January ’26 Industry and Innovation Highlights

Theme for 2026: Convene | Connect | Collaborate

In 2026, ASPIRE’s Innovation efforts are guided by a simple principle — Connect, Convene, Collaborate — bringing the right people together at the right time to turn shared challenges into coordinated action, accelerated learning, and real-world progress.

What is the Innovation Ecosystem?

ASPIRE’s Innovation Ecosystem is a coordinated network connecting research, industry, government, and communities — aligning talent, testbeds, data, and decision-makers to move electrified transportation solutions from concept to real-world deployment.

Members Highlights

​ASPIRE’s Industry and Innovation Board (IIB) comprises members who contribute their expertise and resources to collaboratively advance the center’s mission of developing self-sufficient and electrified transportation solutions.

ASPIRE Agency Discussion Group

The ASPIRE Agency Discussion Group includes 5 DOTs and 3 Tollways that have been meeting once every other month throughout 2025.

We’re excited to formally introduce the working group and to collaborate together through 2026!

Highlights from Transportation Research Board (TRB) 2026

At the Transportation Research Board (TRB) 2026 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. (January 11–15), ASPIRE’s Director of Innovation Don Linford engaged with leaders from academia, industry, state DOTs, and federal agencies during the world’s largest transportation research conference, which featured more than 4,000 presentations and workshops.

Throughout the week, Don held targeted meetings with current and prospective ASPIRE partners — including the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), multiple state DOTs, national research centers, and industry leaders — to advance collaborations in electrified infrastructure, materials, resilience, and workforce development. Conversations consistently underscored strong support for the creation of the ASPIRE Foundation and its focus on U.S. global competitiveness, economic security, and energy resilience as the Center transitions beyond its NSF ERC phase.

Key outcomes from TRB included progress toward new international and domestic research collaborations, growing alignment with FHWA and state-led electrification programs, and follow-up actions to position ASPIRE technologies within national materials validation and agency adoption pathways. Collectively, the meetings reinforced ASPIRE’s role as a convener and catalyst at the intersection of research, deployment, and policy — and highlighted the importance of the ASPIRE Foundation in sustaining and expanding this ecosystem moving forward.

This was also an excellent for students and faculty, like those from Utah State University, Purdue University, University of Texas at El Paso, and beyond, who were able to present their research and make meaningful connections.