Popular Tags:

Educational Opportunity: PhD Candidate for “Perception Based Modeling” – Austrian Institute of Technology, Austria

March 10, 2014 at 5:05 pm

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, the Austrian research institute with European format which focuses on the key infrastructure issues of the future, is looking to strengthen its team in the Department Mobility with the immediate appointment of a PhD Thesis “Perception Based Modeling”

 Job profile:

Over the past years, the “Dynamic Transportation Systems” group within the AIT´s Mobility Department has carried out extensive research in the field of modeling and simulation of human and crowd behavior. The increasing availability of large data sets originating from a broad variety of novel sensor technologies enables to investigate new ways for closing the gap between individual decisions based on context-related perception and the integration of this individual knowledge into mobility simulations. The ultimate goal is to integrate perceptual models with the simulation of movement behavior in train stations, airports and dense urban areas (including shopping areas) in order to optimize mobility flows according to different criteria.

We are seeking an exceptional PhD candidate to fill a sponsored research position involving the development of novel methods to capture and process human perception data as well as to integrate human perception information into mobility simulation tools.

This PhD project will be part of the research collaboration between the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that aspires to advance the state-of-the-art of integrating perception data into simulation models.

Qualifications:

  • Passion for finding creative solutions for bridging the gap between the natural and social sciences
  • Outstanding master´s degree and proven experience in either computer science, software engineering, applied mathematics or sociology, environmental psychology, transportation research with a strong interest in exploring the synergies between engineering and psychology
  • Candidates should have strong, proven knowledge in some of the following areas:
    • Data management (e.g. database systems)
    • Pattern Recognition
    • Mathematical modeling and computer simulation in the field of transportation
    • Good programming skills in Matlab and/or Java
    • Behavior research (e.g. neuroscience, psychology, social science, gaming, or human computer interaction)
  • High motivation for research and capability of working in an autonomous way
  • Excellent communication skills in English, both written and oral form

Offer:

  • Begin: Immediately
  • Duration: 3 years

Place of employment: Vienna, Austria; research visits at the MIT

We are pleased to invite interested persons who wish to contribute their knowledge, their network and their ideas to the field of applied research. Please attach meaningful application documents, including certificates and photos.

Mrs. Maria Leonhard-Maurer, MSc
Head of Human Resources
2444 Seibersdorf
Tel.: +43(0) 50550 – 2032
maria.leonhard-maurer@ait.ac.at

click here to apply and to learn more about AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH
Donau-City-Straße 1 | 1220 Wien, Austria | T +43 (0) 50550-0 | F +43 (0) 50550-2201, office@ait.ac.at | www.ait.ac.at, T +43 (0) 505 50, F +43 (0) 505 50-2201, www.arcs.ac.at

Enhanced by Zemanta

Job Alert: Transportation Analyst – Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission @ Washington, DC

March 6, 2014 at 5:06 pm

The Northeast Corridor Commission

Congress created the Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission (Commission) to help coordinate planning and investment across all owners of and operators on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) railroad network, including Amtrak, states, commuter railroads, and freight railroads. The Commission is comprised of representatives from each of the NEC states, Amtrak, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), with non-voting representatives from freight railroads and states with connecting corridors. The Commission is supported by a full-time staff in Washington, DC. The Commission is accepting applications for a Transportation Analyst position located in Washington, DC.

