The change towards sustainable mobility poses numerous research challenges. The analysis of the actors involved – private and public operators (local authorities, Ministries, agencies), consumers, citizens – should focus on behavioral aspects and technology adoption propensity. The organization of supply and of the territories in which mobility takes place (urban, inner areas, peripheries, etc.) is relevant, together with governance, planning and financial issues. The research project aims to investigate how virtuous forms of mobility - active mobility, shared mobility, public transport services (traditional, on-demand, etc) - and innovative organizational forms and means of transport - private/collective unmanned vehicles and urban air mobility vehicles - can compensate for the environmental externalities associated with passenger and freight urban transport and favouring greater equity and inclusion focusing on two main aspects: (i) Analyse the factors that can support the transition to less impactful forms of urban transport and mobility; (ii) Define and assess elements to design public policies and incentives that enhance the transition. The candidate will be encouraged to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach and use a wide range of empirical techniques (discrete choice models, spatial econometrics, big data and machine learning techniques, agent-based, experimental methods).

Candidates should preferably have an academic background in economics and data analysis, analytical capabilities, the ability to handle and analyze large datasets and perform quantitative research in econometrics and social sciences. Fluency in English is recommended.

The research team is led by Professor Angela S. Bergantino, a full professor of Applied Economics at the University of Bari. She has held and currently holds senior positions in the transport sector at the national and international levels. She is the spoke leader for the PNRR project “Territorial sustainability” (P9). The research team is composed of several researchers (specialized in transport economics, experimental economics, environmental economics, econometrics and tourism) and post-doc and PhD students in economics. The PhD candidate will use the laboratories and research infrastructures equipped with computers and statistical software specific to research activities.