Researchers present innovative research at transport research world conference
Toulouse, France | July 6–10, 2026
CTR-affiliated attendees at the 2026 World Conference on Transport Research in Toulouse, France included Marcella Kaplan, Katherine Asmussen, Candace Brakewood, and Oriana Calderon, who were joined by Aryana Soliz from the Department of Sociology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Remote Work & Social Outings
Katherine Asmussen presented on whether remote work leads to social isolation and found the answer is complicated. While teleworkers spend more leisure time at home and less time out in the world, they tend to compensate with longer, more intentional social outings—suggesting that remote work reshapes rather than simply diminishes our social lives. She also served on an early-career faculty panel, sharing insights on navigating new academic positions, managing work-life balance, and establishing an independent research agenda.
Transportation Equity & Federal Policy
Marcella Kaplan, Ph.D., examined the relationship between marriage and birth rates and transportation burden across the U.S., in response to a 2025 USDOT directive linking federal funding to those metrics. Her analysis reveals complex spatial patterns, raising important equity questions about how such a policy would play out across different types of communities and which populations could be left behind.
Despite the 104-degree heat, Toulouse delivered rich conversations, great presentations, and a reminder that transportation research sits at the intersection of everything: from how we work, to how we love, to how we move through the world.