English: Category:Images of railway stations

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Summary of Duties

Specific responsibilities will consist of policy research and writing, transportation planning and analysis, analysis of financial and operational data related to the allocation of operating and capital costs in the NEC, development of Commission products and materials, website content development and other tasks as assigned. The position will cover activities both technical and administrative in nature:

  • Assist in the development of Commission reports and presentations through data analysis and the development of written material. Work will frequently involve making technical information accessible for non-technical audiences.
  • Assist in the coordination of the Commission’s many stakeholders, including Amtrak, the U.S. DOT, the Northeast states and state DOTs, commuter rail agencies, freight railroads, and others. Work will frequently involve coordinating assistance provided by staff at various stakeholder agencies.
  • Support the organization and delivery of quarterly Commission meetings and periodic committee meetings including the management of pre-meeting logistics, the development of meeting materials, and the preparation of meeting minutes.
  • Assist in the analysis of financial and operational data in support of the Commission’s role in supporting cost allocation in the Northeast Corridor.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Transportation, Public Policy, Urban and Regional Planning, Economics, Business, or related field.
  • One to two years of work experience with some direct experience in the field of transportation. Masters degree may substitute for work experience.
  • Strong quantitative and analytical skills.
  • Interest in transportation issues.
  • Ability to multi-task effectively while remaining flexible in a fast-paced environment and work collaboratively with staff at all levels while successfully challenging conventional practices and incorporating new approaches.
  • Demonstrated skill in Microsoft Office tools, including Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

Contact

For information on applying, contact Donnie Maley, Director, Planning: dmaley@nec-commission.com.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Infographic: The Truth About Idling A Vehicle – 3.8 Million Gallons of Fuel Wasted by Idling in the U.S. EVERY DAY!

March 6, 2014 at 5:03 pm

Sustainable America via Upworthy

Oh, boy.  What looks like a seemingly insignificant activity – vehicle idling – has a major impact on our economy and on our planet’s well being.  Check out this informative infograph from Sustainable America that shows the gargantuan impacts of vehicle idling in the USA, both  economic and environmental.  If the US alone is wasting so much fuel and adding to the carbon footprint, I can’t even begin to fathom what’s happening if this issue is scaled up at a global level. Adoption of EVs can quickly put an end to this issue and should be considered as part of energy efficiency/conservation programs world wide. Take the pledge to stop idling

Image: Sustainable America via Upworthy.com

Image: Sustainable America via Upworthy.com

 

Job Alert: Senior Associate – Transportation Planner – Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates @ Boston, MA

March 4, 2014 at 6:09 pm

NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates (NN) seeks a highly organized, experienced, independent and motivated Senior Associate or Associate IV for its Boston office. This is an outstanding opportunity for the right person to become involved in building NN’s practice, which is focused on multi-modal transportation planning for livable communities. NN’s work emphasizes creative, innovative transit/transportation planning and community involvement, often within a wider set of goals such as economic development and reduced dependence on the private automobile.

Image courtesy:  YPTransportation.org

Image courtesy: YPTransportation.org

NelsonNygaard is a growing company. We have grown smartly over the past 25 years, in a way that builds on our mission and core values, and have succeeded as a result. Helping our clients achieve their larger goals, including building vibrant, more sustainable and equitable communities, is what underlies our approach to transportation planning. Cultivating a work environment that is best for employee development and well-being is what underlies our approach to doing business. As we continue to grow, we want to remain a firm with open doors and open communication, with flexibility and an emphasis on creativity; where employees at all levels are part of the firm, not just working for it. As a firm, and as individual professionals, we remain deeply committed to walkable, bikeable, accessible communities, and, above all, quality public transportation accessible to all.

Each of our offices is recognized as a meaningful local community member through its local project work and other firm and individual participation. As individuals, we advocate for more ecologically sustainable, economically vibrant, socially equitable, healthful, and universally accessible communities. Our staff reflect the full diversity of our clients, including gender, race, culture, age, language fluency, and other experiences, and we all use our unique perspectives to tailor our professional work to meet the needs of the communities we work in. We hire the smartest, most skilled people in the industry through the right combination of pay, benefits, autonomy, office environment, work quality, flexibility, advancement potential, and core values.

Demographic trends and public policy changes will shape our business in the coming years, creating challenges to overcome. At the same time that the growing federal deficit and declining transportation revenues have cut into project budgets, new markets and revenue streams are emerging that may allow us to grow in the face of downsizing. Several major trends will make our services more in demand than ever. Rise of the millenials, graying of the boomers, peak car use, growth of the global middle class, climate change and resilience, technology and the sharing economy, rebirth of the inner suburbs, changing transportation needs for women, public health, and active transportation are all trends that we stay on top of and plan for.

Responsibilities

The ideal candidate should have a broad range of transportation and urban planning experience.  At the very least a candidate should be able to demonstrate significant expertise in at least three of the following areas:

  • Citywide Transportation Planning and Analysis
  • Campus Transportation Planning
  • Parking Planning
  • Bicycle/Pedestrian Facility Planning
  • Transit Station Area Planning
  • Street Design Guidelines
  • Data Collection and Performance Assessments
  • Light Rail, Commuter Rail, and/or Streetcar Planning
  • Transport Policy, Funding and Governance
  • Paratransit and Demand-Responsive Services
  • Advanced Graphic Communication (InDesign, Photoshop)
  • Computer Traffic Modeling

Successful applicants will be expected to:

  • Function as a project manager for small studies and as a lead planner for complex components of large projects.
  • Demonstrate excellent written and verbal skills
  • Possess proven experience in managing projects within budget
  • Work successfully with clients, members of the public and your team members
  • Outline and prepare reports and successful proposals
  • Analyze a wide range of transportation data and complete (directly or manage the completion of) technical analysis, feasibility studies or other transportation reports.
  • Prepare and give effective presentations
  • Creatively solve multimodal transportation problems.
  • Participate in firm-wide strategic planning activities to ensure that we continue to build on our mission and core values.
  • Mentor and train junior staff to become as good, or even better, at their job as you.
  • Organize and supervise data collection activities in the office and the field
  • Take a lead role on business development proposals.

Qualifications and Requirements

The ideal candidate will have a broad range of transportation and urban planning experience. At minimum, the candidate should meet the following qualifications.

  • At least six years of increasingly responsible experience in transportation planning, traffic engineering, or one of the disciplines listed above
  • A bachelor’s or more advanced degree in urban or transportation planning, or a related planning field. Master’s degree is preferred.
  • Skills and enthusiasm for business development.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and other communication skills, including facilitating public workshops, and making compelling presentations.
  • The ability to manage complex projects on time and on budget.
  • The candidate must be able to demonstrate basic proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word and Powerpoint
  • Additional experience with GIS, Graphic (InDesign, Illustrator, SketchUp), Modeling (Synchro, VISSIM, TransCAD) or database anlaysis will be considered favorably.

Though most of the work will come from projects from the Boston office, there will be numerous opportunities for the candidate to contribute to NN projects across the United States. Candidates must be willing to travel (on average 2 overnight stays per month plus numerous day trips) and must have a valid Driver’s License.  Preference will be given to candidates with AICP or P.E. certification.

Potential candidates may be asked to demonstrate their writing and oral presentation skills. Candidates should be available to start immediately. Above all, we are looking for someone who has a passion for sustainable transportation planning, and is interested in making communities better for our clients and their constituents.

Salary and Benefits

NelsonNygaard offers a dynamic and self-directed work environment that is fast-paced, congenial, and supportive. This will be your opportunity to work with one of the most dynamic and innovative groups of planners and engineers in the U.S., including highly talented junior and support staff. Our office culture is built upon diversity and creativity. Benefits of the position include:

  • Medical, dental, and vision
  • Health savings account
  • Dependent care flexible spending account
  • 401(k) retirement plan, including employer contribution
  • Personal time off
  • Incentive-based bonuses
  • Professional society dues
  • Training and conference reimbursement
  • In-house training programs
  • Technology reimbursement
  • Commuter benefits
  • Car share membership
  • Bike share membership
  • Fitness center discount
  • Mentoring program

The annual salary range equivalent for this position is industry competitive, depending on qualifications and years of experience.

NelsonNygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. is an equal employment opportunity affirmative action employer.

Prior to sending your materials, please combine your cover letter, resume, and work samples into a single PDF with the filename format “Firstname Lastname – Boston Senior Associate.pdf”. Send the materials to jobs@nelsonnygaard.com with the subject line “Boston Senior Associate”

No Phone Calls Please

Call for Papers – 1st International Road Federation (IRF) Asia Regional Congress – Oct. 27-29, 2014 @ Bali, Indonesia

February 26, 2014 at 6:13 pm

Image Courtesy: IRFnew.org

On behalf of the International Road Federation (IRF) and the Indonesia Ministry of Public Works, the Technical and Scientific Committee of the 1st IRF Asia Regional Congress & Exhibition invites surface transportation experts and researchers from around the world to submit paper abstracts for evaluation.

Under the theme “Building the Trans-Asian Highway,” this one-of-a-kind event will provide a unique setting for sharing proven and innovative solutions for the region’s mobility demands, latest industry technologies and global best practices and how they can be replicated and/or modified to meet the region’s specific needs.

The event will feature a Ministerial Session, as well as Plenary, Executive, Technical and Applied Knowledge Sessions.

Why Participate?

  • High level Ministerial Session
  • 1,000 local & International delegates
  • Innovation forum & live technical demonstrations
  • Networks with key decision makers from the region
  • Exhibition featuring the latest products & technologies

Abstract Guidelines (no cost to submit)

The abstract should be written in English, readily understandable to most readers and may contain a maximum of 200 words. Abstracts should be submitted in the following thematic areas:

  • Asset Management
  • Disaster Mitigation & Recovery
  • Pavements & Materials
  • Road Financing / PPPs
  • Road Safety
  • Sustainable Transport
  • Technology & Innovation
The deadline for submissions is May 2, 2014
To submit an abstract, click here 

For more information, please contact:

Magid Elabyad
Vice President, International Programs & Member Services
Tel: +1 703 535 1001
Email: melabyad@IRFnews.org

For information about the congress, visit the event website.  Scroll below to view the Preliminary Program .
[gview file=”https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-9pZ0X5J8D7T0Faa0hnSlRtX1E/edit?usp=sharing” save=”1″]

Nominate a Young Scientist for the 2014 APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (“ASPIRE”) – Prize money $25,000

February 26, 2014 at 5:01 pm

The APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (“ASPIRE”) is an annual award which recognizes young scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to both excellence in scientific research, as evidenced by scholarly publication and cooperation with scientists from other APEC member economies.

The ASPIRE Prize supports APEC’s mission to:

  • strengthen international science and technology networks;
  • enhance economic growth, trade and investment opportunities in harmony with sustainable development, through policies, innovative R&D and technologies, and knowledge sharing; and
  • improve linkages and efficiency between research and innovation.

2014 NOMINATION THEME: “INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION”

Each year the APEC host economy is asked to provide a theme to guide nominations for the ASPIRE Prize to be awarded in their host year. For its host year of 2014 China selects “Intelligent Transportation” as the ASPIRE nominating theme, promoting smart, clean and low-carbon urbanization to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of APEC’s regional connectivity.

Each member economy, through its representative on the APEC Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI), is invited to nominate one young scientist under the age of 40 to be considered for the 2014 ASPIRE Prize. Nominees should demonstrate excellence in scientific research, as evidenced by scholarly publication, and cooperation with scientists from other APEC member economies in subjects such as: intelligent transport systems, urban planning, traffic engineering, civil engineering, among others.

ELIGIBILITY

Any citizen of an APEC member economy is eligible to be nominated for the ASPIRE Prize. He/she must be living at the time of his/her nomination and be under the age of 40 as of 31 December of that year (i.e., all 2014 nominees must be under the age of 40 as of 31 December 2014).

