Clawson at the White House in early June.

Clawson shares details on AASHTO fellowship

It's been several months since District 2 Materials Engineer Chad Clawson journeyed from Genesee to the nation's capital to begin a year-long AASHTO fellowship in transportation management, and so far, Clawson said it has been a whirlwind of activity.

Already his service on various committees—materials and pavements, bridge, traffic, maintenance and innovation—has taken him to meetings in Denver, Phoenix, Nashville and Vermont. More trips to Atlanta, Cincinnati and Spokane are scheduled as well.

Despite his travels away from the capital, Clawson said he has had time to visit several national monuments and even cheered on the Washington Capitals as they won the Stanley Cup.

During his time in D.C., Clawson has run into familiar faces, including Director Ness, Chief Deputy Scott Stokes, and Chief Administrative Officer Char McArthur.

While supporting annual business meetings of numerous committees, Clawson’s perspective of the organization and its connections to state transportation departments has evolved.

“It’s much bigger than I ever thought,” he said.  

His fellowship has placed him at the forefront of hot topics in transportation, including autonomous vehicles. Just last week, Clawson received a preview of how some states are preparing for their use by observing a striping demonstration.
A driverless truck, controlled by LIDAR and other sensors, served as a mobile attenuator by pacing a striping truck as it laid down fresh paint. According to Clawson, some striping operations in Colorado will start testing this configuration.

This demonstration is just one of the many exciting opportunities available to Clawson before he returns next April.
“I'm having fun,” Clawson said. “I'm learning a lot and am trying to be a good representative for Idaho.” 

Published 07-06-18