Are you doing research on catalyzing sustainable, people-centered urban mobility? The Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship wants to help you transform ideas into reality.

The Schipper family, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, and Volvo Research and Education Foundations are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2022 Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency. Supported by the Schipper Family and WRI, the scholarship awards three extraordinary candidates up to US$10,000 each to advance transformative research in efficient and sustainable transport. Two awards are given to researchers from anywhere in the world, while for the third consecutive year, an additional US$10,000 will be awarded to a young researcher from the African continent.

Applications are due by April 4, 2022.

Dr. Leon J. Schipper (“Lee” or “Mr. Meter”), 1947-2011, was a co-founder of EMBARQ, WRI’s Sustainable Mobility Program, and 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.

2021 winners Susan Gichuna, Tamara Kerzhner and Wei Wei presented their research at the Transforming Transportation 2022 conference in February 2022.

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About the Scholarship

The Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship aims to expand contributions to sustainable transport and energy efficiency research and policy dialogue. It places 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 Global Scholarships, 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 Ph.D.) and is not older than 35 years at the time of submission of the expression of interest (born on or after March 1, 1987). The eligibility periods can be extended in case of specific and properly documented circumstances such as maternity or paternity leave. In case of maternity/paternity, the applicant may request up to 18 months extension for each child born. The Scholarship Committee will assess the eligibility period on the basis of evidence provided at the time of expression of interest submission.

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Consistency with Lee Schipper’s contributions
  • Alignment with the idea of sustainable transport and energy efficiency
  • Creation of innovative, transformational outcomes (“real impact”)
  • Feasibility (timely, realistic)
  • Applicant (affiliation, background, previous contributions, references)

The African Scholarship supports a young researcher from the African continent who is currently living and working in Africa. In addition to the global selection criteria above, applicants to the African Scholar should also:

  • Have citizenship in an African country
  • Currently live and work in Africa
  • Be associated with an African based institution (or an African branch of an international institution)

How to Apply

The first selection phase requires an expression of interest to be completed by April 4, 2022. Interested applicants can learn more about this process in the scholarship guidelines. From this first phase, up to seven candidates for each of the Global and African Scholarships will advance to the next selection round and will be notified in April 2022 when a more detailed research proposal will be required. Final awardees will be notified in July 2022.

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