What is AREMA?

The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) is a professional association formed on October 1, 1997, when four railway engineering organizations merged into one. These predecessor organizations, each having over 100 years of service to the rail industry, provide a rich history and exemplary legacy in which AREMA has its roots. AREMA's Mission is "The development and advancement of both technical and practical knowledge and recommended practices pertaining to the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure."

UIUC AREMA Student Chapter

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign formed a student chapter of AREMA in the Fall of 2008. The goal of this chapter is to expose students to railroad engineering education and the railway industry in order to foster the development of leaders in railroad engineering in North America and throughout the world.

Benefits for Students

•  GREAT EXPOSURE TO RAIL INDUSTRY

•  INCREDIBLE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES*

•  TWO FREE RAILROAD MAGAZINES SUBSCRIPTIONS

•  NO DUES FOR FIRST YEAR

•  EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HANDS-ON EDUCATION

*The railroad industry is now entering a golden age of business and productivity and within the next decade a large percentage of railroad employees will be retiring. Employers across the industry are clamoring for college graduates to fill these positions and once hired there will be immediate opportunities for early advancement.

Student Membership

• Membership is open to all students who have taken or are currently taking engineering courses
• The membership fee is $10 per year
• Membership fees cover the cost of food at chapter meetings and social events as well as publicity costs for flyers, t-shirts, and Quad Day / E-night materials
• Only paid members may attend field trips and conferences

Up-Coming Events

• Happy Hour at Legends from 4:30-6pm every other Friday (9/11, 9/25, 10/9, 10/23, 11/6, 11/20, 12/4, 12/18)
  
• September 2, 2009 - 1st General Meeting for Fall 09. We discussed last year's achievements and this year's goals and signed up for the AREMA Annual Conference. Preparations have begun - contact your committee head if you would like to help with the planning!
• September 20-23, 2009 - AREMA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL. We will have a social event Sunday evening in Chicago, attend the conference and the "Meet the Next Generation" panel discussion & networking session on Monday, and attend the world-class technical sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rental vehicles will be leaving for Chicago on Sunday and returning on either Tuesday or Wednesday evening. Contact us < aremauiuc at gmail.comt> if you would like to attend. The cost for transportation and lodging will be $10 for student chapter members.

Past Events

• August 31, 2009 - We participated in our first E-Night on the Bardeen Quad. This was the engineer's version of Quad Day, hosted by Engineering Council. We broke out the PPE again met many engineering students interested in the railroad industry. Thanks to EC for providing the pizza!
• August 23, 2009 - We participated in our first Quad Day at the U of I. Fully clad with the appropriate PPE, we met many new students and had a great time!
• April 17-19, 2009 - Several chapter members will be traveling to Memphis, TN to visit two railroad capital expansion projects being undertaken by CN and BNSF. This will be a great opportunity to get out into the field to see real-life civil engineering at its best. Don't forget to swing by Graceland on the way!
  
• April 22, 2009 - 2nd General Meeting for Spring 2009 - 5-6pm. We'll hear updates from the Memphis trip and announce plans for the Monticello Workday and our End of Semester Event. Our committees will regroup and begin making plans for next school year... It's time to start planning for Quad Day and the Annual AREMA Conference on September 20-23, 2009.
  
• April 25, 2009 - Monticello Railway Museum Workday. Lace up your boots and roll up your sleeves for a fun day of good old fashioned track work. Typical of any hardworking railroader, we'll start up early in the morning. Be ready to leave Newmark Civil Engineering lab at 8:30am.
• March 13-14, 2009 - Participated in Engineering Open House Railroad Extravaganza. Student members designed and built a hands-on, interactive Intermodal Transportation game to teach students (young and old) about how intermodal containers are transported from sea to land within different transportation modes. Our members contributed to helping the Department of CEE win the Spirit of Illini Engineering Award ( http://eoh.ec.uiuc.edu/ ). Click HERE to see photos of the Railroad Extravaganza.
  
• February 18, 2009 - 1st General Meeting for Spring 2009. We formed committees as outlined in the document shown HERE  and began work to plan involvement in EOH, develop a fundraising plan, brainstorm field trip ideas and social events, and begin developing an industry relations plan.
  
• December 10, 2008 - END OF SEMESTER DINNER AT ZA'S (on Green Street). This was a great opportunity to meet other AREMA student chapter members, help brainstorm possible field trips / speaker topics for 2009, meet the executive board, and enjoy some pizza and pasta!
  
• November 24, 2008 - The AREMA Student Chapter visited Fort Madison , IA to watch rail grinding equipment on the BNSF Trans-Con. Click HERE to view pictures.

Sponsors

The AREMA Student Chapter at UIUC thanks its sponsors for their support.  By supporting our Student Chapter with your time and resources, you have made it possible for future railroad engineers to attend the AREMA Annual Conference and go on field trips to sites of railroad construction, maintenance, and operation.

University Sponsors
	University of Illinois Student Organization Resource Fee
2009 Corporate Sponsors
2009 Individual Sponsors
Tony Comella - Hanson Profesisonal Services
Kevin Day - CN

If you would like to become involved in the AREMA Student Chapter at UIUC by becoming a sponsor, hosting a field trip, or speaking at a Student Chapter meeting, please download our Donation Form and contact John Zeman at jzeman2@illinois.edu.

Contact Information

President: Bryan Schlake <schlake at illinois.edu >
Treasurer: Xiang Liu <liu94 at illinois.edu >
AREMA Committee 24 Liaison: John Zeman <jzeman2 at illinois.edu >
Vice President: Liz Carrington <ecarrin2 at illinois.edu >
Secretary: Michael Wnek  <mwnek2 at illinois.edu >
Staff Advisor: Riley Edwards <jedward2 at illinois.edu >

Email Michael Wnek or Liz Carrington to be added to the AREMA Student Chapter e-mail list.

Click HERE for AREMA Student Member Application.