KU Engineering students win Traffic Bowl Competition

LAWRENCE — The KU-Institute of Transportation Engineers (KU-ITE) traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, in April to compete in the 2025 Missouri Valley District Institute of Transportation Engineers (MOVITE) Traffic Bowl Competition, where they took home first place. 

University of Kansas students Mahgam Tabatabaei, doctoral candidate in civil engineering from Karaj, Iran; Moses Azu, graduate in civil engineering from Cape Coast, Ghana; John Devore, junior in civil engineering from Wichita; and Aayush Karki, graduate in civil engineering from Sunsari, Nepal, served as representatives from the student group.

“Being part of KU-ITE as secretary and treasurer has been a rewarding experience,” Karki said. “It’s been an incredible journey, and winning the competition was surreal. I’m proud to represent KU and MOVITE at the 2025 ITE Collegiate Traffic Bowl this August.”

The 2025 MOVITE Traffic Bowl Competition hosts teams from the Missouri Valley District of ITE chapters. Teams from Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma all competed for a chance to represent their team at the national competition later this year. Now district champions, the KU-ITE team will travel to Orlando in August to compete against the remaining 10 district winners from the U.S. and Canada at the ITE International Conference.

“My involvement with KU-ITE has been filled with engaging events and valuable conference experiences,” Tabatabaei said. “Now, while other students are preparing for finals and summer break, we’re working on the final round. We are so honored to represent the MOVITE district at the ITE International Conference in August.”

During the MOVITE Traffic Bowl Competition, the KU-ITE team answered questions from a broad range of transportation-related topics, including traffic operations, planning, roadway design, engineering policies and more in a "Jeopardy"-style quiz. Preparing for the competition involved an in-depth review of ITE references. As a team, the KU-ITE representatives practiced with mock questions in a challenging experience that strengthened both technical knowledge and teamwork.

“I haven’t been a part of KU-ITE for long, but I have had a great time,” Deovore said. “Everyone is so welcoming and willing to help you get involved. With the competition over, I feel a lot of relief, but I am focusing all my attention on preparing for Orlando in the fall.”

Poster research award

Additionally, Tabatabaei received an award for the second year in a row during the annual MOVITE poster competition. In 2024, she took home first place for her research on driver behavior adjacent to shared lanes such as HOV lanes. This year, she took home second for her poster on defining different clusters of congested traffic conditions to classify density values.

“Being involved in KU-ITE has provided other fantastic opportunities for me, such as participating in the annual MOVITE poster competition,” Tabatabaei said. “I’m very honored to have received an award for two consecutive years.”

About ITE

The Institute of Transportation Engineers is an international educational and scientific association of transportation professionals who are responsible for meeting mobility and safety needs. ITE facilitates the application of technology and scientific principles to research, planning, functional design, implementation, operation, policy development and management for any mode of ground transportation. Through its products and services, ITE promotes professional development of its members, supports and encourages education, stimulates research, develops public awareness programs and serves as a conduit for the exchange of professional information.