International Transport Researcher of the Year

Deadline: 15 February 2013
Open to: researchers under 35 years of age who have undertaken their research in an institution, university or consultancy firm located in a member country of the International Transport Forum.
Prize: EUR 5 000

Description

The International Transport Forum at the OECD organises an Annual Summit for Transport Ministers from around the world to meet with researchers, industry leaders and representatives of civil society and examine strategic policy issues facing the sector.

Continuing a long tradition of research on transport issues to inform the policy-making process, the International Transport Forum’s Research Centre provides high–level research input for the Transport Ministers’ Annual Summit organised by the Forum. At the 2013 Summit, to be held in Leipzig, Germany from 22-24 May 2013, the International Transport Forum will again present its “Young Researcher of the Year Award” to recognise a young researcher, or researchers, who submit(s) the best research paper on the theme of the Annual Summit. For 2013, the theme is “Funding Transport.”

Prizes

A prize of EUR 5 000 will be awarded. An official award ceremony, attended by Transport Ministers of Forum Member countries, will be held in Leipzig during the 2013 Summit. Honorary merit awards may also be presented.

Objectives
The principal aim of the International Transport Forum’s Young Researcher of the Year Award is to highlight the crucial importance of transport research for sound transport policy formulation and implementation, and to foster closer links between transport
policy and research.

The award is designed to encourage and reward creative reflection and analysis on the part of young researchers, currently investigating the major contribution of transport to the well-being of our societies and their proper functioning. The International Transport Forum’s 2013 Annual Summit will focus on financial needs of the transport sector. Innovative funding schemes and the evaluation of the resource needs of the transport sector will form the core of the 2013 Summit discussions.

Specifically, the research paper may analyse any aspect of the interlinkages between financial needs and specific projects in the transport sector. For example, the following topics are relevant to the 2013 Summit:

  • Evaluating overall financial resource needs for investment and the proper functioning of the transport sector.
  • The financing of major projects (for example: TEN, HST, international tunnels and bridges).
  • Innovative funding schemes (for example: PPPs, privatisation, tolls): successes and failures in ensuring returns on investment.
  • Financing infrastructure maintenance and rolling stock acquisition.
  • Financing sustainable development in transport (for example: e-mobility, smart grids, alternative fuels, bike- and car-sharing).
  • Efficiency of operation, fare levels and subsidies in public transport.

Eligibility

The Award is open to researchers under 35 years of age who have undertaken their research in an institution, university or consultancy firm located in a member country of the International Transport Forum. Member countries include: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Canada, Chile, China, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, FRY Macedonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United States.

The researcher must be the main author of the paper. Co-authorship is possible, in which case the award will be shared among the main authors, of whom all must be under 35 years old.

The research paper should treat one of these aspects and must show clear links with the general theme of the 2013 Summit, “Funding Transport”, and:

  • extract and develop policy issues from the analysis;
  • propose advances in the current state of knowledge in the domain;
  • demonstrate strong economic understanding and analysis, though the analysis may be of an engineering, planning, historical or sociological nature;
  • be written in either of the Forum’s two official languages (French or English);
  • not exceed 25 pages (single spacing), excluding references and annexes.

Application

Candidates for the prize should send in the completed application form AVAILABLE HERE, including a brief summary of the paper in English (maximum 200 words) and the complete paper by email to the International Transport Forum at Michel.Violland@oecd.org with copy to Julie.pailliez@oecd.org by 15 February 2013.

Where appropriate, include a letter, signed by the director of the young researcher’s institution or organisation, confirming the young researcher is the main author of the paper and approving the submission.

For inquiries, please contact Michel Violland, Economist, International Transport Forum at michel.violland@oecd.org or by phone at + 33 (0)1 45 24 87 13.

For further details, please carefully review the official call for applications HERE.

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