Staff Promotions

NCAT has strengthened its team through several staff promotions to enhance its research, training and technical services capabilities aimed at advancing asphalt pavement technologies. Key personnel changes include the following:

Jason Nelson has been appointed to test track manager. He will support Assistant Director Buzz Powell and have the primary responsibility for day-to-day operations and safety at the NCAT Test Track. Nelson has been a member of NCAT’s team for the past 11 years. He earned his bachelors and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Auburn University.

Nam Tran has been promoted to assistant director. He will be primarily responsible for leading research and outreach programs, developing proposals and fostering client relationships while guiding the definition and demonstration of NCAT’s vision. Tran joined the NCAT team in 2007. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas in 2005 and recently completed his master’s in business administration from Auburn.

Fan Yin has been appointed to assistant research professor. He will lead NCAT’s research efforts in Balanced Mix Design and porous asphalt pavements. Yin received his master’s degree and doctorate from Texas A&M University and worked as a graduate research assistant and postdoctoral researcher at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute before joining NCAT as a postdoctoral researcher in 2016.