SELECTION PROCESS

Each member economy, through its representative on the APEC Policy Partnership for Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI), is invited to nominate one young scientist under the age of 40 by 16 May 2014 to be considered for the 2013 ASPIRE Prize.

Individually qualified applicants are encouraged to complete the “Local Nomination Form” and send it to Mr. Mikiharu Shimizu (miki@apec.org) of the APEC PPSTI by 1 April 2014 so it may be directed toward local economy reviewers.

Once nominations are received PPSTI members rank the nominees through a selection ballot to determine the winner. PPSTI members are asked to judge the nominees based on how well they have demonstrated:

  • excellence in scientific research, as evidenced through scholarly publication;
  • commitment to cooperation with scientists from other APEC member economies; and
  • contribution to the theme selected by that year’s host economy.

The winner will be recognized at an award ceremony during the Fourth APEC PPSTI Meeting in Beijing, China tentatively scheduled 17 September 2014.

ASPIRE PRIZE SPONSORS

Wiley and Elsevier, two of the world’s leading publishers of scholarly scientific knowledge, have committed to funding prize money in the amount of $25,000 USD.

Click here to learn about previous ASPIRE prize winners and more.

Are you listening, Transportation Planners? Tesla Motors’ CEO Elon Musk says we are only few years from autonomous driving

February 19, 2014 at 7:54 pm

via Bloomberg TV

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk discusses autonomous driving and how it will be available in cars in only a few years. He is confident that Tesla has the best collection of experts and would be the first company to launch a vehicle with significant ‘auto pilot” capabilities. As far as proliferation goes, Mr. Musk says we may be about 10 years away from widespread adoption of autonomous vehicle technology. Do you agree? Listen to his interview with Bloomberg Television.

Training Opportunity: Register for Eno Center’s Public Private Partnership Training Course

February 13, 2014 at 8:01 am
Use Code  “Transportgooru” and receive a $150 discount during registration.
 
The Eno Center for Transportation has developed a new training course titled Partnering with the Private Sector.  This online course is 40 hours long, and is delivered over a four week span beginning on March 10th. Despite being entirely online, students interact with others, including course mentors/instructors Roy Kienitz and Dr. Michael Meyer.  Students “learn by doing,” and take on the role of a P3 project manager.  After learning the basics of P3s, students are given exercises in developing project scope and managing the work of private sector partners.  This course is appropriate for mid and senior level professionals, and provides Professional Engineers with 40 PDH (other types of professional education credit may be available).
Registration:  

The course fee is $3,000.  To register, click hereUse Code  “Transportgooru” and receive a $150 discount during registration. 

Deadline to Apply: Wednesday, February 26

For more information and registration, visit: https://www.enotrans.org/course/p3
Instruction Method and Mentors
This course is conducted online, but features interactivity with other students and course mentors.  Eno developed a course portal that houses all course content.  To see how our online portal works, please click here.  Students in this course learn by doing.  After learning the basics of P3s, students complete mock assignments leading to the delivery of a P3 project.The learning experience is enhanced by two qualified course mentors:Roy Kienitz, Principal of Roy Keinitz LLC, is the former Under Secretary for Policy at the United States Department of Transportation. He also served as former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Currently Mr. Keinitz works on major project development and implementation strategies, drawing on his diverse transportation policy experience.Dr. Michael D. Meyer is a consultant with Parsons Brinckerhoff. Prior to this position he was a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also served as Director of Transportation Planning and Development for Massachusetts where he was responsible for statewide planning, project development, traffic engineering, and transportation research.

Who Should Attend
A wide variety of individuals should consider signing up for the course, including: Mid- to senior level professionals and State/City Departments of Transportation, transit agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and local governments; Federal employees involved in P3s for transportation; and Professionals from the private sector who assist public sector agencies implementing P3s.

Professional Development Hours
Through the course students will be able to earn up to 40 Pofessional Development Hours (PDH). Other types of professional education may be available. To inquire contact Alex Bond, abond@enotrans.org or 202-879-4714.

