installed, full-size seats for the driver and each passenger. Seats may be convertible to cargo space, for example, by folding, but may not be designed to be readily removed and reinstalled. Each seat must have both a lap belt and shoulder harness. Vehicles manufactured after 1998 must have air bags (vehicles manufactured before 1998 are not required to have air bags and therefore are not recommended).  
• Multipurpose Vehicle - except those that meet the standards described in paragraph 4(e) above;  
• Truck;  
• Van designed to carry more than ten people;  
• Camper/Recreational Vehicle; and  
• Motorcycle.  
•  The principal shall be responsible for ensuring that vehicles of an authorized type are used for student transportation.  
• Principals requesting after-school activity buses shall submit their requests through the PWCS Trip Tracker system two weeks in advance. This applies to requests for after-school activity buses for general education students and students with mobility impairments or other special needs. Depending on availability, however, requests for individualized transportation due to a mobility impairment or other special needs may be filled in a shorter time frame.    
• Budget code;  
• Start and end dates;  
• Number of buses;  
• Days and time required; and  
• Contact person and telephone number.    
• Activity (non-athletic) runs shall start no earlier than 4:30 p.m. and no later than 5:30 p.m. Parents and students must be informed that activity buses stop at central bus stops within the neighborhood and not at every stop where the students are picked up in the morning. Depending on the request, a student with a mobility impairment or other special needs may be taken to a stop other than a central bus stop.    
• The PWCS “Code of Behavior” states students serving detention for bus violations may not ride the activity bus without the principal’s approval.  

The Associate Superintendent for Student and Professional Learning (or designee), the Associate Superintendent for Finance and Risk Management (or designee), and the Associate Superintendent for Support Services (or designee) are responsible for implementing and monitoring this regulation.

This regulation and related policy shall be reviewed at least every five years and revised as needed. 

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DC Public Schools

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Field Trip Policy

District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) supports the use of instructional field trips to enhance the educational objectives of the school. A field trip is defined as a planned curricular or extracurricular experience for students directly related to and correlated with a specific unit of study or specialized function of the school. Field trips are recognized as a viable means of providing educational opportunities that would not be available in the classroom. All field trips undertaken under the auspices of the DCPS system must be planned and executed in compliance with the rules and guidelines stated in this document. This directive supersedes any other DCPS policy on field trips and student travel. For questions that trip sponsors may have, please email [email protected] .

Note to DCPS Staff: Please visit the Student Support - Field Trips and Student Travel Canvas Page for additional information, including translated versions of field trips forms in Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, and any other language spoken by at least 3% of the school population.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Enter Today's Teacher Appreciation Giveaway!

260+ Field Trip Ideas for Grades Pre-K Through 12 (In-Person and Virtual)

Get out of the classroom and explore the world!

Field trips are a quintessential school experience. You usually only get one or two a year so it’s important to do it right! Our roundups of unique field trip ideas have something for every age, subject, and interest. We’ve even got resources like permission slip forms and chaperone tips. Get ready to leave the classroom behind to take learning on the road!

Preschool Field Trip Ideas

Early-grade field trips help kids learn about the world and also teach them good field trip behavior. These are our top picks for the pre-K crowd, but many of the options on our kindergarten list are perfect for this age group too.

• Library: Not every student’s parents take them to story time. Schedule your own trip, and show kids that having fun isn’t hard when you have a library card!
• Farm: Whether you learn how vegetables are grown or where milk and eggs come from, the farm is always a hit.
• Grocery store: Go behind the scenes at the supermarket, and use this trip as the foundation for lessons on healthy eating.
• Park: From local playgrounds to majestic national parks, it’s always worth getting kids into the great outdoors.
• Children’s museum: This is the age group most children’s museums were designed for! They’ll love all the hands-on fun and excitement.
• Post office: Learn how mail is sorted and shipped, and teach students about stamps and other mail-related items.
• Bank: Money is a new concept for these kiddos, and they’ll be fascinated to step inside the vault and learn other bank secrets.
• Fire station: There’s just something about a fire truck that gets every little one excited.
• Nursing home: Is there anything sweeter than watching seniors and wee ones spend time together?
• Animal shelter: For kids who don’t have pets at home, this can be a good introduction to animals. Others will just enjoy the time with dogs and cats waiting for their forever homes.

Elementary School Field Trip Ideas

@mjdstoronto

These are the prime field trip years! Here are our favorite trips for every grade.

• 14 Kindergarten Field Trips (Virtual and In-Person)
• 15 First Grade Field Trips (Virtual and In-Person)
• 15 Second Grade Field Trips (Virtual and In-Person)
• 15 Third Grade Field Trips (Virtual and In-Person)
• 23 Fourth Grade Field Trips (Virtual and In-Person)
• 22 Fifth Grade Field Trips (Virtual and In-Person)

Middle and High School Field Trip Ideas

@salinasvalleybasingsa

For this age group, you’ll need to step up your game a bit. (They’ve probably already been to the zoo, the aquarium, and the art museum.) Try some of these locations, which offer educational, social-emotional, and real-life learning opportunities.

• Food bank: Hold a food drive, then arrange a trip to your local soup kitchen or food pantry. Volunteering makes for truly meaningful field trips.
• Recycling facility: In a time when reducing landfill waste is more important than ever, a trip to a recycling facility can help drive home the message.
• Theater: Many theaters offer behind-the-scenes tours for schools and discount pricing when you buy tickets in bulk. (Want to go virtual? Check out the Hamilton Education Program !)
• Community college: Parents sometimes take kids on college visits, but a community college trip offers opportunities for even more students to see themselves getting a higher education.
• TV station: Kids interested in communications or technology will find this completely fascinating.
• Courtroom: There’s no better way to understand the justice system than to see it in action.
• State or county capitol: Every government class should visit a local capitol to meet with officials and see how the government works.
• Local business: This can be a cool way to learn about managing a business, working with customers, or discovering how products are made.
• Wildlife rehab facility: Introduce students to the people who help injured wild animals recover and live free once again.

Virtual Field Trip Ideas

@edtech_tusd

The terrific thing about virtual field trips is that they eliminate so much of the hassle. No need to collect permission slips, arrange for buses, or recruit chaperones. Plus, they’re usually free!

• 40 Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips
• 20 Terrific Virtual Art Museum Field Trips
• 18 Incredible Virtual Zoo Field Trips
• 15 Fascinating Aquarium Virtual Field Trips
• 3 Science Virtual Field Trips Let Kids Travel the World

Field Trips by Location

If you live in one of these cities, check out some of our favorite spots.

• 16 Cool Field Trips in Houston, Texas
• 21 Terrific Field Trips in Chicago, Illinois
• Top 10 Washington D.C. Field Trip Ideas

Field Trip Tips and Resources

There’s a lot to do when you’re organizing an off-site field trip. These resources are here to help.

• Preparing Parent Chaperones for a Field Trip
• Free Printable Field Trip and School Permission Forms To Make Your Life Easier
• Things To Do Before Taking Your Students on a Major Field Trip
• Mistakes To Avoid When Planning a Field Trip for Students
• Why I Hate Field Trips (And How I Learned To Deal)
• Help! Is There Any Way I Can Get Out of Our End of the Year Field Trip?

Bonus: Looking for a laugh? Check out  Ways School Field Trips Are Like The Wizard of Oz !

What are your favorite field trip ideas? Come share your thoughts in the  We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook !

Plus,  virtual college campus tours to explore from home ..

You Might Also Like

The Best In-Person and Virtual First Grade Field Trips

Field trip fun with firsties! Continue Reading

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• MyU : For Students, Faculty, and Staff

News Roundup Spring 2024

CEGE Spring Graduation Celebration and Order of the Engineer

Forty-seven graduates of the undergraduate and grad student programs (pictured above) in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering took part in the Order of the Engineer on graduation day. Distinguished Speakers at this departmental event included Katrina Kessler (MS EnvE 2021), Commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and student Brian Balquist. Following this event, students participated in the college-wide Commencement Ceremony at 3M Arena at Mariucci. 

UNIVERSITY & DEPARTMENT

The University of Minnesota’s Crookston, Duluth, and Rochester campuses have been awarded the Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement, joining the Twin Cities (2006, 2015) and Morris campuses (2015), and making the U of M the country’s first and only university system at which every individual campus has received this selective designation. Only 368 from nearly 4,000 qualifying U.S. universities and colleges have been granted this designation.

CEGE contributed strongly to the College of Science and Engineering’s efforts toward sustainability research. CEGE researchers are bringing in over $35 million in funded research to study carbon mineralization, nature and urban areas, circularity of water resources, and global snowfall patterns. This news was highlighted in the Fall 2023 issue of  Inventing Tomorrow  (pages 10-11). https://issuu.com/inventingtomorrow/docs/fall_2023_inventing_tomorrow-web

CEGE’s new program for a one-year master’s degree in structural engineering is now accepting applicants for Fall 2024. We owe a big thanks to DAN MURPHY and LAURA AMUNDSON for their volunteer work to help curate the program with Professor JIA-LIANG LE and EBRAHIM SHEMSHADIAN, the program director. Potential students and companies interested in hosting a summer intern can contact Ebrahim Shemshadian ( [email protected] ).

BERNIE BULLERT , CEGE benefactor and MN Water Research Fund founder, was profiled on the website of the University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF). There you can read more about his mission to share clean water technologies with smaller communities in Minnesota. Many have joined Bullert in this mission. MWRF Recognizes their Generous 2024 Partners. Gold Partners: Bernie Bullert, Hawkins, Inc., Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and SL-serco. Silver Partners: ISG, Karl and Pam Streed, Kasco, Kelly Lange-Haider and Mark Haider, ME Simpson, Naeem Qureshi, Dr. Paul H. Boening, TKDA, and Waterous. Bronze Partners: Bruce R. Bullert; Brenda Lenz, Ph.D., APRN FNP-C, CNE; CDM Smith; Central States Water Environment Association (CSWEA MN); Heidi and Steve Hamilton; Jim “Bulldog” Sadler; Lisa and Del Cerney; Magney Construction; Sambatek; Shannon and John Wolkerstorfer; Stantec; and Tenon Systems.

After retiring from Baker-Tilly,  NICK DRAGISICH  (BCE 1977) has taken on a new role: City Council member in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. After earning his BCE from the University of Minnesota, Dragisich earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas. Dragisich retired in May from his position as managing director at Baker Tilly, where he had previously served as firm director. Prior to that, he served as assistant city manager in Spokane, Washington, was the city administrator and city engineer in Virginia, Minnesota, and was mayor of Chisholm, Minnesota—all adding up to more than 40 years of experience in local government. Dragisich was selected by a unanimous vote. His current term expires in December 2024.

PAUL F. GNIRK  (Ph.D. 1966) passed away January 29, 2024, at the age of 86. A memorial service was held Saturday, February 24, at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T), where he started and ended his teaching career, though he had many other positions, professional and voluntary. In 2018 Paul was inducted into the SDSM&T Hardrocker Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame, joining his mother Adeline S. Gnirk, who had been inducted in 1987 for her work authoring nine books on the history of south central South Dakota.

ROGER M. HILL  (BCE 1957) passed away on January 13, 2024, at the age of 90. His daughter, Kelly Robinson, wrote to CEGE that Roger was “a dedicated Gopher fan until the end, and we enjoyed many football games together in recent years. Thank you for everything.”

KAUSER JAHAN  (Ph.D. 1993, advised by Walter Maier), PE, is now a civil and environmental engineering professor and department head at Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering. Jahan was awarded a 3-year (2022- 2025), $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The grant supports her project, “WaterWorks: Developing the New Generation of Workforce for Water/Wastewater Utilities,” for the development of educational tools that will expose and prepare today’s students for careers in water and wastewater utilities.

SAURA JOST  (BCE 2010, advised by Timothy LaPara) was elected to the St. Paul City Council for Ward 3. She is part of the historic group of women that make up the nation’s first all-female city council in a large city.

The 2024 ASCE Western Great Lakes Student Symposium combines several competitions for students involved in ASCE. CEGE sent a large contingent of competitors to Chicago. Each of the competition groups won awards: Ethics Paper 1st place Hans Lagerquist; Sustainable Solutions team 1st place overall in (qualifying them for the National competition in Utah in June); GeoWall 2nd place overall; Men’s Sprint for Concrete Canoe with rowers Sakthi Sundaram Saravanan and Owen McDonald 2nd place; Product Prototype for Concrete Canoe 2nd place; Steel Bridge (200 lb bridge weight) 2nd place in lightness; Scavenger Hunt 3rd place; and Aesthetics and Structural Efficiency for Steel Bridge 4th place.

Students competing on the Minnesota Environmental Engineers, Scientists, and Enthusiasts (MEESE) team earned second place in the Conference on the Environment undergraduate student design competition in November 2023. Erin Surdo is the MEESE Faculty Adviser. Pictured are NIKO DESHPANDE, ANNA RETTLER, and SYDNEY OLSON.

The CEGE CLASS OF 2023 raised money to help reduce the financial barrier for fellow students taking the Fundamentals of Engineering exam, a cost of $175 per test taker. As a result of this gift, they were able to make the exam more affordable for 15 current CEGE seniors. CEGE students who take the FE exam pass the first time at a rate well above national averages, demonstrating that CEGE does a great job of teaching engineering fundamentals. In 2023, 46 of 50 students passed the challenging exam on the first try.

