NURail CoE Director, Dr. Christopher P.L. Barkan, was the 2026 recipient of the Worth Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Worth Award is given to someone who has made a lasting impact on operations, practices, and/or safety in the railway industry over their career and has shared their experience and knowledge with the industry. It is named for Art Worth, the former Manager of Standards and Senior Manager of Advanced Technology at Canadian National. Wheel Rail Seminars, which established the Worth Award, presented this honor to Dr. Barkan and recognized his lasting impact of bridging the gap between academia and the private sector through applied research that addresses real-world railroad challenges with vision and practical timing. As a dedicated mentor, he oversees graduate research with an emphasis on professional standards, ensuring a new generation of engineers is prepared to advance the industry through a comprehensive systems-based approach.
This award is presented annually at the Wheel Rail Interaction (WRI) conference which was held this year on 22-24 April 2026 in Dallas, TX. NURail CoE was a Presenting Sponsor for the Principles Course on the first day of the conference and J. Riley Edwards, NURail COE Senior Associate Director, presented Session 1: Track Structures and Components of the Principles Course.
