Stephen F. Austin State Department of Kinesiology and Science Department Professor DawnElla Rust has been appointed by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) as a member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Members of the TxDOT Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) are selected from all areas of the state and represent a cross section of people with various backgrounds. The committee is made up of 11 individuals who serve 3 year terms.
As a public health educator, Rust’s passion for being healthy and her expertise regarding bicycling makes her ideal for this position as the committee’s objective is to advance the consideration of bicycling as part of transportation planning and construction.
Rust is an avid biker in her personal time and also brings this passion into the classroom as she teaches students how to develop bicycle friendly communities. She has been instrumental in securing funding for service learning grants to facilitate more biking by students in the community and in 2008 secured a grant which extended a multi-use trail in Nacogdoches from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“I believe the creation of transportation infrastructure that includes bicycles is a public health issue,” Rust said. “I can provide knowledgeable advice to TxDOT and the Texas Transportation Committee as they consider bicycle issues in developing policies and activities affecting bicycle use.”
Rust’s knowledge and support of bicycling has been recognized by TxDOT as only candidates who are knowledgeable about bicycle accommodations and about transportation and transportation funding are selected.
This appointment is not a paid position but members are asked to travel at their own expense to meet in Austin quarterly.
