Building transport futures: Highlights from the DARe Researcher Conference

The DARe Hub’s mission is to help the UK transport sector prepare and adapt for the future. Whilst our physical transport infrastructure is highly important, the people working within and alongside the transport sector are the most crucial part of the future-proofing puzzle, and the Hub is committed to aiding capacity building and development across the sector. 

In June, the Hub hosted the DARe Researcher Conference at Newcastle University, an engaging three-day event tailored for transport researchers but open to anyone working in transport. Bringing together over 80 attendees across 27 institutions, ranging from postdoctoral researchers and industry professionals to policy makers and transport operators, the event schedule featured a diverse blend of presentations and case studies, and offered ample opportunities for attendees to network and socialise, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing among peers. 

There was a fantastic line up of speakers from across transport and academia. A huge thanks to all our stakeholders who contributed to the programme, from the Department of Transport, AtkinsRéalis, Mott MacDonald, Network Rail, the Centre for Connected and Automated Vehicles, Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT), Innovate UK, Urban Foresight, and IGNITE Network+.

During the three days speakers and participants explored a mixture of important and emerging topics including: the use of agent-based modelling for understanding transport complexity; the growth of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure; changes in EV driver behaviour and EV impacts on the power grid; and transport infrastructure planning. Participants also heard about addressing decarbonisation gaps in transport projects; rail resilience and adaptation; using digital twins for transport modelling and testing; and innovation in connected and automated mobility.   

Alongside the subject-specific sessions there were several workshops led by expert practitioners, covering essential skills for researchers such as embedding equality, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) throughout research; applying outcomes-focused and systems thinking approaches; effective collaboration with industry; and grant writing, as well as general advice for early career researchers.

Participants also had the opportunity to enter a poster competition and present their work relating to decarbonised, adaptable, and resilient transport. Congratulations to our three poster prize winners: Dr Pete Helm, awarded first place for ‘Disruption Due to Transport Infrastructure Failure’; Dr Tabea Sonnenschein, awarded second place for ‘Scenarios of Healthier Urban Transport Regimes’; and Dr Si Chen, awarded third place ‘Transport-Energy Nexus Modelling’.

Finally, the DARe Researcher Conference culminated in a keynote address from Professor Sarah Sharples, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport. Professor Sharples’ enthusiasm for transport was evident as she shared insights from her personal research journey and offered valuable advice to aspiring researchers. 

Thank you to all our speakers: 

• Karen Allenby, Newcastle University
• Dr Josey Wardle, Innovate UK
• Prof Roberto Palacin, Newcastle University
• Prof Phil James, Newcastle University
• Prof Hayley Fowler, Newcastle University
• Prof Richard Dawson, Newcastle University
• Dr Alistair Ford, Newcastle University
• Prof Colin Herron, Newcastle University
• Dr Marco Reggiani, IGNITE Network+, University of Strathclyde
• Callum White, Urban Foresight
• Mark Enzer, Mott MacDonald
• Mark Connelly, AtkinsRéalis
• Matthew Lawrence, Network Rail
• Prof Phil Greening, Heriot-Watt University
• Fred Bowron, Centre for Connected and Automated Vehicles
• Neil Johnstone, Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT)
• Prof Sarah Sharples, Department for Transport
• Dr Farhana Chowdhury, Newcastle University

Thank you to those who helped organise the conference:

• Dr David Alvarez Castro, Newcastle University
• Julie Duncan, Newcastle University
• Dr Kristina Wolf, Newcastle University
• Dr Matthew Burke, Newcastle University
• Dr Yimeng Liu, Newcastle University