Emerging Leaders in Transportation fellowship – Image courtesy: NYU Rudin

The Emerging Leaders in Transportation fellowship program aims to enhance the toolkit of early-career employees to make transportation more efficient, effective and people-oriented.

In this competitive fellowship program, participants will learn from top transportation and management professionals to enhance leadership skills, communication techniques and policy work to bring innovative ideas into practice.

The 2016 program will take place on December 1 and 2. The agenda includes:

December 1:

• A half-day leadership session, where emerging leaders will collaborate on long-term leadership goals
• A behind-the-scenes visit to a major transportation facility for hands-on learning about industry goals and challenges
• A networking reception with 2014 and 2015 Emerging Leaders cohorts

December 2:

• A half-day leadership session focused on developing innovative projects and ideas within an organization
• Lunchtime networking opportunities 

Discussion topics will include: leadership, innovation, communications, building support for innovation, and practical applications. Sessions will include talks from and with esteemed professionals and group discussions and exercises. Participants will develop plans to introduce innovative solutions or concepts within their workplaces.

View a recap of last year’s fellowship program here.

Apply using the form below or by clicking here.

Application Timeline:

• August 3: Application period opens
• September 15: Applications due
• October 13: Fellowship class selection announcement
• December 1-2: Fellowship program

Details:

• The Emerging Fellows program is open to transportation professionals with up to 10 years of experience.
• There is no cost for participating in the program.
• Applicants are welcome from any location; however, we are unable to subsidize travel or lodging for participants.
• No AICP or other continuing education credit is available for this program.
• Previous applicants are welcome to re-apply. Past participants are ineligible.

If you have questions about this program, please email rudin.center@nyu.edu.

This program is supported by a grant from the University Transportation Research Center.

The dependence on a car for making a decent living in the United States is quite pronounced, particularly in the poor neighborhoods of the United States.

NPR’s recent “Guilty and Charged” investigation shows how rising court fines and fees — often reaching hundreds or even thousands of dollars per person — often hurt poor people the most. “Two out of three African-American men in this neighborhood, of working age, don’t have a driver’s license,” he says while walking down Martin Luther King Avenue in Milwaukee. “And are consequently unable to access the jobs that are beyond the bus lines.”

Not sure where to begin.  Years of bad landuse and legal policies have created a system that is not equal to all.  In a nutshell, if you don’t have a driving license, you’ll be relegated to looking for jobs only accessible by a bus/transit system (or if you are lucky, you may find something within walkable distance from your neighborhood). Even these transit accessible jobs become more difficult to sustain for these residents when the transit funding runs into trouble, leading to service & route cuts. Until we fix this mess, we can’t expect social upward mobility for many of the poor citizens of the US. Listen to the audio below or you can click here to read the article.

Job Req #: 140113-6

Basic Requirements:

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent knowledge with 3 years of related professional experience. Proficiency in computer applications, especially Microsoft Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, Excel, and Access. Ability to solve varied and complex problems using originality and ingenuity. Ability to operate using appreciable latitude for independent judgment and action. Ability to work successfully in a team environment. Experience working in complex environments with a high degree of organizational effectiveness. Ability to develop relationships with co-workers and employees in other National Academies’ departments through effective communication. Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to effectively interact with all levels of employees.

Description

The mission of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) is to promote innovation and progress in transportation through research. In an objective and interdisciplinary setting, TRB facilitates the sharing of information on transportation practice and policy by researchers and practitioners; stimulates research and offers research management services that promote technical excellence; provides expert advice on transportation policy and programs; and disseminates research results broadly and encouraged their implementation.

TRB is one of six major divisions of the National Research Council— a private, nonprofit institution that is the principal operating agency of the National Academies in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The National Research Council is jointly administered by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. TRB’s varied activities—described below—annually engage more than 7,000 engineers, scientists, and other transportation researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors and academia, all of whom contribute their expertise in the public interest by participating on TRB committees, panels, and task forces. The program is supported by state transportation departments, federal agencies including the component administrations of the U.S. Department of Transportation, and other organizations and individuals interested in the development of transportation.