This winter break, four CEGE students joined 10 other students from the College of Science and Engineering for the global seminar, Design for Life: Water in Tanzania. The students visited numerous sites in Tanzania, collected water source samples, designed rural water systems, and went on safari. Read the trip blog: http://globalblogs.cse.umn.edu/search/label/Tanzania%202024

Undergraduate Honor Student  MALIK KHADAR  (advised by Dr. Paul Capel) received honorable mention for the Computing Research Association (CRA) Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award for undergraduate students who show outstanding research potential in an area of computing research.

GRADUATE STUDENTS

AKASH BHAT  (advised by William Arnold) presented his Ph.D. defense on Friday, October 27, 2023. Bhat’s thesis is “Photolysis of fluorochemicals: Tracking fluorine, use of UV-LEDs, and computational insights.” Bhat’s work investigating the degradation of fluorinated compounds will assist in the future design of fluorinated chemicals such that persistent and/or toxic byproducts are not formed in the environment.

ETHAN BOTMEN  (advised by Bill Arnold) completed his Master of Science Final Exam February 28, 2024. His research topic was Degradation of Fluorinated Compounds by Nucleophilic Attack of Organo-fluorine Functional Groups.

XIATING CHEN , Ph.D. Candidate in Water Resources Engineering at the Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory is the recipient of the 2023 Nels Nelson Memorial Fellowship Award. Chen (advised by Xue Feng) is researching eco-hydrological functions of urban trees and other green infrastructure at both the local and watershed scale, through combined field observations and modeling approaches.

ALICE PRATES BISSO DAMBROZ  has been a Visiting Student Researcher at the University of Minnesota since last August, on a Doctoral Dissertation Research Award from Fulbright. Her CEGE advisor is Dr. Paul Capel. Dambroz is a fourth year Ph.D. student in Soil Science at Universidade Federal de Santa Maria in Brazil, where she studies with her adviser Jean Minella. Her research focuses on the hydrological monitoring of a small agricultural watershed in Southern Brazil, which is located on a transition area between volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Its topography, shallow soils, and land use make it prone to runoff and erosion processes.

Yielding to people in crosswalks should be a very pedestrian topic. Yet graduate student researchers  TIANYI LI, JOSHUA KLAVINS, TE XU, NIAZ MAHMUD ZAFRI  (Dept.of Urban and Regional Planning at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), and Professor Raphael Stern found that drivers often do not yield to pedestrians, but they are influenced by the markings around a crosswalk. Their work was picked up by the  Minnesota Reformer.

TIANYI LI  (Ph.D. student advised by Raphael Stern) also won the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation (DDET) Fellowship for the third time! Li (center) and Stern (right) are pictured at the Federal Highway Administration with Latoya Jones, the program manager for the DDET Fellowship.

The Three Minute Thesis Contest and the Minnesota Nice trophy has become an annual tradition in CEGE. 2023’s winner was  EHSANUR RAHMAN , a Ph.D. student advised by Boya Xiong.

GUANJU (WILLIAM) WEI , a Ph.D. student advised by Judy Yang, is the recipient of the 2023 Heinz G. Stefan Fellowship. He presented his research entitled Microfluidic Investigation of the Biofilm Growth under Dynamic Fluid Environments and received his award at the St. Anthony Falls Research Laboratory April 9. The results of Wei's research can be used in industrial, medical, and scientific fields to control biofilm growth.

BILL ARNOLD  stars in an award-winning video about prairie potholes. The Prairie Potholes Project film was made with the University of Delaware and highlights Arnold’s NSF research. The official winners of the 2024 Environmental Communications Awards Competition Grand Prize are Jon Cox and Ben Hemmings who produced and directed the film. Graduate student Marcia Pacheco (CFANS/LAAS) and Bill Arnold are the on-screen stars.

Four faculty from CEGE join the Center for Transportation Studies Faculty and Research Scholars for FY24–25:  SEONGJIN CHOI, KETSON ROBERTO MAXIMIANO DOS SANTOS, PEDRAM MORTAZAVI,  and  BENJAMIN WORSFOLD . CTS Scholars are drawn from diverse fields including engineering, planning, computer science, environmental studies, and public policy.

XUE FENG  is coauthor on an article in  Nature Reviews Earth and Environment . The authors evaluate global plant responses to changing rainfall regimes that are now characterized by fewer and larger rainfall events. A news release written at Univ. of Maryland can be found here: https://webhost.essic. umd.edu/april-showers-bring-mayflowers- but-with-drizzles-or-downpours/ A long-running series of U of M research projects aimed at improving stormwater quality are beginning to see practical application by stormwater specialists from the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. JOHN GULLIVER has been studying best practices for stormwater management for about 16 years. Lately, he has focused specifically on mitigating phosphorous contamination. His research was highlighted by the Center for Transportation Studies.

