Past Events
To read news and see videos from our past speakers, click on an event below. You can use the filters to find events that are of greatest interest to you.
MIT Professor of Atmospheric Science Delivers Talk at Volpe
Dr. Kerry Emanuel, Cecil & Ida Green Professor of Atmospheric Science at MIT, recently delivered a talk at Volpe. Dr. Emanuel's research interests focus on tropical meteorology and climate, with a specialty in hurricane physics.
U.S. Initiatives to Reduce Transportation-Related Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Gregg Fleming delivered a talk at Volpe titled “U.S. Initiatives to Reduce Transportation-Related Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions."
Pre-Sandy Impact Modeling of Storm Surge
Dr. Klaus H. Jacob, special research scientist and Columbia University adjunct professor, spoke at Volpe on pre-Sandy impact modeling of storm surge on the New York City metro region’s transportation infrastructure. He also discussed validation by Sandy and post-Sandy resilience issues.
Educating the Next Generation
MIT professor Ian A. Waitz shared insights on how education is changing. He provided examples outlining how students are now leading the way and how their expectations about education have changed.
Can We Get There from Here? Transportation and Climate Adaptation: Prospects for the Future
Steve Winkelman, director of Transportation and Adaptation Programs at the Center for Clean Air Policy, shared examples of successes and challenges in transportation and climate resilience, and offered insights on what it takes to actually get to implementation.
Discoveries in D.C. and Delft: Reflections on the Future of Transportation Research and Education
Professor Robert Bertini from Portland State University spoke on September 18, 2013, during a Volpe speaker series event, offering insights from his time with the Dutch at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands and his two years at U.S. DOT.
New Paradigms for Federal Transportation Programs During a Time of Scarce Resources
The nation's on-going fiscal challenges and persistent budget deficits have led to stagnating levels of federal surface transportation spending and new questions about federal policies and values. All this is occurring as transportation facilities age, deteriorate, and, in urban areas, suffer continuing conditions of congestion and unreliability. What policy reforms emerged from MAP-21, and what are likely to be future federal policy trends, in light of these circumstances?
Questions, Questions, and More Questions: Measuring the Impact of Advanced Transportation Technologies on Traveler Behavior
Measuring the impact of advanced transportation technologies on traveler behavior leads to many questions. Jane Lappin, senior social scientist at Volpe, presented "Questions, Questions, and More Questions: Measuring the Impact of Advanced Transportation Technologies on Traveler Behavior" on Wednesday, June 19, during a recent Volpe event.
Measuring Walkability: The Health Question
Does the design of a neighborhood affect the level of a person's physical activity? Do people who live in more compact areas get more physical activity than those who live in sprawling neighborhoods? Ann Forsyth, professor of urban planning and director of the Masters in Urban Planning program at Harvard University, addressed these questions during her talk "Measuring Walkability: The Health Question."
Considering Transportation as a Complex Sociotechnical System
Dr. Joseph M. Sussman, JR East Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Engineering Systems Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, presented “Considering Transportation as a Complex Sociotechnical System” during a Volpe speaker series event.