The Associate Program Officer manages programs/projects for multiple TRB Groups and Sections consisting of 35 to 60 standing committees Provides support in ensuring programs/projects meet their stated objectives. Serves as liaison between TRB and related external customers and organizations, including committee members, TRB sponsors and affiliates. Assists with the daily supervision of support staff. Assists three Senior Program Officers in the development of programs/projects. Coordinates program/project activities, handling inquiries, organizing sessions and meetings, and developing materials. Tracks relevant issues and compiles reports. Manages NRC and FACA required processes.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:

• Administers and manages program/project activities. Communicates with chairs of Groups, Sections, standing committees; other committee members and external program/project contacts. Facilitates the flow of information among committee members, consultants, TRB sponsors and affiliates, and staff. Prepares reports on activities. Represents the program/project areas within and outside of TRB.
• Identifies and gathers materials in support of programs/projects sponsored by Groups/Sections/committees. Synthesizes and edits findings and data. Prepares background papers and summaries of program/project activities.
• Organizes conferences, sessions, and meetings. Creates agendas, invites presenters and participants, oversees meeting logistics, and prepares written summaries. Manages the development and delivery of over 100 sessions for the TRB Annual Meeting, one to two meetings per year for each of the Groups/Sections/committees, and several conferences per year (100 to 600 attendees each). Accomplishes sophisticated and customized computer sorts, selections, formatting, report generation and other tasks in support of sessions, meetings, conferences, and other projects.
• Coordinates publication of materials, including peer reviewed papers, proceedings of conferences, and circulars. Manages the peer review of approximately 500 papers each year, leading to publication of approximately 150 papers annually.
• Performs financial and administrative tasks related to programs/projects of the assigned Groups/Sections/committees. Creates, maintains, and updates records, databases, and files. Oversees the rotation of member appointments for 15-20 committees per year. Authorizes expenditures, tracks spending, monitors budget, and projects future spending plans. Reviews contractual obligations and ensures that obligations are met. Serves as travel coordinator.
• Ensures consistent application of organizational policies and procedures. Manages compliance with National Academies’ procedures, format, and processes, including NRC and FACA, as they relate to assigned activities.
• May update and maintain web pages and prepare newsletters and other promotional materials.
• Assists with supervising staff. Assigns tasks and provides guidance and feedback to staff. Ensures required training is accomplished and participates in performance reviews. Serves as a mentor and resource to support staff.

Click here to learn more and to apply

Here is a quick summary of  the what, why, who and when:

During April 24th-26th, I was in Chattanooga, Tennessee attending the 5th Annual Vanguard Conference, an experiential urban leadership gathering of 40 of the best and brightest urban leaders under 40, hosted by the national non-profit media organization Next City.  Mind you, I’m probably the least accomplished of this excellent group of 40 promising leaders, all of them working to improve cities across sectors, including urban planning, community development, entrepreneurship, government, transportation, sustainability, design, art and media. We convened in Chattanooga for a three-day series of presentations, workshops and neighborhood tours. The Vanguard conference will culminate in the Chattanooga Challenge, an ideas competition sponsored by the Footprint Foundation and designed to jump-start civic local innovation through a $10,000 grant for the winning proposal.

Here are a handful of observations from this conference:

• In a nutshell, it was a life altering experience. I got to learn so many issues associated with urban development, such as housing and economic issues, while further understanding the linkages and the crucial role of transportation systems in building a better urban environment.

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville,com

• Met some of the best and brightest in the country and was in awe from the time I arrived till I left the city (even now I’m in awe of how much knowledge was exchanged and free flowing in that setting).

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville.com

• When you adopt an unconference format, discussions flow freely and people are at ease to share their ideas. Moral of the story: do not host events featuring powerpoint presentations.  The conversations were engaging, stimulating and at times downright wild (particularly those conversations over the beers and coffees were excellent).

Image Courtesy: Metrojacksonville.com

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. A lot of beverages consumed and tons of knowledge exchanged.

image courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. Did I tell you it was wild and fun?

Image courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. Opening night party on the premises of the Aquarium building.

