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Volpe Center Highlights - April 1999

Human and Natural Environment

Director's Notes | Focus | Safety | Mobility | Human and Natural Environment |
Economic Growth and Trade | National Security | Published and Presented

Protect and enhance communities and the natural environment affected by transportation.

Volpe Center Hosts Human Resource Forum

As we move into the 21st Century, human resource (HR) practices need to take into account the changing nature of work and the new relationship between government and its employees. The key is developing HR practices that find common ground between the overall strategies and the needs and interests of the individual employees. Responding to these challenges, the Volpe Center, Boston area federal managers, and human resource professionals participated in the Office of Personal Management's (OPM) Human Resources Forum for Managers and Human Resources Specialists. Dr. Richard John, Volpe Center Director, welcomed the OPM delegation and spoke about some of the personnel management issues facing the center and the rest of the federal government as it enters the 21st century. Ms. Elisabeth Gordon, Chief of the Human Resources Management Division and President of the New England Federal Personnel Council, hosted the quarterly meeting in conjunction with the Greater Boston Federal Executive Board. Ms. Janice Lachance, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in Washington, DC, and her entire management team all attended the Forum. The distinguished panel represented OPM's leaders on current and federal workforce policy, giving the 85 plus participants a unique opportunity to raise issues with top HR decision-makers. Topics covered included improved classification/pay systems, enhanced performance management systems, flexible hiring and promotion policies, alternative personnel systems/demo projects, retirement and benefit policies, and the senior executive service. Following the forum, Dr. John escorted Ms. Lachance to the Operations Center to view two Volpe project demonstrations. Ms. Linda Whitehead, of the Surveillance and Sensors Commission Division, presented a demonstration of the Enhanced Traffic Management System, and Mr. Kam Chin, of the Automation Applications Concepts Division, showed the Center's activities on the Panama Canal project.

Deputy Secretary Briefed on Volpe Center's Current Status and Direction

During a recent visit to the Volpe Center, Dr. Richard John hosted Deputy Secretary of Transportation Mortimer Downey in a review of the Center's current status and direction that included discussions on Volpe's changing work content, workforce requirements, and benchmarking. Other participants included Ms. Marylou Batt, Mr. Downey's Special Assistant, Mr. Michael Sheehan, Volpe's NAGE chapter president, and Ms. Marilyn Mullane, Chief of the Management Systems Division. Ms. Mullane's presentation to the Deputy Secretary focused on the Center's second self-assessment using the President's Quality Award Program criteria and the lessons learned by the Volpe Center as a participant in the Office of the Secretary of Transportation's Benchmarking Study of private and public sector use of Baldrige-like criteria and self-assessments. The self-assessment presentation identified that, relative to others in the Department using the same criteria, Volpe is on par with other labs (Turner Fairbanks, FAA Technical Center) participating in the study. Additionally, Dr. Frank Hassler, Director of the Office of Strategic Programs and Resource Planning, briefed the Deputy Secretary on the status of Volpe's workforce planning (a DOT pilot project), as part of the DOT Strategic Plan's Human Resources Management strategy.

Volpe Staff to Participate in Environmental Superconference (USPS)

Mr. David Lev, Director of the Office of Environmental Preservation and Systems Modernization, and Mr. Paul Bushueff, Chief of the Automation Technology Division, traveled to Washington to attend the 3-day "Environmental Superconference." The Superconference is the leading national environmental conference designed to forge environmental solutions for the next century between government and industry. Mr. Lev co-chaired a session, and Mr. Bushueff served on a panel entitled Combining Agencies' Resources To Meet Environmental Compliance. Their attendance was part of the ongoing Volpe support for the USPS and other federal Agencies that Volpe is assisting in their development of environmental management systems.

Computer Donation Program

Ms. Lynn Murray recently addressed over 260 attendees of the annual Cambridge Chamber of Commerce banquet on the Computer Donation Program. This program, developed by the Chamber's Community Outreach Committee, utilizes the Chamber as the conduit for Cambridge businesses to donate computer equipment and furniture to the Cambridge Public School system and non-profit organizations. Thus far, over 100 pieces of equipment have been donated, reaching both the high school and a number of the elementary schools. In addition to business representatives, Congressman Michael Capuano, Cambridge Mayor Frank Duehay, and a number of Cambridge City Councilors also attended the event. In a related event, Dr. John, Ms. Murray, and Mr. Philip Coonley, Director of the Office of Administrative Services, attended a reception at the Harvard Faculty Club in honor of Cambridge School Volunteers. Mayor Duhey and Superintendent of Schools Bobbie D'Alessandro also attended.

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