New Leadership, New Chapter! | | We’re excited to share that Alissa Kendall, professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been appointed the new director of ITS-Davis! Alissa has served as associate director for the past year and is an internationally recognized leader in industrial ecology and life cycle assessment. With over 100 publications, past leadership in both the Transportation Technology and Policy Graduate Group and the Energy Graduate Group, and a passion for teaching the next generation, she brings both vision and humanity to this role. Alissa is an extraordinary researcher, a thoughtful leader, and generous mentor. She is deeply committed to bridging research and policy, engaging with industry and community, and guiding the next generation of transportation leaders. With her vision and collaborative spirit, she is perfectly positioned to carry forward the ITS-Davis legacy and expand our global impact. She succeeds Dan Sperling, who founded ITS-Davis in 1991 and built it into the world’s leading university center on sustainable transportation. In Alissa’s words: “ITS-Davis has always been a place where curiosity, collaboration, and care for humanity drive innovation. I’m honored to lead the institute into its next chapter.” Learn more here! | | |
We are also delighted to share that Lauren Iacobucci has been named Chief Administrative Officer for the UC Davis Transportation and Energy Cluster. For the past decade, Lauren has been a driving force at ITS-Davis—shaping strategy, building community, and strengthening our research and operations. Her leadership was instrumental in growing the National Center for Sustainable Transportation into a nationally recognized research powerhouse, and she has been a key part of ITS-Davis’ success over the last 10 years. From managing multimillion-dollar programs to championing staff recognition and belonging, to helping develop the 2024–2030 Strategic Plan, Lauren leads with heart, insight, and unwavering commitment.
“Lauren has helped build so much of what makes ITS-Davis the global leader in sustainable transportation research and a great place to work,” said Alissa Kendall. “Her vision, thoughtfulness, and deep institutional knowledge make her the ideal person to help guide us into the next chapter.”
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October 22-23, 2025
UC Davis Conference Center (sold out) and Livestreaming
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November 4-5, 2025
UC Center, Sacramento
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November 18, 2025
UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center (ARC)
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November 19-20, 2025
UC Davis Activities and Recreation Center (ARC)
| | Registration is required for all upcoming events. | |
International Conference on Ecology and Transportation ICOET
May 2025
This year’s conference in Denver focused on partnerships as an important part of mitigating the impacts of transportation on nature. Field trips to sites in Colorado included wildlife crossings, stream restoration, and wildlife refuges. (More information) This was the largest ICOET conference yet, with 641 participants and 270 abstracts.
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Asilomar 20th Biennial Conference
July 2025
The 2025 Asilomar Conference on Transportation, Environmental, and Energy Policy brought together 350 invited researchers, industry leaders, advocates, and policymakers to explore the headwinds slowing progress on sustainable transportation and the tailwinds accelerating change. Discussions covered electrification, low-carbon fuels, urban mobility, grid readiness, and global supply chains—all with a focus on making transportation decarbonized, inclusive, affordable, and politically viable. (Recap Brochure)
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Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways (STEPS+) Symposium
July 2025
The twice yearly STEPS+ Symposium was held in conjunction with the Asilomar Conference and had 183 registrants. It featured separate programs from many of the centers within ITS-Davis and covered topics such as critical mineral supply chains, electric vehicle markets, charging infrastructure, electrification of ridehailing, and zero-emission trucking.
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CA Delegation to Africa
August 2025
As part of its growing international presence, ITS-Davis joined a California delegation to Kenya and Nigeria to advance climate action, trade, and university partnerships. The delegation, organized in collaboration with CalSTA and the Bay Area Council, included senior California officials, UC Davis faculty, and industry leaders. Delegates met with Kenyan President William Ruto, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other officials to expand collaboration on clean energy, transportation, agriculture, and trade. A highlight of the trip was the launch of the Africa Clean Transportation (ACT) Initiative, led by ITS-Davis in partnership with UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and the Government of Kenya and Kenyan universities. Headquartered in Nairobi, ACT will establish the Center of Excellence on Sustainable Transportation and Energy for Africa, the first initiative of its kind on the continent. (More information)
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International Symposium on Resilient Transportation
August 2025
This two-day symposium at UC Davis was hosted by the UC Pavement Research Center and the Tongji University (Shanghai, China). It featured speakers and panelists from China and the US, covering topics related to low-carbon, durable materials for infrastructure, and tools for assessing and enhancing resilience of the transportation system to extreme weather events and sea level rise.
