Event Calendar
Past Event
NUTC Seminar Series: "Motivating and incentivizing the adoption and maintenance of travel behavior change (Case study: Stavanger, Norway)" | Ayda Joudavi, Northwestern University
Northwestern University Transportation Center
4:00 PM
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Ruan Conference Center, Chambers Hall
Details
Motivating and incentivizing the adoption and maintenance of travel behavior change (Case study: Stavanger, Norway)
Ayda Joudvi
PhD Candidate
Northwestern University
Abstract
Transportation is one of the most critical challenges in modern cities. A considerable amount of energy consumption and GHG emissions in cities are due to transport needs. Statistics from Norway also suggest that the energy consumption for transportation needs has grown by 32% from 1990 until 2020. Therefore, developing sustainable transport options is at the core of any climate plan, but different studies also suggest that providing alternative options does not necessarily lead to a change in travel behavior.
Changing individual travel behaviors has proved challenging since they heavily rely on the availability of infrastructure and time and cost considerations, among many other factors. Therefore, it is essential to study how to encourage behavioral change in this sector and develop appropriate planning solutions that accelerate these changes.
To explore these challenges in the context of Norwegian city, this study focus on travel mode change from car to cycling in Stavanger, Norway.
Despite the facts that, increasing the share of cycling in modal share is one of the main objectives of the Norwegian national transport policy or in case of Stavanger city or having the Norway’s most expensive dedicated bicycle road (estimated cost 1.9 mil.kr) only 7% of trips are taken by bicycle compared to 56% taken by car.
Having this all-in mind, this study in particular try to answer the following questions:
1. What are the factors and personal experiences that influence changes in travel behavior within the Norwegian context?
a. What are the reasons behind selecting a specific mode of transportation for daily commutes to and from work?
b. How do individuals perceive and experience their daily commute in terms of mode of travel to and from work?
2. What is the effect of motivators and stimulators for travel behavior change in the Norwegian context?
a. What are the most influential motivators or catalysts driving changes in travel behavior within the Norwegian context?
b. What are the primary obstacles and barriers to sustaining travel behavior change?
c. How does knowledge about health benefits impact travel behavior change?
d. To what extent does experiencing health improvements act as a motivator to initiate and maintain travel behavior change?
Bio
My name is Ayda Joudavi, and I am Ph.D. fellow at the University of Stavanger (Norway) in the City and Regional Planning faculty and recently I have started a position as a PhD visiting scholar at McCormick school of engineering and environmental planning.
I got my first master’s degree in 2016, in Architecture and urban planning with a special approach to post-disaster and post-war reconstruction of the built environment, from Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran, Iran (SBU).
I obtained my second master’s degree in ‘City and Regional planning’ from the University of Stavanger (UiS) in 2020.
I am pursuing my Ph.D. under "EAA and Norway Grant," collaborating with Polish and Norwegian institutions on an applied research project, namely "Green coin." The main idea of this project is to promote pro-environmental behaviors through a reward-based system and gamification. The project's final product will be a smartphone application that will be tested in the pilot phase for the residents of Gdansk, Poland. (You can read more about the project at Greencoin)
Time
Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location
Ruan Conference Center, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
NUTC Seminar Series | "A Mega Project: Road/Bridge from Finland to Sweden" - Antti Talvitie
Northwestern University Transportation Center
4:00 PM
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Ruan Conference Room, Chambers Hall
Details
Abstract
TBD
Bio
Mr. Talvitie is a transportation consultant and certified psychoanalyst. He resides in Chicago, IL, USA. He is Professor (Emeritus) at Aalto University, Finland. Previously, Mr. Talvitie was a Senior Transport Specialist at the World Bank, served as Director of Highway Construction and Maintenance in the Finnish Road Administration, and was Professor and Chairman of the Department of Civil Engineering at the State University of New York at Buffalo (SUNY-Buffalo). Mr. Talvitie graduated from Aalto University, Espoo, Finland. He has an MSc and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. He is a Certified Psychoanalyst (Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis).
Time
Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location
Ruan Conference Room, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
NUTC Seminar Series | "Recent Advances in Transit Operations Analysis" - Nigel Wilson, MIT
Northwestern University Transportation Center
4:00 PM
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Ruan Conference Room, Chambers Hall
Details
Abstract
For the past thirty years, the MIT Transit Lab has been engaged in long-term research collaborations with a range of large urban public transport agencies including London (Transport for London), Boston (MBTA), Chicago (CTA), Washington DC (WMATA), San Juan (PRHTA) and Hong Kong (MTR). Much of this stream of research has focused on the role that automatic data collection systems can play in improving transit performance including tackling fundamental problems such as passenger origin-destination matrix estimation and measuring service reliability, using data from automated fare collection systems and automatic vehicle monitoring systems. This seminar will focus on recent MIT initiatives in transit operations analysis, much of which builds on the earlier work but also includes use of newer data sources and more advanced analysis methods.
Bio
Professor Nigel Wilson, director of the MIT Transit Research Program, has more than 30 years experience dealing with operations, management and planning issues associated with transit systems worldwide. His research and teaching focus on urban public transportation, including topics related to the operation, analysis, planning and management of transit systems. Specific research activities he has directed include using automated data systems to improve planning and operations, workforce planning in the transit industry, short-range transit planning methods, the role of private operators in public transportation and the potential for computers and communication systems to improve the performance of transit systems. During two leaves from MIT, he worked directly in three large transit agencies, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (1985-86), London Transport (1992-93) and Metro Transit (2008-2009) and has also consulted to a number of other North American transit authorities. Additional information about Professor Wilson can be found on MIT's Civil and Environmental Engineering website.
Time
Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location
Ruan Conference Room, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
2024-2025 Commencement Ceremony
University Academic Calendar
All Day
Details
2024-2025 Commencement Ceremony
Time
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Contact
Calendar
University Academic Calendar
Northwestern Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
9:00 AM
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2705 Ashland Ave
Details
McCormick School of Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony. The most up to date information can be found on our graduation webpage.
Time
Monday, June 16, 2025 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Location
2705 Ashland Ave
Contact
Calendar
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
Northwestern Engineering Undergraduate Convocation
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
2:00 PM
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2705 Ashland Ave
Details
McCormick School of Engineering Undergraduate Convocation. The most up to date information can be found on our graduation webpage.
Time
Monday, June 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Location
2705 Ashland Ave
Contact
Calendar
McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
2025 ITEA Summer School
Northwestern University Transportation Center
All Day
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Ruan Conference Center, Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details

