EMBERlab

Check out our new article in The Conversation titled: The EV transition isn’t just about cars – the broader goal should be access to clean mobility for everyone 

Reflections from EMBERlab member and conference presenter Trisha Litong: My time at the 2023 TRB Annual Meeting was life-changing, to say the least. Not only was it my first time in D.C., but also the first time I’ve gotten to travel to present my research at a conference. In the days before my poster presentation, I attended numerous sessions ranging in topics from institutionalizing equity in transportation to community engagement efforts led by the Federal Aviation Administration. Two of the more relevant topics to my research regarding equity-based mobility programs were the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act . I learned of Congress and the US Department of Transportation plans to promote uptake of electric vehicles through credits and investing in charging stations for communities across the country. These sessions helped further contextualize and prove the relevancy of my research, shaping the trajectory of my future research in the equity-transportati...

Thanks to Resources for the Future and the Sloan Foundation for organizing the Energy Insights Conference in DC last week! We had a great time discussing the latest research and policymaking in the energy systems world, including data and modeling, equity and justice, and emerging technologies.

Trisha Litong's paper titled "Uncovering the Barriers and Inequities of a Clean Mobility Program Using Journey Mapping" was accepted at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting  in January, 2023. This paper takes a deep dive into California's state-run equity mobility program, Clean Cars for All , using a design tool called journey mapping and outlines the unintended inequities embedded in the process as well as recommendations for future program iterations. Congratulations, Trisha!

In September, I was honored to facilitate a fireside chat conversation with Trevor Noah, renowned comedian and host of the Daily Show! The whole engineering crew plus Trevor. Special thanks to Dean Alec Gallimore as well as Holly Taylor and Stacie Edington for all their work to make this event successful. As part of the CoE Common Reading Experience , the Michigan Engineering community read Trevor's book Born a Crime  and held discussions about the book. As a culmination of this amazing program, Michigan Engineering partnered with the University Musical Society to bring Trevor Noah to campus for a fireside chat with the Michigan Engineering community and a comedy show ( Back to Abnormal Tour ) for a broader audience.  I was selected to be the faculty facilitator for the fireside chat and discuss topics with Trevor in his book as well as his thoughts on how engineers can make a positive impact in social issues. What an incredible honor and experience! He was funny, kind, and al...

Had a great time at the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference ( IDETC ) last week in St. Louis, MO! The Arch at sunrise This is the first in-person multi-day conference I've been to in the whole pandemic. It was so refreshing to see people in person and be able to connect with multiple colleagues and students at different universities. Thanks to the organizers for a fantastic event! Union Station Hotel - main lobby