Lucía Magaña, member of EELISA-on-the-MOVE: awarded at the 3rd EELISA Scientific Student Competition at Bucharest
Last 12th and 13th of June, took place the 3rd EELISA European University International Scientific Student Competition at the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, co-organized by the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Around 100 international students from across the EELISA European University Alliance presented their research work in 12 exciting sessions on site and online.
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid was represented by 7 students from different faculties thanks to the foundation of EELISA UPM, among them our colleague Lucía Magaña Morán, who also represented our community EELISA On-the-MOVE and the Transport Research Centre of the UPM: TRANSyT.
We are proud of Lucía for having received a Special Price to publish in the scientific journal Cognitive Sustainability her study, entitled “New Pedestrian Cities. Analysis of the transformation of urban space in sustainable mobility projects.” Analyzes the implementation of pedestrianization from the pedestrian perspective, through two recent case studies in Madrid (Puerta del Sol and Plaza de Olavide).
Through surveys carried out on pedestrians in both areas and a study of the built environment where it is analysed how the interventions have been executed and which are the elements that make up the space, it is shown that the interventions more focused on the user, which promote the stay and the enjoyment of the environment produce a greater satisfaction in the pedestrian.
Students also had de opportunity to explored Bucharest and visited the main research hubs of the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest: CAMPUS and PRECIS Institutes.
We are very grateful to the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest, Budapest University of Technology and Economics and EELISA for this opportunity to exchange knowledge once again among young people.
Mari Luz Brownrigg-Gleeson, gives the main keys to a study that has analysed the social and economic impact on pedestrianised areas of the capital.
Researcher Mari Luz Brownrigg-Gleeson, part of EELISA-on-the-MOVE and Transport Research Centre (TRANSyT-UPM), has participated in the new episode of the podcast SomosUPM, from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, here she has shared some of the main results of the study we lead in the framework of the European project SCALE-UP.
The study, carried out in collaboration with Andrés Monzón y Adriana Cortez, is in line with the objectives of our EELISA-on-the-MOVE. It analyses the effects of pedestrianisation in busy areas of Madrid, such as Puerta del Sol and Plaza de Olavide, assessing its impact on mobility, quality of life and the local economy. One of the most relevant findings is the high level of satisfaction among citizens and businesses, despite the initial reluctance that usually surrounds this type of intervention.
In addition, there is a significant decrease in car use in the affected areas, accompanied by an increase in the willingness of citizens to walk, which reinforces the idea that such urban transformations favour a more sustainable, inclusive and liveable city.
These results can be found in detail in the following article: Reasons to Pedestrianise Urban Centres: Impact Analysis on Mobility Habits, Liveability and Economic Activities (Brownrigg-Gleeson et al., 2023), available at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16472
We also highlight how pedestrianisation favours local commerce, promoting more frequent use of neighbourhood shops and hospitality services, in line with the 15-minute city model, which was also discussed in the episode and which is the focus of Mari Luz’s research.
As our researcher points out, “Madrid can be a more pedestrian-friendly city, but that means reducing the space available to private vehicles,” a message that, although sometimes controversial, is increasingly present in urban mobility policies.
The academic activity, organized by the EELISA challenges “Use of Virtual Reality as a Tool for Collaborative Planning” and “Urban i-HUBS: Towards More Equitable and Efficient Intermodal Access,” both coordinated by professors from the EELISA On-the-Move community and funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, was held at the UPM.
The event brought together students, experts from various universities, and companies to explore the use of digital tools in urban mobility planning. Among the participants were 18 students from UPM (from the ETSIMFMN, ETSAM, and ETSICCP schools), one student from Istanbul Technical University, and one student from Budapest University of Technology and Economics.
Thursday 19th
The event began on the afternoon of Thursday, September 19, with the session titled “Digitalization and Visualization Tools.” After an opening by Professor Andrés Monzón, coordinator of EEMOVE-UPM, Professor Belén Martín (UPM) presented a summary of the academic activities she coordinated in the EELISA challenge “Use of Virtual Reality as a Tool for Collaborative Planning” during the 2023/2024 academic year and those planned for the 2024/2025 academic year, developed in collaboration with ESRI. These activities explored the applications of virtual reality and digital twins in sustainable planning within the bachelor’s degree programs in Civil and Territorial Engineering, Forest Engineering, and Environmental Engineering at UPM. Subsequently, a panel of experts, moderated by Professor Martín, discussed practical applications of these technologies in urban mobility and planning. Participants included Pablo Nistal, engineer at the company INGECID; Luis Íñigo Lladró, geographer at ESRI; and Professor Julio Soria (UPM), principal investigator of the VIR2ALL project (https://vir2all.transyt-projects.com/).
One of the most interactive activities was the virtual reality workshop led by Professor Amor Ariza (UPM) and virtual reality specialist architect Manuel Pérez (VIR2ALL Lab – UPM). In this workshop, students and academics from both UPM and other international institutions, such as Dr. Florin Nemtanu from Politehnica University of Bucharest and Professor Hande Demirel from Istanbul Technical University, collaborated in teams to experience virtual reality scenarios developed within the VIR2ALL research project.
Friday 20th
On Friday, September 20, activities focused on intermodality and active mobility. In the morning, participants attended presentations on digital tools to improve urban and mobility planning, with keynote presentations by Allison Fernández from UPM-TRANSyT, as well as Dr. Nemtanu and Professor Demirel. The “Step Counter Challenge” activity, a joint initiative between the EELISA On-the-Move and Health in the City communities, was later replicated, although in a somewhat shorter format. This activity had already been held on June 13, 2024 (https://blogs.upm.es/eemove/2024/06/17/step-counter-challenge/). In this second edition, which allowed our colleagues from Istanbul and Bucharest to replicate it at their respective universities, activity trackers were distributed as part of a walking challenge to promote active mobility in the city. The initiative was presented by Professors Ester Higueras and Andrea Alonso (UPM) and student Lucía Magaña (ETSAM-UPM).
After lunch, the afternoon was dedicated to promoting the EELISA challenge on urban i-HUBS, with the participation of Professor Andrea Alonso (UPM) and UPM students Juan Notivoli, Carmen Diéguez, and Alba Ramírez from ETSAM-UPM. The day concluded with a technical visit to the Moncloa interchange station, where multidisciplinary teams of students analyzed the challenges of the station, guided by Professor Andrea Alonso (UPM).
Saturday 21st
On Saturday, September 21, the event concluded with a session in which three teams of students, guided by academics from EELISA On-the-Move, worked on applying digital tools and virtual reality to propose solutions to improve the Moncloa station. Coordinated by PhD students Alba Ramírez and Allison Fernández from UPM, and Koray Aksu from Istanbul Technical University, the students presented their solutions to a jury composed of Dr. Emilio Ortega, Dr. Florin Nemtanu, and Professor Hande Demirel. The closing ceremony included the presentation of awards to the outstanding teams.
This academic event provided a rich platform for international collaboration and the exchange of innovative ideas in the field of urban mobility, deepening the importance and application of digital tools for solving current challenges in cities. The active participation of students from different universities and disciplines was key to the success of the activity.
Unveiling the Impact of Digital Trackers on Daily Activity
Madrid, 13th June 2024
This will be the first activity we will carry out during the year 2024 at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). In it, we will discover the influence of digital trackers on improving active mobility in society. The activity has been divided into several phases.
First Phase – This phase will consist of a series of presentations, during which collaborating professors will discuss active mobility and its consequences from different perspectives. At the end of this first phase, students will receive their digital trackers.
The activity took place on Thursday, 13 of June at the ETSAM (Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid, UPM). There were lectures given by speakers coming from UPM university, such as “Delivering healthier cities. Methods and practices” by Ester Higueras (ETSAM), “Fostering active mobility to archieve more equitable and healthier cities” by Andrea Alonso (ETSAM), “Walking and public transport: A perfect pairing for sustainable urban living” by Cristina López (ETSICCP) and “Road Traffic, emissions and urban air quality: Tools for evaluation and monitoring” by Juan Manuel de Andrés (ETSII).
Finally, digital trackers were given to the students, which will allow them to complete the challenges proposed during the upcoming phases.
Second Phase – It will take place between July and September. In it, student will participate in a challenge, aiming to record 10,000 daily steps.
Third Phase – Once the data from phase 2 is registered, another week of data collection will take place in September. During this time, students will already be in their routine environment and will attempt to balance the challenge with their mobility to the university, work, … .
Once completed, the obtained results will be analyzed, and students will be encouraged to propose ideas and reflections related to active mobility
Last weekend, the first edition of the UP4 Hackathon was celebrated with great enthusiasm. This event brought together brilliant student minds from the four Polytechnic Universities within the framework of the UP4 – CIIMA consortium. This exciting competition aims to promote a multidisciplinary meeting where young talents can propose innovative solutions in the field of Safe, Sustainable, and Connected Mobility for the year 2030. The event had the valuable collaboration and support of the Ministerio de Transportes, Movilidad y Agenda Urbana (MITMA), specifically with the axis 5 of its strategic plan, Intelligent Mobility.
The UPM·3 team, composed of EELISA students from different faculties of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), won the first prize of the hckathon. The brilliant members of this team are Alba Ramírez from the ETSAM, Guillermo Pásaro from the ETSICCP, Paula González from the ESTSII, and María Blanco from the ETSII. Their innovative proposal in the field of Safe Mobility impressed the jury, earning them recognition and the first prize.
