May 27, 2005

The Board of Directors of CTRF is pleased to announce the seven scholarship winners that are being awarded scholarships for the 2005-2006 academic term.  These awards were made public at the CTRF Annual Conference held in Hamilton May 8-11, 2005, pending financial eligibility.  Bios will be posted in due course for each of these scholarship winners.  

CTRF wishes to thank once again the  sponsors for the current scholarship program, namely Transport Canada, Bombardier,  CN, Canadian Pacific Railway,  Government of Quebec, and many other personal donations.

TRANSPORT CANADA SCHOLARSHIP IN SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION ($4000)

Julia Dalla Rosa, M.E.S. Geography, University of Waterloo

Current program: M.E.S. (Geography), University of Waterloo

Previous degree: Bachelor in Geography, Queen's University

My interest in sustainable transportation stemmed from my work experience.   During the four summers of my undergraduate career at Queen's University, I assisted in coordinating travel behaviour change and transportation demand management (TDM) programmes in both municipal and non-profit settings. Upon graduation from Queen's, I worked for over a year as the project manager of a workplace trip reduction programme at a Toronto based non-profit organization.

These work experiences allowed me to better understand the gaps in TDM delivery. There exist guides to creating social marketing based TDM programs, but there is no practical method for evaluating the efficacy between the different program components. Therefore, my thesis asks: Does there exist an optimal combination of TDM components or a specific combination of trip reduction methods that can be consistently and effectively applied to produce a positive modal/behaviour shift? My research involves an attempt at uncovering the interrelations between workplace trip reduction components, thus enabling TDM practitioners to efficiently create workplace trip reduction plans that are most effective. This thesis will enhance the ability of TDM practitioners, including myself, to critically evaluate and increase the effectiveness of TDM programs in Canada. Upon graduation, I intend to return to working in the field of transportation demand management.

TRANSPORT CANADA SCHOLARSHIP IN SAFETY AND SECURITY ($4000)

Christopher Berry, M.A. Dept of Political Science, University of Calgary

Current program: M.A. in Political Science, University of Calgary

Previous degree: B.A. in Political Science, University of Calgary

As an undergraduate, Christopher Berry studied public policy, transportation economics, and quantitative analysis with a special emphasis on policy change. The focus of his graduate work has been transportation security and safety, culminating in work as a HQP for Auto21, and papers on automobile safety policy, policy innovation and transportation security.

His thesis seeks to explain the process of policy innovation, lock-in, and path dependence with respect to transportation security in Canada.

Upon completion of his Master's degree, he intends to either enter a doctoral program, or continue research in transportation policy."

TRANSPORT CANADA SCHOLARSHIP IN INTEGRATION AND INTERMODALISM ($4000)

Jonathan Watters, M.A., Economics, Laval University

Current program: M.A. in Economics, Laval University

Previous degree: Bachelor in Economics, Laval University

After having completed my Bachelor Degree in Economics, I received a scholarship from the Centre of data and analysis in transportation (CDAT) of Laval University which is a centre of expertise dedicated to improving knowledge about energy use in the Canadian private and commercial transportation sector. The aforementioned scholarship has allowed me to start a Master Degree in Economics in September 2004.

In the framework of my master thesis, I take an interest into analysing the main determinants of Canadian truckload rates and evaluating the impact of some intelligent transportation systems (ITS) on the trucking industry's economic and energetic efficiency. By carrying out this project within the CDAT, I have the opportunity to collaborate with different people working in the field of transportation and to participate to the writing of some research reports. It allows me to improve my knowledge of the transportation field while contributing to promote the efficient and lasting expansion of the trucking industry.

Following the completion of my Master Degree, I intend to work as an economic analyst in the transportation field or in a related field.

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Apr?s avoir compl?t? mon baccalaur?at en ?conomique, j'ai obtenu une bourse d'?tude attribu?e par le Centre de donn?es et d'analyse sur les transports (CDAT) de l'Universit? Laval, centre d'expertise sp?cialis? dans l'?tude de la consommation ?nerg?tique du secteur des transports. L'obtention de cette bourse m'a permis d'entreprendre en septembre 2004 des ?tudes de deuxi?me cycle en ?conomique.

Dans le cadre de mon m?moire de ma?trise, je m'int?resse aux d?terminants du taux de remplissage des camions en exploitation commerciale au Canada et ? l'impact que peut avoir l'adoption de certains syst?mes de transport intelligents (STI) sur l'efficacit? ?conomique et ?nerg?tique de l'industrie du camionnage. En r?alisant ce projet au sein du CDAT, j'ai l'opportunit? de collaborer avec diff?rents intervenants du secteur des transports et de participer ? la r?daction de certains rapports de recherche. Ceci me permet entre autres d'approfondir mes connaissances relatives au secteur des transports tout en contribuant ? favoriser le d?veloppement d'une industrie du camionnage ? la fois efficace et durable.

Suite ? mes ?tudes de deuxi?me cycle, j'aimerais poursuivre une carri?re d'analyste ?conomique dans le secteur du transport ou dans un secteur connexe.

