Dr. John M. Mason, Jr., P.E., was the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Research and Outreach in the College of Engineering at Penn State University. He was a Professor of Civil Engineering and has served as the Director of the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute and the Director for the Mid-Atlantic University Transportation Center. His background consists of teaching, research, private practice and administrative responsibilities.

Dr. Mason has also served as chair of the Geometric Design Committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) of the National Academies; the executive committee, Highway Division, American Society of Civil Engineers; the Education and Training Committee of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America; several technical committees of the international Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), past-president of the national Council of University Transportation Centers, and past-president of the Educational Division of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association.

He is the immediate past-chair of the Policy Subcommittee of the TRB Task Force for the Development of the Highway Safety Manual. In 2003, he was appointed to TRB Committee A4002 “Tort Liability and Risk Management” and to the TRB Project Committee, 20-05: NCHRP “Synthesis of Information Related to Highway Practices.” Most recently, Dr. Mason has completed the NCHRP Synthesis Report #316 - Design Exception Practices that summarizes policy and procedures used by state transportation agencies in preparing, reviewing and approving roadways design criteria exceptions. He is currently serving as the Senior Editor for the ITE Handbook series on Geometric Design that integrates safety and operational effects with the geometric design features of rural highways, urban arterials and freeway/interchange facilities.

Dr. Mason holds a B.S. degree in Transportation from Penn State University, an M.S. in Transportation Engineering from Villanova University, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Texas A & M University. He is also a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania.