12/8/2022
Eleftheria Kontou was named Researcher of the Year by the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (I-ACT).
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Assistant Professor Eleftheria Kontou was named Researcher of the Year, one of the annual Sustainable Transportation Awards presented by the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (I-ACT), formerly known as Chicago Area Clean Cities. The awards are given to organizations and individuals who take actions to locally reduce vehicle emissions and improve air quality.
“Kontou’s research on electric vehicle charging infrastructure planning, supported by the Illinois Center for Transportation and the Illinois Department of Transportation, helps the state of Illinois determine how to optimally deploy chargers over time to meet statewide emissions reduction goals and reach electric vehicle adoption targets, aligned with the recently passed Climate & Equitable Jobs Act,” according to an I-ACT press release.
Kontou’s research group developed a suitability map for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, taking into account a diverse set of criteria addressing economic, societal and environmental justice considerations, showcasing the important role of equity in planning for the next generation of emerging and sustainable mobility systems. The suitability mapping work was part of the state of Illinois National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure plan. The analysis forecast identified census tracts that should be prioritized during the Illinois statewide deployment of charging infrastructure along with interstates and major highways that traverse them. According to the research, interstates and highways I-90, I-80, I-55 and I-57 have high suitability scores for charging stations.
The awards were presented at the alliance’s Annual Meeting and Holiday Reception held in December 2022 in Wheaton, Ill. For information about additional award winners, visit https://il-act.org/illinois-alliance-for-clean-transportation-iact-recognizes-sustainable-transportation-leaders/