Ferenchak named APBP 2025 Research Professional of the Year
October 1, 2025
The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) Awards honor individuals who have demonstrated excellence, leadership, and innovation in the bicycle and pedestrian profession, as well as APBP chapters that have significantly contributed to the organization by fostering local engagement, professional growth, and visibility.
The 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award, four Professional of the Year Awards, and one Chapter Award were presented during the final day of APBP’s 2025 Virtual Summit: A Path to Progress, Sept. 25 - 26, 2025. Their acceptance videos can be viewed by visiting APBP's Annual Awards page.
The APBP Professional of the Year Awards recognize the achievements of pedestrian and bicycle professionals made in the last 12 months in the private, public, nonprofit and research sectors.
- 2025 Professional of the Year – Research: Nick Ferenchak, Associate Professor at The University of New Mexico, has a deep passion for traffic safety, particularly pedestrian and bicyclist safety, which he has championed through his research, outreach, mentorship, and leadership. Nick has authored more than 35 peer-reviewed research publications to date, with a remarkable h-index of 17 and over 860 citations. Many of these projects are either led by him or developed in collaboration with other leading safety researchers, and notably, with undergraduate students. His commitment to engaging undergrads in research is rare and truly commendable, and it has made a profound impact on the student community at The University of New Mexico (UNM). In June 2023, Nick achieved a significant milestone in his career by securing and leading a Tier-1 University Transportation Center (UTC) dedicated exclusively to pedestrian and bicyclist safety—the first of its kind. Through this work, he has not only advanced the field in substantial ways but also enabled a culture of collaboration, innovation, and academic excellence. Nick continues to promote process improvements, create new educational programs and lead efforts to secure additional external funding, ensuring the center’s success and relevance. His achievements throughout his career reflect his commitment to advancing pedestrian and bicyclist safety, mentoring the next generation of professionals and researchers, and promoting justice and equity in our field.
Read more about the APBP’s 2025 award recipients on the organization’s website.