• People in the government at local levels work together and even when they work together to solve problems they are constrained by institutional biases and money shortfall.  The city owns a strategic piece of digital infrastructure – Chattanooga offers the fastest Internet connections in America through the city-owned fiber-optic network.
• City of Chattanooga is a great place and certain parts of it, like in most urban areas, has bad things going on.   As part of the Vanguard Conference’s Chattanooga Challenge, we were all divided into four groups and sent to explore different corners of the the city (East, West, North and South) by foot, bikes and transit.  I was part of the walking tour (Team West) that hit the West side and got to see up close the economic disparities that exist on either side of a major elevated highway (U.S. 27) that literally bifurcates the communities more details on the West Side tour in a different bullet below).

Image Courtesy: metrojacksonville.com. Team West, posing for a picture, moment before announced as Winners of the $10k Chattanooga Challenge.

• City of Chattanooga has a great bikeshare system, fantastic aquarium and an excellent set of touristy things like the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel (pictured below), great restaurants and watering holes across the town.

Image Courtesy: Metrojacksonville.com. Click image to see an entire set of image from a fellow Vanguard, Ennis Davis at Metro Jacksonville

• The city’s low-income residents, particularly those in the West side neighborhoods such as College Hill courts, are somewhat caught in a bad situation. These communities, slated for redevelopment within a decade or so, live quite close to the economic heart of the city. But they do not have a meaningful direct access where they can walk to their jobs and they are cut off by a major thorough fare. This has resulted in poverty and the usual accompaniments of crime and lack of education.  I was part of the Team West in the Chattanooga Challenge that visited these communities and pitched a strong proposal to connect the divided communities.  Our team, bolstered by three strong local young leaders, gained very illuminating insights that helped  us understand the situation at hand.  We suggested that the City of Chattanooga offer free Wi-Fi service to a public housing community on the city’s west side and develop a new pathway to connect the city’s downtown to the highway-marooned neighborhood.  I’m borrowing the narrative from Next City to explain how this is laid out: Right now, area residents, (shown in image below total population of 2481 with a median income of $9277) many of whom are children and downtown workers commuting from public housing developments to school or jobs in other parts of the city, must trek by foot on a dirt path and across highway ramps to reach the city’s center. Where the path enters their neighborhood, residents must pass through a hole in a chain-link fence.  Our teammate Marlon Brown, a city councilman from Mason, Michigan put it succinctly “the neighborhood is physically divided from the downtown at the same time as it is digitally divided from opportunities there. You have to remember, a city is only as strong as its least connected neighborhood. ” These next two images below came from our teammate John Bilderback, who quickly generated them to show how this community  is strategically located and yet remains far removed from better opportunities. What’s better – our winning idea will get a $10,000 boost from the local Footprint Foundation and the City will get to implement the proposal. And the local newspaper did an excellent article covering our winning proposal.  Yay!

• 

  Image Courtesy: John Builderback. Picture1 – Westside – Where the Resources are.

•  Last but not least I got to ride a bicycle after almost 15 years.  I am a regular transit user living in Washington, DC metropolitan area, where we are blessed with better transportation alternatives and a fantatistic world-class bikesharing system.  But I never had a reason to ride a bike because of my living and commuting options. Thanks to Chatanooga and my fellow Vanguards, I got to commandeer a bicycle one afternoon. It was a lot of fun and I reached my destination without embarrassing myself and an exciting story to tell (yeah, our group got yelled at by an older gentleman in a pickup for occupying a full lane on a main thoroughfare).  Sadly, despite the presence of a bikeshare system in the city, the number of bicyclists on the city streets were relatively low.

• 

  Image courtesy: http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/. Click image to see an entire set of image from a fellow Vanguard, Ennis Davis at Metro Jacksonville

Image Courtesy: Metrojacksonville.com

Airline pricing webinar – April 16, 2014

Click image to register and to learn more about the event

The EISENHOWER GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP (GRAD) provides funding for Students pursuing Master’s Degrees or Doctorates in transportation related fields. The program objectives are:

1. to attract the nation’s brightest minds to the field of transportation,
2. to enhance the careers of transportation professionals by encouraging them to seek advanced degrees, and
3. to retain top talent in the transportation industry of the United States.

