News
Call for applications: 2015 scholarship period now open
Looking for an opportunity to catalyze sustainable, people-centered urban mobility? The Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship wants to help you transform ideas into reality. The Schipper family and EMBARQ, the sustainable transport arm of the World Resources Institute’s WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2015 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency. Provided jointly by the Schipper Family and WRI, the Scholarship will award two extraordinary candidates up to US$ 10,000 each to advance transformative research in efficient and sustainable transport. Dr. Leon J. Schipper (“Lee” or “Mr. Meter”) was a co-founder of EMBARQ who dedicated his professional life to the efficient use of energy in mobility. An international physicist, researcher, and studied musician, Lee was a giant in the energy efficiency field. This scholarship celebrates his vision and the bold challenges to conventional wisdom he gave to the field. Inaugural scholars Sudhir Gota and Fei Li contributed research on diesel consumption in India and parking policies respectively, culminating in presentations at the Transforming Transportation 2014 conference. 2014 scholars Erik Vergel-Tovar and Madeline Brozen will present on the relationship between bus rapid transit (BRT) and the built environment and sustainable street design at the upcoming Transforming Transportation conference in January 2015. About the Scholarship The Scholarship is aimed at expanding the contributions to research and policy dialogue in the field of sustainable transport and energy efficiency, with a special emphasis on “iconoclastic” contributions that have clear, transformative outputs and contribute to measurable changes. Proposals are welcome from across the different stages that nurture policy dialogue, including: data collection and data quality, diagnosis through data analysis (qualitative and quantitative), policy analysis and evaluation, and interdisciplinary and international comparative analysis. Who’s eligible? There are no geographic restrictions on applications for the Scholarship, so young researchers and students of all national origins and fields are eligible to apply. However, applications should be submitted in English – work may be done in other languages as needed to enhance its impact. The scholarship defines a young researcher as someone who has five or fewer years of experience since his or her last academic degree (Masters or PhD), and is not older than 35 years at the time of submission of the expression of interest (born on or after January 10, 1980). Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
The first selection phase requires an expression of interest, to be completed by January 10, 2015. Interested applicants can learn more about this process in the Scholarship guidelines and start their applications here. From this first phase, up to ten candidates will advance to the next selection round and will be notified by February 20, 2015 when a more detailed research proposal will be required. Final awardees will be notified in June 2015. |
Erik Vergel-Tovar and Madeline Brozen awarded 2014 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Lee Schipper’s legacy continues to inspire three years after his passing EMBARQ, the sustainable transport program of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, and the Lee Schipper family are pleased to announce that young researchers Erik Vergel-Tovar and Madeline Brozen have been selected to receive the 2014 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will help both recipients contribute to the advancement of sustainable transport and urban mobility. The Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship was established in 2012 to celebrate the vision and bold challenges to conventional wisdom that EMBARQ founder and recognized researcher Dr. Lee Schipper contributed to the fields of sustainable transport and energy efficiency. This is the second year the scholarship has been awarded. Last year’s recipients – Sudhir Gota and Fei Li – contributed thorough research on energy use in the transport sector and the effect of minimum parking standards respectively. The 2014 scholarship received a total of 82 applications from 26 countries. After careful review from an evaluation committee, 11 finalists were selected to submit in-depth proposals and timelines. From the finalists, the evaluation committee selected two recipients who were then approved by the Scholarship Board, composed of Sam Zimmerman from the World Bank, Nancy Kete from the Rockefeller Foundation, Mr. S. Sundar from the Energy and Resources Institute, Judith Pollock from the Shell Foundation, Holger Dalkmann from EMBARQ, and Ramon Munoz-Raskin on behalf of the Schipper family. 2014 awardees to explore global applications for sustainable transport solutions Vergel-Tovar and Brozen will examine diverse topics, with both aiming to build on Dr. Schipper’s legacy of promoting sustainable transport worldwide. Vergel-Tovar will examine the relationship between bus rapid transit (BRT) – a mass transport solution now employed in over 180 cities – and transit-oriented development (TOD) strategies. His analysis will address how the urban built environment influences BRT ridership, relying on case studies from Latin American and Indian cities to draw globally applicable conclusions. Read more about Vergel-Tovar’s work on TheCityFix. “I am thrilled that this scholarship will help me disseminate my research and reach city decision-makers through the global EMBARQ Network. I hope to enable cities to make BRT systems more sustainable,” said Vergel-Tovar. “Through this scholarship, I will be able to put my research in a more global context by translating the lessons from Latin America to other regions, and contributing recommendations to the development of sustainable transport in places like Asia and Africa, where BRT is on the rise.” Brozen will explore a different element of sustainable transport: street design. Her research will challenge the way streets are currently evaluated, examining the Level of Service (LOS) measure for assessing street performance. She will focus on shifting from car-oriented design to infrastructure that supports sustainable transport, particularly walking and bicycling. Read more about Brozen’s work on TheCityFix. “After learning I was selected as a Schipper scholar, I was shocked and delighted,” said Brozen. “Over the last two years of working on this project, I’ve continually felt that changing this technical wonky tool [Level of Service] has the opportunity to affect change. Being selected as a Schipper scholar reinforces that thought and gives the chance to put this analysis in the minds of the global community.” Both Vergel-Tovar and Brozen will culminate their research by presenting findings at the Transforming Transportation 2015 conference, co-organized by EMBARQ and the World Bank. Reflections from the 2014 Scholarship Board “We are delighted that, in its second year, the scholarship continues to attract intelligent, visionary young researchers from all over the world,” said Ramon Munoz-Raskin on behalf of the Schipper family. “I can think of no better way to honor the three-year anniversary of Lee’s passing than to support two innovative thinkers committed to the same important cause to which he dedicated his career. We look forward to the results of Erik and Madeline’s work, which will continue the momentum of Lee’s contributions to sustainable transport." “I’m really pleased that Erik and Madeline have been named as recipients of this year’s Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship. Their research initiatives will help promote implementation of high quality, sustainable mobility solutions globally,” said Judith Pollock, Deputy Director of the Shell Foundation. “Both proposals echo Lee Schipper’s strengths of deepening technical understanding of energy and transport issues and driving changes in practice to deliver transformative outcomes on the ground. Lee’s leadership informed Shell Foundation and WRI’s thinking in co-founding and building EMBARQ to impact the future of sustainable mobility in developing country cities, and Shell Foundation are delighted to support his memorial scholarship to develop young scientists and future leaders such as Erik and Madeline.” “The 2014 scholarship recipients both take innovative approaches to analyzing urban mobility, and I am happy to see that they advance Lee’s goals to catalyze sustainable transport solutions and improve quality of life in cities,” said Holger Dalkmann, Acting Global Director of the Cities & Transport program at the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Director of EMBARQ. “As Lee himself emphasized, this next generation of researchers is key to building people-oriented cities that rely on sustainable solutions.” ### The scholarship was created by the Schipper Family and EMBARQ, with cooperation from leading scholars and policy makers, and is made possible by donations from individual donors as well as an instrumental grant from the Shell Foundation. |
Crunching numbers and parking reform: Lee Schipper Memorial Scholars present at Transforming Transportation 2014
 Sudhir Gota and Fei Li present at Transforming Transportation 2014. Gota and Li were the 2013 recipients of the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency, provided jointly by EMBARQ and the Schipper Family. Photo by Aaron Minnick/EMBARQ. January's Transforming Transportation conference, co-organized by EMBARQ and the World Bank, featured 90 speakers. Two of the youngest were Sudhir Gota and Fei Li, the 2013 recipients of the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency. Gota and Li presented the results of their year-long research to a crowd of over 1,000 registered participants at the end of the conference’s first day – and TheCityFix, the blog produced by EMBARQ, caught up with them afterward for some Q&A. Crunching Numbers for Low Carbon Transport in Asia Gota’s research, “Crunching Numbers for Low Carbon Transport in Asia,” explored ways to improve the credibility and consistency of bottom-up modeling in Asia. In the transport sector, top-down modeling is a process by which total fuel consumption is derived from fuel sales data from suppliers. This method, however, does not specify which mode of transport consumed a given portion of the fuel. Alternatively, bottom-up modeling, like the ASIF framework developed by Dr. Schipper himself, calculates fuel consumption in the transport sector by converting passenger transport demand into fuel consumption. This process delineates how much fuel is consumed by each mode of transport, offering insight into what conditions drive high consumption. Based on his research results, Gota argues that for many Asian countries – including India and the Philippines – top-down estimates are not realistic or consistent with conditions on the ground. Such inconsistencies lead to