MACON, Ga. — Mercer University’s Riley Lazansky, EGR ’28, was selected by Women in Transportation (WTS) as the winner of the Sharon D. Banks Memorial Scholarship Award. The $5,000 scholarship is awarded to students who have demonstrated an interest in transportation engineering through their major or research.
Lazansky, from Johns Creek, is a civil engineering major. She said the scholarship will help her continue her education and, ultimately, pursue a career where she can use engineering to serve communities and improve the infrastructure people rely on every day.
“As someone pursuing engineering with a desire to serve others through infrastructure and transportation, I am especially grateful to receive an award from an organization so committed to supporting women in the transportation industry,” said Lazansky.
Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering Eazaz Sadeghvaziri, Ph.D., mentors Lazansky in her research and recommended her for the scholarship, describing her as “an exceptionally hardworking, thoughtful and grounded student whose academic ability is matched by a sincere desire to use engineering to serve others.”
Under Sadeghvaziri’s supervision, Lazansky has contributed to two transportation research projects focusing on Geographic Artificial Intelligence and Connected and Automated Vehicle deployment. Her research contributions have resulted in two co-authored papers accepted for presentation at the 2027 Transportation Research Board annual meeting in Washington, D.C., and the 2027 American Society of Civil Engineers conference in Philadelphia. Beyond her own research accomplishments, Lazansky has taken on a leadership role by mentoring two new undergraduate research assistants under Sadeghvaziri’s guidance. One is investigating pedestrian fatality locations using artificial intelligence, while the other is conducting research in engineering education.
She has participated in multiple service trips to Costa Rica, the Navajo Nation and Mexico, where she encountered communities facing significant infrastructure and resource challenges.
“Her experiences have given her a grounded understanding of the responsibility engineers carry when designing and improving the infrastructure upon which communities depend,” said Sadeghvaziri.
“I am drawn to engineering because I love seeing an idea develop into something tangible that can positively impact people’s daily lives,” Lazansky said. “I look forward to contributing to projects from design through completion and seeing how the work I do can strengthen infrastructure, improve communities and serve others.”
At Mercer, Lazansky is a member of the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, the Mercer chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Phi Eta Sigma honor society. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in civil engineering, with interests in transportation and structural engineering.
About Women in Transportation
WTS fosters the development of women in the transportation field by encouraging bright new professionals to undertake careers in the area of transportation. One way it does this is by awarding the WTS Sharon D. Banks Memorial Scholarship to women pursuing undergraduate studies in transportation or a related field. The scholarship honors Sharon D. Banks, chief executive officer of AC Transit in Alameda-Contra Costa County, California. As its CEO throughout most of the 1990s, Banks led the agency in a pioneering effort to introduce cultural and organizational changes aimed at motivating the public transit workforce. She was a member of the WTS Advisory Board and received the WTS San Francisco Chapter Woman of the Year and Employer of the Year awards.