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Final Presentations for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
August 2025
The ITS-Davis summer undergraduate research fellowship was a huge success this year, with 14 fellows from UC Davis and 1 from Sacramento City College. The cohort worked closely with their research teams on transportation-related projects, attended seminars, and participated in field trips to Siemens Mobility and Unitrans. At the end of the program period, fellows delivered reports and gave presentations on their research contributions and findings. Many have expressed interest in a transportation-related career, graduate school, and continuing in research.
The program, which started in 2016, was initially funded by the National Center for Sustainable Transportation. We would like to continue supporting undergraduates in research but require donations to do so. Please visit the UC Davis GIVE page if you are interested in supporting this impactful program.
| | A huge congratulations to our recent Masters and Ph.D. graduates! | |
PhD
Kelly Hoogland
Rey Hosseinzade
Aakansha Jain
Trisha Ramadoss
Hanif Tayarani
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Master’s
Maxwell Waechter
Aurojeet Jena
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Small And Electric: The International Case to Move Away From Combustion SUVs
Cazzola, Teter, Craglia
Roadmap for Zero Emission Truck Adoption in Telangana: Policy Interventions at a Sub-National Level
Ladha, Das Banerjee, Bhattacharya, Ramji
Turning the Wheel: Fuel Efficiency Standards for a Low-Carbon Trucking Future in India
Teter, Ladha, Khan, Das Anannya, Ramji, Hwang
Understanding Factors Influencing User Retention in Shared E-scooter Schemes: A Comparative Study of the UK/EU and the US
Jena, Ozbilen, Circella, et al.
The Safe Systems Pyramid
Watkins, Lieberman
Youth Cruz Free: Fare-Free Bus and Ridership Behavior among Santa Cruz County Teens
Pike, Affolter, Smith, Lipatova
Spatial Analysis and Predictive Modeling Framework of Truck Parking and Idling Impacts on Environmental Justice Communities
Xiao, Jaller
Lab2Slab2Practice: A Framework for a Faster Implementation of Innovative Concrete Materials and Technology
Nassiri, Harvey, Miller
Understanding Demand, Revenues, and Costs of Electric Carsharing in Underserved Rural and Suburban Areas
Harold, Rodier
Paths of Progress: Forecasting Global Electric Vehicle Demand Amidst Demographic and Economic Growth
Chandra, Busch, Parés Olguín, Tal
More publications available through our searchable database.
| | | | Mollie D'Agostino was appointed as a member of the Transportation Research Board Standing Committee on Developments and Advancements in Transportation Technology Law. | | | | Colin Murphy was named co-director of the Energy Futures Research Program (Lew Fulton is the other co-director) | | | | Dahlia Garas received the 2024-2025 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award in the EcoCAR EV Challenge–a nationwide, four-year collegiate automotive engineering competition run by the US Department of Energy. Students nominated Garas for the award, citing her exceptional guidance and leadership, which has had a positive impact on the performance and culture of the team, as well as their individual educational and professional journeys. | | | | The Susie O’Bryant & Ernie Hoftyzer ITS-Davis Outstanding Administrative Staff Award went to Erinne Boyd who, the award announcement stated, “consistently goes above and beyond, handling multiple roles with skill, precision, and a can-do attitude.” | | |
2024 Honorable Mentions were awarded to Natalie Ruiz and Sharon Holgerson.
The ITS-Davis Outstanding Research Program & Policy Staff Award went to Dahlia Garas, in recognition of her exceptional leadership and dedication. She streamlines operations at the Electric Vehicle Research Center, leads complex initiatives, supports diverse teams, and secures funding.