JIAQI LI, BILL ARNOLD,  and  RAYMOND HOZALSKI  published a paper on N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors in Minnesota rivers. “Animal Feedlots and Domestic Wastewater Discharges are Likely Sources of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) Precursors in Midwestern Watersheds,” Environmental Science and Technology (January 2024) doi: 10.1021/acs. est.3c09251

ALIREZA KHANI  contributed to MnDOT research on Optimizing Charging Infrastructure for Electric Trucks. Electric options for medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks (e-trucks) are still largely in development. These trucks account for a substantial percentage of transportation greenhouse gas emissions. They have greater power needs and different charging needs than personal EVs. Proactively planning for e-truck charging stations will support MnDOT in helping to achieve the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals. This research was featured in the webinar “Electrification of the Freight System in Minnesota,” hosted by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Transportation Studies. A recording of the event is now available online.

MICHAEL LEVIN  has developed a unique course for CEGE students on Air Transportation Systems. It is the only class at UMN studying air transportation systems from an infrastructure design and management perspective. Spring 2024 saw the third offering of this course, which is offered for juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Research Professor  SOFIA (SONIA) MOGILEVSKAYA  has been developing international connections. She visited the University of Seville, Spain, November 13–26, 2023, where she taught a short course titled “Fundamentals of Homogenization in Composites.” She also met with the graduate students to discuss collaborative research with Prof. Vladislav Mantic, from the Group of Continuum Mechanics and Structural Analysis at the University of Seville. Her visit was a part of planned activities within the DIAGONAL Consortium funded by the European Commission. CEGE UMN is a partner organization within DIAGONAL, represented by CEGE professors Mogilevskaya and Joseph Labuz. Mantic will visit CEGE summer 2024 to follow up on research developments and discuss plans for future collaboration and organization of short-term exchange visits for the graduate students from each institution. 

DAVID NEWCOMB  passed away in March. He was a professor in CEGE from 1989–99 in the area of pavement engineering. Newcomb led the research program on asphalt materials characterization. He was the technical director of Mn/ROAD pavement research facility, and he started an enduring collaboration with MnDOT that continues today. In 2000, he moved from Minnesota to become vice-president for Research and Technology at the National Asphalt Pavement Association. Later he moved to his native Texas, where he was appointed to the division head of Materials and Pavement at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, a position from which he recently retired. He will be greatly missed.

PAIGE NOVAK  won Minnesota ASCE’s 2023 Distinguished Engineer of the Year Award for her contributions to society through her engineering achievements and professional experiences.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced ten inaugural (NSF) Regional Innovation Engines awards, with a potential $1.6 billion investment nationally over the next decade. Great Lakes ReNEW is led by the Chicago-based water innovation hub,  Current,  and includes a team from the University of Minnesota, including PAIGE NOVAK. Current will receive $15 mil for the first two years, and up to $160 million over ten years to develop and grow a water-focused innovation engine in the Great Lakes region. The project’s ambitious plan is to create a decarbonized circular “blue economy” to leverage the region’s extraordinary water resources to transform the upper Midwest—Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Brewing one pint of beer generates seven pints of wastewater, on average. So what can you do with that wastewater?  PAIGE NOVAK  and her team are exploring the possibilities of capturing pollutants in wastewater and using bacteria to transform them into energy.

BOYA XIONG  has been selected as a recipient of the 2024 40 Under 40 Recognition Program by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists. The award was presented at the 2024 AAEES Awards Ceremony, April 11, 2024, at the historic Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

JUDY Q. YANG  received a McKnight Land-Grant Professorship Award. This two-year award recognizes promising assistant professors and is intended to advance the careers of individuals who have the potential to make significant contributions to their departments and their scholarly fields. 

Professor Emeritus CHARLES FAIRHURST , his son CHARLES EDWARD FAIRHURST , and his daughter MARGARET FAIRHURST DURENBERGER were on campus recently to present Department Head Paige Novak with a check for $25,000 for the Charles Fairhurst Fellowship in Earth Resources Engineering in support of graduate students studying geomechanics. The life of Charles Fairhurst through a discussion with his children is featured on the Engineering and Technology History Wiki at https://ethw.org/Oral-History:Charles_Fairhurst#00:00:14_INTRODUCTION

Related news releases

• Matthew J. Huber Student Award
• Catherine French, NAE
• Climate Change for Engineers
• Focused on the Road Ahead
• Randal Barnes receives Horace T Morace Award
• Future undergraduate students
• Future transfer students
• Future graduate students
• Future international students
• Diversity and Inclusion Opportunities
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