The aim of the ITEA Annual School is to provide young researchers with a high-quality introduction to academic research on transportation economics, including many recent advances in the field. The School’s program consists of a series of lectures and tutorials conducted by some of the most prominent researchers in transportation economics. In addition, the students are given the possibility to present their own work at the Conference.
Time
Monday, June 23, 2025
Location
Ruan Conference Center, Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
2025 ITEA Summer School
Northwestern University Transportation Center
All Day
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Ruan Conference Center, Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details

The aim of the ITEA Annual School is to provide young researchers with a high-quality introduction to academic research on transportation economics, including many recent advances in the field. The School’s program consists of a series of lectures and tutorials conducted by some of the most prominent researchers in transportation economics. In addition, the students are given the possibility to present their own work at the Conference.
Time
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Location
Ruan Conference Center, Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
2025 ITEA Summer School
Northwestern University Transportation Center
All Day
//
Ruan Conference Center, Lower Level, Chambers Hall
Details

The aim of the ITEA Annual School is to provide young researchers with a high-quality introduction to academic research on transportation economics, including many recent advances in the field. The School’s program consists of a series of lectures and tutorials conducted by some of the most prominent researchers in transportation economics. In addition, the students are given the possibility to present their own work at the Conference.
Time
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Location
Ruan Conference Center, Lower Level, Chambers Hall Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
2025 ITEA Annual Conference
Northwestern University Transportation Center
All Day
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Kellogg Global Hub
Details

The aim of the ITEA Annual Conference is to promote scientific excellence in the field of transportation economics and to provide a forum for scientific exchange. Research presented at the conference covers both theory and empirical work, including all transport modes and a wide range of research methodologies.
Time
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Location
Kellogg Global Hub Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
2025 ITEA Annual Conference
Northwestern University Transportation Center
All Day
//
Kellogg Global Hub
Details

The aim of the ITEA Annual Conference is to promote scientific excellence in the field of transportation economics and to provide a forum for scientific exchange. Research presented at the conference covers both theory and empirical work, including all transport modes and a wide range of research methodologies.
Time
Thursday, June 26, 2025
Location
Kellogg Global Hub Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center
2025 ITEA Annual Conference
Northwestern University Transportation Center
All Day
//
Kellogg Global Hub
Details

The aim of the ITEA Annual Conference is to promote scientific excellence in the field of transportation economics and to provide a forum for scientific exchange. Research presented at the conference covers both theory and empirical work, including all transport modes and a wide range of research methodologies.
Time
Friday, June 27, 2025
Location
Kellogg Global Hub Map
Contact
Calendar
Northwestern University Transportation Center