BOMBARDIER SCHOLARSHIP ($4000)

Corinne Dibert, M.Sc. Geography, University of Victoria

Current program: MSc. Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

Previous Degrees: BSc, Double Major, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC

Area of Research

Corinne's research interest is primarily in the delivery of transportation services. Under the supervision of Dr. Denise Cloutier-Fisher (University of Victoria, Victoria, BC), Corinne is examining coordinated accessible transportation (CAT) as one solution to the need for an affordable and efficient transportation system for a growing population of seniors in Canada. CAT maximizes the use of current transportation resources by developing a formal structure to support and foster cooperation between transportation providers. It is an approach yet unexplored in Canada, and may offer a sustainable solution to many communities that are struggling to meet their transportation needs. Corinne's thesis focuses on the steps necessary for the implementation of a CAT system in Canadian communities, and her methodology involves developing a program logic model for CAT in the Capital Regional District (Vancouver Island, BC). By extension, this research looks at the policy implications of this approach to seniors' transportation.

Career Objectives

Upon graduation, Corinne plans to continue her work in community transportation.

CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY SCHOLARSHIP ($4000)

Mark Gunter, M.Sc.E. Civil Engineering, University of New Brunswick

Current Degree: MScE (Transportation Engineering), University of New Brunswick

Previous Degree: BScE (Civil Engineering), University of New Brunswick

Mark began work on his Master's degree at the University of New Brunswick in the fall of 2005, after spending the summer working with the UNB Transportation Group. With the group, he was involved with the testing and evaluation of three specific applications of rural ITS technology including:

Work Zone Radar Speed Management
Remote Track Switch Position Indicator
Grade Crossing Warning System for Private and Farm Crossings
(see www.unb.ca/transpo for project descriptions)

These three projects will remain a primary focus of Mark's research throughout the completion of his Master's degree.

As an undergraduate student, Mark also completed a research project entitled "A Study of Driver Behavior on Interchange Ramps" which examined the adequacy of design guidelines for highway ramps in New Brunswick.

Upon completion of his Master's degree, Mark hopes to remain in Canada and do consulting work in the transportation area.

CN SCHOLARSHIP ($4000)

Dylan Passmore, M.Sc. Urban Planning, University of Toronto

Current Degree:  M.Sc. in Urban Planning, University of Toronto

 Previous Degree:  B.Sc. in Computer Engineering, Queen's University

 I am currently pursuing an M.Sc. in Urban Planning at the University of Toronto as I have developed a strong interest in unconventional approaches to transportation planning.  My attraction to interdisciplinary research has led me down two interesting paths in this field. 

Concurrent to my studies, I have been working with Dr. Eric Miller in the Joint Transportation Program at U of T on a pair of urban simulation projects:  The Travel/Activity Scheduler for Household Agents (TASHA) and the Integrated Land Use, Transportation and Environment (ILUTE) model.   The lab's innovative approaches to urban modelling have recently been accumulating significant funding support due to a renewed interest in urban modelling coalescing around Ontario's Places to Grow initiative for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.  The broad areas of analysis we hope to address include assessing the travel demand implications (such as transit usage, roadway congestion, fuel consumption, vehicle emissions, etc) of alternative land use and transportation investment scenarios and estimating the population and employment distributions that would likely result from alternative government policies.  To date I have been integrating the less frequent (yet more complex) transportation modes, such as walking and cycling, into our mode choice submodel.  The project has been an interesting bridge between my first degree, Computer Engineering, and my interests in transportation planning.

 At the smaller urban design scale, I have developed a keen interest in the interactions between transportation modes.  In particular, I have been examining the street design principles promoted by Hans Monderman (Netherlands) and Ben Hamilton-Baillie (UK) who suggest that driving behaviour can be influenced through road design.  Thus, in theory, there is no need for traffic signs and drivers are forced to re-engage with their surroundings.  Aside from overlapping with my experience in "human factor" design principles, these ideas touch on several other interesting areas including psychology, shared space, urban design, safety and transportation efficiency.  On a similar vein, I am arranging to spend a term studying at the Universidade de S?o Paulo, in Brazil, to analyze the city's integration of recent public transit initiatives (coined "Interligado") with pedestrian and cyclist public space priorities, for which Bogot? has become one of the leading Latin American models.

JAN BOWLAND SCHOLARSHIP ($4000)

Erika Nemeth, M.A. Planning, University of Waterloo

Current program: M.A. in Planning, University of Waterloo

Previous degree: Bachelor in Geography with Urban Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University

Early on in my undergraduate career at Wilfird Laurier University, I was privileged to have been exposed to a variety of travel behaviour research through a which ignited my quest to pursue such endeavours. As a result, I was able to attend and present at various conferences, which also resulted in a publication. My undergraduate thesis focused on the analysis of energy efficiency of individual travelers which resulted in not only an undergraduate thesis award, but the Natural Resource Canada Energy Efficiency Ambassador Scholarship.

(See, http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/awards/ambassadors/wlfrdlaurieru-winner-2004.cfm?attr=0 for more information on undergraduate thesis)

I am currently pursuing a Masters in Planning at the University of Waterloo, studying the relationship of land use, transportation and travel behaviour as it relates to socio-demographics, economic and environmental variables, using a survey from the Greater Toronto Area on neighbourhood and travel behaviour.

I have been extremely fortunate to have highly supportive thesis advisors for both my undergraduate and masters degrees.

Following the completion of my Master Degree, I intend to pursue a career in transportation, specifically transit planning followed by a PhD in Geography.