Course Dates and Schedule
The course will run from March 10 through April 4. Each week has a distinct lesson plan and assignments, although most course activities are flexible or available on-demand. Students should be prepared to devote 8-12 hours per week to course activities.  To see examples of how students receive course material, view these screen captures.

Future Course Offerings
This course will be offered 4-5 times each year. To learn more about future course offerings please contact Alex Bond at 202-879-4714 or abond@enotrans.org

Q: What previous experience do I need to take this course?
A: This course is intended for established transportation professionals who want to expand their knowledge on P3s. No prior experience with P3s is required. However, the course assumes a moderate level of knowledge of transportation systems.

Q: Is this course only about toll roads?
A: This course was designed to be multimodal.

Q: What do I receive upon completion of the course?
A: You will receive a certificate of completion. In addition, your course fee provides you with one year of individual regular membership to the Eno Center (up to a $200 value). Licensed Professional Engineers will receive forty Professional Development Units (PDU). If you are interested in another type of continuing education credit, such as AICP-CM or IACET Continuing Education Units (CEU), please contact Alex Bond at 202-879-4714 or abond@enotrans.org. Eno is in the process of partnering with other organizations that offer P3 professional credentials. All students who have taken the course will be eligible for any credentials established in the future. For more information on P3 credentialing, visit the Institute for Public Private Partnerships.

Q: How much time per week is needed to complete the course? Are times flexible?
A: The course is designed to be flexible, but also keep you on task. You should expect to spend ten hours per week on the course. There are weekly topics and assignments that you are expected to complete. Only an hour or two per week are on a fixed schedule. The remainder will be spent viewing on-demand recorded content, interacting with the course mentors, reading at your own pace, and preparing assignments for review.

Q: What if I need help?
A: Course mentors are available by phone, video chat, and email to provide you as much assistance and advice as you need. They are available by email at any time. You will have tools available to reserve appointment times for deeper discussion with the mentors.

Q: What if I get too busy and cannot complete the course?
A: If you find that you cannot continue, please notify the mentors and CTL staff.  In certain circumstances, extensions can be granted, particularly in the final week of the course. Eno is not able to offer refunds. However, you can enroll in another offering of the course at a later date (the course if offered 4-5 times per year) on a space-available basis.  When re-enrolling, you may be required to begin the course from the start

Q: Why is this course offered online, and over such a long time frame?
A: By offering the course online, you will not incur travel expenses and disruptions to your daily routine.  By offering it over a four-week span, you will be able to keep up with most of your regular work duties. In the future, a compressed version of the course may be offered. Please let us know if you are interested in this type of class. 

Video: How Many Americans Want to Live in a Driverless-City? Intel’s Futurist Discusses Future of Driverless Cars and Cities

February 12, 2014 at 5:50 pm

(Source: Bloomberg)

Intel Futurist Steve Brown discusses the future of driverless cars and cities on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West.” Transportation and City planners better start thinking already because we know your long-range plans drafted a decade or so ago is rendered useless by the fast paced evolution of computing and automobile technology (agree with Steve that the technology is coming but it may be more than a decade away). It is time to think different and act fast!

Tampa, Florida Gets Federal Approval For Autonomous Vehicle Test Bed

February 10, 2014 at 8:30 am

via WTSP.com

The city of Tampa (Florida) gains a Federally-approved test bed for autonomous vehicles.. Local TV station News 10 offers the following scoop:

The Selmon Expressway just got a big approval from the federal government. It’s now one of only ten roads in America set up to test “connected cars,” leading to totally driverless cars. The Selmon’s elevated express lanes to Brandon are a car designer’s dream. During traffic downtimes, engineers can block off all of the entrances and have the whole highway as a ten-mile-long laboratory. The expressway authority that runs the Selmon will team up with a USF group, the Center for Urban Transportation Research, to find companies that want to come here to test their technology. Click here to learn more