underreporting fuel consumption overall in many Asian countries, obscuring the negative impacts of car culture and increased motorization. TCF: So you’ve crunched the numbers. How do we translate this data into implementation on the ground? SG: We have to communicate it to policymakers, because policymakers make the decisions – they need to understand this. Until now, they have considered top-down as the good, accurate one [modeling approach] and bottom-up quantifications at the bad one [modeling approach]. To inform policies, you cannot really use the top-down approach, but the bottom-up framework provides insights from which they can base their policy and investment decisions. Policymakers need to get sensitized that bottom-up modeling with limited data can at least give you some insight on what kind of trends you are seeing. It’s about gaining the insight that something is going seriously wrong with the transport sector, and that we need to take appropriate steps to correct it. TCF: What’s the one takeaway people should remember from your research? SG: Bottom-up quantifications provide insight on how to base your policy and investment decisions. They provide a way that policymakers can use limited data without waiting for years for the data to improve. Through prioritizing data collection, you can concentrate on what’s going wrong, and identify issues that need to be addressed regarding how data is collected.  Evaluating the Parking Standard Reform in London: A Matched-Pair Approach Li’s presentation, “Evaluating the Parking Standard Reform in London: A Matched-Pair Approach,” recounted her research on an issue that she argues remains invisible to the public: parking policy. You may not realize that most urban development projects are subject to minimum parking standards, which require that a certain amount of parking spaces be made available depending on the size of the project. While intended to ensure adequate parking supply, minimum parking standards often lead to excess parking supply, which in turn encourages higher car ownership and usage by masking the true cost of allocating urban space for parking. Minimum parking standards also cause greater market distortion in the heart of urban areas. Li challenged conventional parking standards by examining a case study of London, United Kingdom’s parking policy reform. TCF: What’s the one takeaway people should remember from your research? FL: There is a high, invisible cost to free parking that consumers don’t often know about because they’re so driven by the perception that parking is essential to living in a city. Developers can change their policies to better meet actual demand, but there are political obstacles to doing so, which are also driven by the perception that parking is important to maintaining a competitive, livable city. In fact, lowering the minimum parking standard doesn’t mean that people won’t have access to parking, it just means that developers have more flexibility to meet the actual demand of the population they’re serving. Did this year’s scholars inspire you? To learn more about the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency, visit the scholarship’s website. Proposal submissions are now closed for 2014, but check back next fall for details on the 2015 application process. Donations to the scholarship fund are welcome at http://leeschipper.embarq.org/contribute. This article originally appeared on TheCityFix, the blog produced by EMBARQ. |
Deadline extended for 2014 applications
In order to accommodate sustained interested in the 2014 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship, the Scholarship committee has elected to extend the deadline for expressions of interest to Friday, January 3, 2014. It is hoped that this extension will expand the opportunity for interested, qualified candidates to submit full expressions of interest. Those candidates that have already submitted do not need to reapply. The Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship is provided jointly by the Schipper Family and EMBARQ, the sustainable transport and urban planning program of the World Resources Institute (WRI). The Scholarship will award an extraordinary candidate up to $10,000 to advance transformative research in efficient and sustainable transport, and honor the legacy of Dr. Leon J. Schipper (“Lee” or “Mr. Meter”). Scholarship DetailsThe Scholarship is aimed at expanding the contributions to research and policy dialogue in the field of sustainable transport and energy efficiency, with a special emphasis on "iconoclastic" contributions that have clear, transformative outputs and contribute to measurable changes. Proposals are welcome from across the different stages that nurture policy dialogue, including: data collection and data quality, diagnosis through data analysis (qualitative and quantitative), policy analysis and evaluation, and interdisciplinary and international comparative analysis. There are no geographical restrictions on applications for the Scholarship, so researchers and students of all national origins and fields are eligible to apply. For more information about the Scholarship please refer to the Scholarship’s website. Those who are interested can apply here by Friday, January 3, 2014. Please note that this date is final and non-negotiable. Selected finalists will then be notified in February 2014. Questions about the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship can be directed to schipper.memorial@embarq.org. |
2014 applications now open!
