Dr. Daniel Sperling, Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Policy and founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis will present the 2018 Alan M. Voorhees Distinguished Lecture based on his most recent publication of the same name, “Three Revolutions: Steering Automated, Shared and Electric Vehicles to a Better Future” on Wednesday, April 11. The event will begin at 5:00 p.m. with a reception in the lobby of the Bloustein School’s Civic Square Building, 33 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ. The lecture will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be following with a Q&A.
Dr. Sperling holds the transportation seat on the California Air Resources Board and served as Chair of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies in 2015-16. Among his many prizes is the 2013 Blue Planet Prize from the Asahi Glass Foundation for being “a pioneer in opening up new fields of study to create more efficient, low-carbon, and environmentally beneficial transportation systems.” He served twice as lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (sharing the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize), has testified seven times to the U.S. Congress, and provided 40 keynote presentations in the past five years. He has authored or co-authored over 250 technical papers and 13 books, been interviewed many times on NPR radio, including Science Friday, Talk of the Nation and Fresh Air, and in 2009 was featured on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
For the first time in half a century, real transformative innovations are coming to our world of passenger transportation. The convergence of new shared mobility services with automated and electric vehicles promises to significantly reshape our lives and communities for the better—or for the worse.
The dream scenario could bring huge public and private benefits, including more transportation choices, greater affordability and accessibility, and healthier, more livable cities, along with reduced greenhouse gas emissions. The nightmare scenario could bring more urban sprawl, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and unhealthy cities and individuals.
During the lecture Professor Sperling will discuss innovative ideas and partnerships, and explore the role government policy can play in steering the new transportation paradigm toward the public interest—toward our dream scenario of social equity, environmental sustainability, and urban livability. Many factors will influence these revolutions—including the willingness of travelers to share rides and eschew car ownership; continuing reductions in battery, fuel cell, and automation costs; and the adaptiveness of companies. But one of the most important factors is policy.
A reception will precede the lecture. Please RSVP by visiting http://bit.ly/vtc-sperling. 1.5 AICP CM credits are available for this event.