WWU students study freight traffic at border

Western Washington University’s Border Policy Research Institute is involved in a two-year project researching the movement of freight across the U.S.-Canada border at the Sumas, Lynden and Blaine truck crossings.

The project with the Whatcom Council of Governments involves Western students documenting and analyzing the number and types of freight vehicles crossing the border. The data will help with planning at the border crossings, and help develop ways to expedite freight traffic across the border.

NWIC, WWU boost geosciences

Northwest Indian College and Western Washington University have won a five-year, $1.65 million federal grant to increase the number of Native Americans studying the geosciences in graduate school, and to provide a direct bridge between NWIC and Western’s Huxley College of the Environment. Key parts of the plan include hiring more geoscience faculty at both schools, developing a new organic chemistry curriculum at NWIC, and creating a Salish Sea seminar series that will rotate between the schools.

WCC wins cybersecurity grants

Whatcom Community College received two federal grants totaling $6.4 million that recognize Whatcom’s nationwide leadership in cybersecurity. One grant provides three years of funding to establish a national network of community colleges that will prepare qualified students to continue their cybersecurity education at a four-year school. The second grant provides three more years of funding for the regional cybersecurity education consortium led by WCC, with efforts to involve more women and veterans in the program.

WWU joins Peace Corps program

Western Washington University has been selected to participate in a new Peace Corps Prep Program that, with undergraduate coursework and community service opportunities, prepares students to work in international development. Each school designs its program to align with the Peace Corps’ approach.

A typical Peace Corps Prep Program consists of two years of coursework with a focus on international development, internship or volunteer experience related to Peace Corps’ project areas, and foreign-language study. After students complete the program, they gain knowledge and experience to make them more competitive Peace Corps applicants.

This story was originally published November 16, 2015 at 6:04 AM with the headline "WWU students study freight traffic at border."