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Civil & Environmental Engineering
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Maseeh College of Engineering & Computer Science
Profile: Meet Professor Christopher Monsere
“PSU’s unique urban setting and the collaborative spirit of my colleagues in the transportation profession, both on campus and off, creates an environment that allows me to develop as a researcher and bring relevant case studies to the classroom.”
 Christopher M. Monsere, Ph.D., P.E., Research Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
When Dr. Christopher Monsere completed his Ph.D. in civil engineering at Iowa State University, he knew he wanted to pursue an academic career, but he also felt that having the practical application of working in industry would be good for his students and good for research. As Highway Safety Engineer at the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) from 2000 to 2004, his responsibilities included the identification of statewide high crash locations, developing and managing tools for the evaluation of safety projects, approving highway illumination, and technical evaluation of highway safety improvements. Dr. Monsere directed significant improvements in the highway safety program at ODOT and continues to serve on highway safety panels and task forces. Dr. Monsere is one of four key faculty members in the Center for Transportation Studies (CTS), which recently received $16 million in federal funding over the next six years for transportation research, education, and outreach programs, in collaboration with University of Oregon, Oregon State University, and Oregon Institute for Technology. His primary research interests are in the areas of highway safety, freight transportation, and traffic operations. Having worked closely with Dr. Robert Bertini, CTS Director, while at ODOT, Dr. Monsere’s transition to Portland State was a smooth one, and carried with it key collaborations with outside organizations. One of his current research projects is with the city of Portland’s Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership, identifying performance measures and how to best prioritize the City’s safety program. This project supports two graduate student assistants. Another project, funded by the Foundation for Air Medical Research and Evaluation, aims to study whether the presence (or lack of presence) of air ambulance services impacts the outcomes of severe injury crashes across the state. Dr. Monsere has strong student-centered focus, and works to provide his students opportunities to be involved in research, get involved with the profession, and support their career development. Incorporating real examples in his class projects is a theme of most of his courses - “My students have helped study high-crash locations in Portland and Beaverton, done preliminary design of sections of the Fanno Creek Trail, and studied the feasibility of a Willamette River passenger ferry system. The students really enjoy these projects and they learn so much!” Dr. Monsere is active with the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and was the recipient of the ITE Oregon Section 2005 Outstanding Individual Achievement Award for his contributions to transportation education, research, and practice in the state of Oregon. He is also the advisor for PSU’s ITE student chapter – Students in Transportation Engineering and Planning (STEP). In his free time, Dr. Monsere enjoys playing hockey (he grew up in Detroit, Michigan!), playing soccer, and backpacking. Contact Information
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
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