Volpe Journal 30th Anniversary - A Special Edition
Winter 2001
 James C. Elms |
 Dr. Robert K. Whitford |
 Dr. James Costantino |
 Dr. Robert J. Ravera |
 Dr. Louis W. Roberts |
Dr. Richard R. John, Director
Dr. Richard R. John has been the Director of the Volpe Center since 1989. Dr. John joined the Volpe Center in 1970. During the course of his career at the Center, he initiated and led the early development of many of the Center's current world-class capabilities, and participated in early groundbreaking studies on the international competitiveness of the U.S. automobile industry. More recently, Dr. John has heightened awareness in the Department of Transportation and in the transportation community on the importance of bringing about technological innovation in shaping a transportation system that meets America's needs in the 21st century. He has successfully led the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in its ambitious mission of becoming a world-class federal center for facilitating transportation innovation. He is frequently called upon by federal, state, and local officials and by the diverse national and international transportation community for advice and counsel on complex transportation programs.
He received his undergraduate and graduate training in engineering physics and aeronautical engineering at Princeton University. He has published extensively in the fields of combustion, high-temperature gas flows, advanced space propulsion, and, most recently, industrial competitiveness.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has recognized Dr. John by bestowing upon him the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award (the federal government's highest civil award) twice, once in 1991 and again in 2001; the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive; and three Secretarial awards.