Applications are now open for the 2014 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency. Provided jointly by the Schipper Family and EMBARQ, the sustainable transport and urban planning program of the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Scholarship will award two extraordinary candidates up to $10,000 each to advance transformative research in efficient and sustainable transport. Dr. Leon J. Schipper (“Lee” or “Mr. Meter”) was a co-founder of EMBARQ who dedicated his professional life to the efficient use of energy in mobility. An international physicist, researcher, and studied musician, Lee was a giant in the energy efficiency field. This scholarship celebrates his vision and the bold challenges to conventional wisdom he gave to the field. Scholarship Details The Scholarship is aimed at expanding the contributions to research and policy dialogue in the field of sustainable transport and energy efficiency, with a special emphasis on “iconoclastic” contributions that have clear, transformative outputs and contribute to measurable changes. Proposals are welcome from across the different stages that nurture policy dialogue, including: data collection and data quality, diagnosis through data analysis (qualitative and quantitative), policy analysis and evaluation, and interdisciplinary and international comparative analysis. Eligibility There are no geographical restrictions on applications for the Scholarship, so researchers and students of all national origins and fields are eligible to apply. However, applications should be submitted in English – work may be done in other languages as needed to enhance its impact. Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
The first selection phase requires an Expression of Interest, to be completed by Friday December 13, 2013. Interested applicants should first read the guidance document and can start their applications here when ready. From this first phase, up to ten candidates will advance to the next selection round and will be notified in early January when a more detailed research proposal will be required. Final awardees will be notified in early 2014. |
Map: 2013 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship applicants
The 2013 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship applicant field included 114 applications from 34 different countries. Individuals from universities, private organizations, non-profit organizations, and others were among those who submitted to the scholarship. Where exactly did the 2013 applications come in from? Take a look at the map below! |
2013 Scholarship Recipients
EMBARQ announces 2013 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship Recipients July 8, 2013 - Washington, DC - EMBARQ and the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship Board announced today that Sudhir Gota and Fei Li have been selected as the 2013 recipients of the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency. The scholarship was established in 2012 to support the momentum of Lee Schipper’s contributions to international policy dialogue in the fields of sustainable transport and energy efficiency. This is the first year the scholarship is being awarded. “I am pleased to see the 2013 scholarship go to two researchers aligned with EMBARQ founder Lee Schipper’s vision of catalyzing sustainable transport solutions to improve the quality of life in cities” said Holger Dalkmann, Director of the World Resources Institute program for sustainable transport and urban planning, EMBARQ. “We want the next generation to embrace a bold vision for a future where cities are for people not cars.” Dr. Lee Schipper was an international physicist, researcher and musician who co-founded EMBARQ in 2002. He inspired and shaped the thinking of a generation of students and professionals, and was widely recognized for challenging conventional wisdoms within the field of sustainable transport. Under his direction, EMBARQ expanded into Mexico, China, India and beyond, as he pushed to incorporate data driven solutions to meet transport challenges. Dr. Schipper passed away in 2011. In addition to his work, Dr. Schipper was known for his energy, charm, endless curiosity and interests ranging from history to art to music. “It is my dream to work on research that would not only pay a tribute to Lee Schipper’s memory but also result in policy transformations in developing countries,” said recipient Gota. “This scholarship provides me a platform to transform that dream into a reality.” Gota’s proposal is titled, Crunching Numbers for Low Carbon Transport in Asia, and will look at the current ASIF framework (or “activity,” “mode share,” “intensity,” and “fuel mix”) in Asia, which was initially developed by Schipper to create a transparent system of calculating emissions. He is currently a Technical Manager within Transportation at Clean Air Asia. Li’s proposal is titled, Evaluating the Parking Standard Reform in London: A Matched-Pair Approach, which will build a database to estimate the effect of the parking standard reform, from which policy recommendations for more efficient and sustainable planning regulations can be made. Li is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Public Administration at New York University. "As a student researcher I value every chance to work with and learn from the community of practitioners and scholars,” said Li. “I am excited about receiving the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for the mentorship, the intellectual support and the networking opportunities it promises to help develop my research. I am truly honored to be granted this great opportunity." The scholarship is made possible from individual donors as well as an instrumental grant from the Shell Foundation. “Lee Schipper’s unique insight was key to informing