2024 Honorable Mentions were awarded to Kellie McFarland and Nitya Chanana.
| | | | NCST/ITS Assistant Director Lauren Iacobucci was awarded the (inaugural) ITS-Davis Heart of the Institute Award, “in recognition of the countless ways she supports, connects, and inspires us.” In the past year Lauren stepped up and helped us run smoothly in the absence of a Chief Administrative Officer, a position she has now been appointed to. | | | | Claire McGinnis was awarded the WTS (Women’s Transportation Seminar) Sacramento Chapter Leadership Legacy scholarship and the competitive WTS International Leadership Legacy Scholarship. The latter award recognizes an outstanding graduate student pursuing a career in transportation who has demonstrated exceptional leadership potential and a commitment to innovation in the transportation sector. | | | | Matthew Liu received a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) 2025 Graduate Research Fellowship. | | | | Hope Bodenschatz and Maha Ahmad each received an American Public Transportation Association Board Scholarship. | | | International Outreach and Engagement | | |
ITS-Davis continues to expand its international work to connect research, policy, and practice around the globe, primarily through the work of centers focused on China, India, Europe, and the Global South.
European Transport and Energy Research Centre
The Centre advised the World Bank on a project that led North Macedonia to adopt the Centre's suggestions for calculating the CO2 component of the motor vehicle tax, increasing the tax for most-polluting cars. The World Bank staff said that this policy development should bring about fiscal and environmental benefits.
Researchers from the Centre participated in multiple workshops and meetings related to policy in the Europe: Science Based Targets Initiative Meetings; Smart Freight Week; International Energy Agency - Energy Efficiency Policy Training Week and Creating Demand for Sustainable Fuels; International Transport Summit on Transport Resilience to Global Shocks; International Council on Clean Transportation Transatlantic Transportation Decarbonization Summit.
China Center for Energy and Transportation
This center organized a study tour led by the newly appointed Director-General of the Department of Atmospheric Environment at China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment. An aim of the tour was to confer with Mary Nichols, the executives of the CARB, CEC, and the air quality management districts of Sacramento, the Bay Area, and South Coast.
India ZEV Research Centre
This Centre hosted in New Delhi a roundtable entitled “Upstream Lithium Sourcing Strategies for India.” The Centre also participated in a stakeholder consultation to refine a model policy framework that supports zero-emission truck adoption in Indian states.
Representatives from the Centre were active in other international workshops and conferences, including the EV100 India Conclave; meetings on charging infrastructure; and an India-EU dialogue on energy and minerals hosted by the embassy of the Netherlands in New Delhi.
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Global South Center for Clean Transportation
The Center played a key role in the California delegation to Kenya and Nigeria to advance climate action, trade, and university partnerships. In addition, the Center hosted a workshop on designing supply side regulations for advancing vehicle electrification. The aim was to foster policies that will bring fiscal and environmental benefits to Global South countries through the transition to clean transportation.
Mexico
ITS-Davis and SEMARNAT (Mexico’s equivalent to the U.S. EPA) hosted a workshop in Mexico City on the transition to electric vehicles. The workshop brought together Mexican government leaders, industry, and NGOs and drew on global expertise from California, India, China, and beyond. Key topics included: US-Mexico trade policy in shaping Mexico’s EV strategy, building a cross-border lithium battery hub, fuel economy standards to drive market certainty and investment, and used EV imports and recycling.
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ITS-Davis hosted colleagues from the Institute of Engineering of Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and policymakers to shape a collaborative research agenda on regional circular battery supply chains. ITS-Davis also held a roundtable at the Mexican Consulate in Sacramento, with key stakeholders including the California Energy Commission, Secretaría de Economía e Innovación, and University of California - Alianza MX.
Other
ITS-Davis is creating a Biofuel Land Use Change Program as a result of an award from Acelen Renewables to evaluate issues related to indirect land use change. Half of the six-year grant for $4.8 million will be used to create and run this program, under the direction of Colin Murphy; the other half of the grant will fund life-cycle analysis by Alissa Kendall’s group.
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