But the UPM didn’t stop there, as the second prize also went to another outstanding team from this institution. The VEAWAKE team, composed of Jacobo Garrido, Rosario Carretero, and Ángel Anta, students from the ETSII, demonstrated their dedication and skills, taking home the second prize of the hackathon.
The prizes were awarded in a special ceremony that took place at the Global Mobility Call on Thursday, October 26, at the IFEMA venue in Madrid. This event also served as a platform to present the CIIMA – Centro de Investigación e Innovación en Movilidad Avanzada initiative, driven by the four Polytechnic Universities. The ceremony was attended by representatives from each of these academic institutions, as well as high-ranking officials from MITMA, who shared their ideas and visions for the future of advanced mobility.
The UP4 Hackathon has not only demonstrated the talent and creativity of university students in the field of mobility but also the importance of interuniversity collaboration and close alignment with MITMA’s strategic goals. Congratulations to the winners and all the participants for their outstanding work!
International Co-Creation Workshops: Benchmarking the Challenge of 15-minute Cities in Europe.
Madrid 25th – 27th September
The 2nd Join Call for Co-Creation Seminars has successfully concluded with the third and final workshop. This three-day event took place from September 25th to 27th in Madrid, organized by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM).
Simultaneously, in Budapest at Budapest University of Tech and Economy (BME) and in Istanbul at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), parallel workshops were executed, following the same structured format as our Madrid event.
During this workshop, the initial two days were dedicated to the students, who engaged in intensive work sessions hosted at the ETSAM. These sessions were guided by our dedicated professors who provided support throughout the process. The overarching objective was to consolidate the wealth of information gathered during prior technical visits in Madrid and Paris, ultimately leading to the formulation of Special Proximity Plans tailored to their respective neighbourhoods.
The last day was dedicated to the final presentations, where representatives from the Neighbourhood Associations and the City Hall of Madrid were invited. One last day to present a summary of the previous workshops, centred on the good Parisian practices that could be extrapolated to Madrid Rio.
An engaging debate emerged among the various stakeholders, ensured thanks to the great efforts of the students. Effort that shows in the extensive work and production of multiple actions.
As we bring the curtains down on the 2nd Join Call, titled “International Co-Creation Workshops: Benchmarking the Challenge of 15-minute Cities in Europe,” we are pleased with the highly satisfactory results achieved. We remain optimistic about the potential for the continued growth of such cross-cultural and interdisciplinary learning experiences, benefiting students from diverse international backgrounds.
International Co-Creation Workshops: Benchmarking the Challenge of 15-minute Cities in Europe
Paris 4th – 6th September
This was the second of three workshops planned for this seminar. It has taken place on the 4th, 5th and 6th of September in Paris and has been organized by ENPC (Ecole des Ponts ParisTech) in collaboration with UPM (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid), ITU (Istanbul Technical University) and BME (Budapest University of Tech and Economy).
In alignment with the framework established in the Madrid Workshop, we convened a three-day international seminar with the objective of cross-checking diverse diagnoses and juxtaposing the solutions implemented in Paris.
Monday 4th
The presentation session commenced with an introduction by Paxti Lamíquiz (UPM) and Cécilia Cruz (ENPC), setting the stage for an insightful exchange of ideas. Following her opening remarks, the spotlight shifted to the student delegations from UPM, ITU and BME. Each group shared their findings, showcasing the outcomes of their prior city-wide assessments.
This intricate exchange allowed the ENPC’s incoming students to gain a deeper understanding of the distinctive urban landscapes and challenges faced in the home cities of their international peers.
Thursday 5th
The highlight of the day was a captivating technical visit led by none other than Carlos Moreno, a renowned professor from Sorbonne University, celebrated worldwide for his pioneering work in shaping the visionary concept of the ’15-Minute City.’
The site chosen was Clichy – Batignolles eco-district, one of the top ongoing urban projects in the Paris area. This innovative district exemplifies sustainable urban development in action.
In addition, other lower scale projects such as La Felicité (Morland Mixité Capitale), Martha Desrumaux Garden placed in the former Place d’Armes and La Promenade Plantée.
Wednesday 6th
The concluding day of the workshop unfolded within the Leonard Co-Working space. It was here that our students took centre stage, ready to share the knowledge and insights they had gathered during the preceding day’s exploration.
The international students presented the exemplary practices they had observed in the Parisian urban life. Following the presentations, the students engaged in discussions with their French counterparts, delving into the distinctions and commonalities that define the essence of urban life in their respective regions.
This 2nd workshop provided the perfect setting for this dynamic exchange, fostering an atmosphere of creativity, collaboration, and shared learning. Solidifying the bonds between EELISA Universities and knowledge-sharing.