Shell Foundation’s decision to co-found EMBARQ,” says Judith Pollock, United Kingdom Deputy Director of the Shell Foundation. “Lee combined a deep analytical understanding of energy and transport issues with a pragmatic approach to delivering real change in developing country cities. Shell Foundation are delighted to support his memorial scholarship to fund work with similarly transformative potential and congratulate Sundhir Gota and Fei Li as the first recipients.” By supporting individuals who are continuing Lee’s work of the enrichment of international policy dialogue in the fields of sustainable transport and energy efficiency, we can ensure that the effort toward creating a more sustainable future keeps, and gains, momentum. “We are very impressed with the astounding response of 114 research applications with excellent ideas from young, entrepreneurial researchers from all over the world” says the Schipper family. “We congratulate the Scholarship Board and EMBARQ for their excellent job in evaluating the applications and selecting the two first ever awardees, Sudhir Gota and Fe Li. We are delighted to see that the winners’ research approaches will challenge conventional wisdom, just like Lee’s research did. We look forward to the results of their hard work." Scholarship recipients are chosen by an internal selection committee together with the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship Board, consisting of Sam Zimmerman from the World Bank, Nancy Kete from The Rockefeller Foundation, S. Sundar from The Energy and Resources Institute, Judith Pollock from the Shell Foundation, Holger Dalkmann from EMBARQ, and Ramon Munoz-Raskin of the Schipper family. |
The Sustainable Transport Community Remembers Lee Schipper
Originally posted on August 16, 2012 on EMBARQ.org "Lee’s vision was multi-layered, data-driven and extraordinarily provocative for the times."Today marks the one-year anniversary of the passing of Leon J. Schipper, international physicist, energy efficiency expert, musician and co-founder of EMBARQ, the sustainable transport center of the World Resources Institute. Schipper, lovingly known as “Lee” or “Mr. Meter,” devoted his life to solving problems related to transportation, energy and climate change.  To keep his legacy alive, the Schipper Family and EMBARQ created the “Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency.” The scholarship committee is now accepting donations, which will support work of individual researchers and students committed to Lee’s vision. The aim of the scholarship is aimed at expanding the contributions to research and policy dialogue in the field of sustainable transport and energy efficiency. In memory of Lee’s work, the scholarship will support initiatives triggering and catalyzing transformative research and policy papers. The scholarship will place a special emphasis on “iconoclastic” contributions (challenging conventional wisdom) that have clear, transformative outputs and contribute to measurable changes. For more information, visit http://www.embarq.org/lee-schipper Lee passed away on August 16, 2011 at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, California, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 64. He was a project scientist with Global Metropolitan Studies at University of California, Berkeley and was a Senior Research Engineer at the Precourt Institute of Energy Efficiency at Stanford University. Lee was widely recognized for enriching policy dialogue with his passion for data and challenging conventional wisdom. He authored more than 100 papers and books, took part in countless panels and studies, and served on the board of several institutions, not to mention acted as an advisor and consultant to many more organizations. Lee’s vision was multi-layered, data-driven and extraordinarily provocative for the times. Under his leadership, EMBARQ advanced its sustainable transport projects and policy into Mexico, China, India and beyond. Lee was also well loved for his musical talent and sense of humor. As an accomplished jazz vibraphonist, he led an amateur musical group, Lee Schipper and the Mitigators, which often played at scientific conferences to raise awareness about global warming. He also acted as a trusted mentor throughout his career, inspiring a new generation of students and young professionals dedicated to sustainable transport. The Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship was announced in January 2012 during the 9th annual Transforming Transportation conference in Washington, D.C. The scholarship has so far raised more than $100,000, with special seed funding from Shell Foundation. The scholarship committee will begin accepting Expressions of Interest (EOI) this fall. The advisory board includes the following esteemed colleagues:
Tax-deductible donations may be made in the following ways: Checks should be made payable to the “Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship/WRI Fund” and sent to the World Resources Institute Fund (WRIF), Suite 800, 10 G Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Online contributions can be made at https://community.wri.org/NetCommunity/donate. When you fill out your information, please select the “Scholarship” option in the dropdown menu located in the tribute section at the bottom of the online donation form. If you are interested in learning more, or if you have ideas that you would like to share, please send us an email: schipper.memorial@gmail.com. We will send you updates on the application process and its outcomes. Thank you for remembering Lee on this day and for your continued interest in the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship. For more information: |
2013 applications now open!
Have an amazing research idea on energy efficiency and sustainable transport? |
1-9 of 9