Virginia Tech graduate, May Mobility research and policy leader to speak at D.C. area commencement
Nicole DuPuis, a 2018 graduate of Virginia Tech's School of Public and International Affairs, will deliver this spring’s greater Washington, D.C., metro area commencement address to more than 150 graduates and their friends and family on Sunday, May 12.
DuPuis currently serves as the policy and advocacy lead for May Mobility, an autonomous vehicle company that focuses on accessible and shared rides. Over the course of her career, her work and research has focused on the role technology plays in various facets of life, including mobility and travel behavior, professional and industrial shifts, and policy-making and governance tendencies.
Her areas of expertise and interest include automation and autonomous vehicles, connected infrastructure, transportation, telecommunications, smart city applications, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. She has published articles in both peer-reviewed and policy-oriented outlets and authored numerous research reports on these and other topics.
“We are delighted that DuPuis will join us to share her educational and professional journey with our graduating students as a testament to there being no one 'right' path and remind them that staying open to a wide variety of possibilities will result in a rich and fulfilling career,” said Barbara Hoopes, interim associate dean of the Graduate School in the Washington, D.C., area.
This year’s graduating class will include 58 students in the D.C. area affiliated with the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus who will earn master's degrees in computer science and computer engineering.
Student speakers will include Patricia Grace '22, who will receive a master’s degree in urban and regional planning with certificates in natural resources and economic development, and Cameron Simmons '21, who will receive his dual MBA-Master of Information Technology.
The D.C. area ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax and will be livestreamed and available to watch on demand. More information and details on the D.C. area commencement ceremony can be found at dcarea.vt.edu/commencement.