The Program is intended to bring innovation and enhance the breadth and scope of knowledge of the entire transportation community in the United States. The Eisenhower Graduate Fellowship Program encompasses all modes of transportation.

DISCIPLINES

The Department of Transportation encourages students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) to apply for the Eisenhower Graduate Transportation Fellowships.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Eisenhower Graduate Fellowship Applicants must:

• Possess an earned baccalaureate degree or be a confirmed graduating senior;
• Be enrolled full time in an accredited U.S. institution of higher education no later than the Fall 2013 academic year
• Be pursuing a degree in a full-time program in a transportation-related discipline
• Have at least one full academic year remaining in program of study;
• Conduct ongoing research in one or more transportation-related disciplines; and
• Plan to enter the transportation profession after completing their higher level education.

Non-U.S. citizens must attach a certified copy of their I-20 or I-551 ID issued by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (CIS).

SELECTION

Applications will be evaluated by the Eisenhower National Selection Panel. This National Selection Panel will be composed of prominent national transportation professionals, including academia and the public sector, who will review, rate and rank each applicant. The panel’s recommendations for selection will be forwarded to the Program Manager, Universities and Grants Programs. The Program Manager will make final selections.It is imperative that applicants provide an accurate and current email address for themselves and their faculty advisor. Applicants will be notified of their status via email.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

The Eisenhower Graduate Fellowship will be awarded on the basis of merit. Merit includes:

• Class standing, GPA, and official university transcripts; (25 Points)
• Potential for Outstanding Career in Transportation (Transportation work experience, if applicable); (25 Points)
• Proposed plan of study (25 Points)
• Letters of recommendation regarding the applicant’s qualifications; (20 Points)
• Overall quality of Application (5 Points)

STIPEND, TUITION AND TAXES

All recipients may not receive a full award (i.e. tuition, stipend, and travel to Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting). Recipient awards will be based on the rankings from the National Selection Panel. Recipients of this fellowship will receive a minimum of $5,000.00, based on their ranking from the National Selection Panel and the availability of funding.

Fellowship recipients should be advised that the stipend portion of the fellowship is subject to taxation in accordance with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations (Publication 970, revised 2011).

The stipends for the Eisenhower Graduate Fellowship are as follows:

• Master’s Level – $1,700/mo.
• Doctoral Level – $2,000/mo.

Note: Actual Stipend level may vary based upon available funding. Stipends are capped at $1,700 for Masters students and $2,000 a month for Doctoral students from Eisenhower funding. Additional stipend amounts may be added by the University or other sources.

SCHEDULE

All applications and supporting material (official transcripts and letters of recommendation) for Eisenhower Graduate Transportation Fellowship must be received by 5:00 p.m. Monday, April 1, 2013.Applications should be sent to the address in the section entitled “How to Apply”.

Click here to learn more about the details and for applying instructions.

Related articles

• Eisenhower Transportation Fellowships for Graduate Students (deadline April 1)

Sponsored by ITS America and the Southwest Research institute, the Student Essay Competition is designed each year to encourage student interest and future participation in the development of Intelligent Transportation Systems and solutions. The objective of the essay competition is to provide an opportunity for today’s transportation and engineering students to apply their knowledge in a thought-provoking and enjoyable competition and to build awareness of ITS as a career path with unlimited potential.

Students are asked to submit a 2,000-word essay on any one of the following topics:

• “Next Generation Cooperative Systems, how will they evolve?,” “How is ITS evolving?,” and
• “What are the technological barriers to near term realization of fully autonomous systems on U.S. highways?”

The first, second and third place winners will receive $1,500, $1,000 or $500 respectively. Additional recognition includes:

• The 1st place winner will be invited to attend the Awards ceremony at the ITS America Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 23rd and be assisted financially to cover trip expenses.
• Receive a complimentary full registration to attend the conference.
• Have the opportunity to present their winning essay at the dedicated Interactive Session area in the exhibit hall.
• Have their winning essays displayed on the Student Essay Competition Web page of ITS America’s website.
• All three winners will be featured in nationally-distributed press releases.

Click here for the official for guidelines and application information.

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