The PLURIS represents the continuation of the partnership between researchers from Brazil and Portugal since 2005. It constitutes a technical and scientific multidisciplinary association, bringing together professionals working on the following topics: Environment and Energy; Groundbreaking and Intelligent Cities; Mobility and Transport; and Regional and Urban Planning.

Preceded by PLURIS 2014 held in Lisbon – Portugal, the biennial Congress has its seventh edition in Brazil, this time being based in Maceió – Alagoas, from 05 - 07 of October 2016. The Conference is open to participants with different profiles: researchers, students and professionals linked to the themes and topics addressed in the conference. Thus, the new edition in 2016 reinforces and supplements the established contacts and integrate new participants whose academic work and professional fall within the themes of the congress.

In the seventh edition of PLURIS, the contrasts, contradictions and urban complexities, challenges of the twenty-first century will be the focus of the event. The experience in cities today shows new forms of permanence, use and production of the urban environment and the challenge is the search for an equilibrated relation between man and the environment, the adequate constructive density and infrastructure for sustainable mobility and spatial inclusion, and others topics. Increasingly, the various professionals working in the urban spaces faces the needs of these current demands and the challenge of the intervention.

16th February 2016        | Deadline for submission of abstracts

More information at: http://www.fau.ufal.br/evento/pluris2016/en/enviodetrabalhos_resumos.html

We look forward to your participation in PLURIS 2016, and to see you in Maceió.
Sincerely,

The Local Organizing Committee,

Gianna Melo Barbirato
Ricardo Victor Rodrigues Barbosa
João Carlos Cordeiro Barbirato

Universidade Federal de Alagoas

The Organising Committee of the XI Iberian Conference on Rural Studies invites the submission of abstracts for oral communication or poster presentation. We would be extremely grateful if you could spread the word among members of your institution/association/network.

The submission is open on the webpage of XICIER 2016 (http://xicier2016.utad.pt), where you can consult the list of topics, as well as other relevant information about the event. The deadline for submission of abstracts is 29 February 2016.

The XICIER 2016 will be held from October 13 to October 15 at the University of Trás-os- Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), at Vila Real, Portugal. It is organised by the Centre of Transdisciplinary Studies for Development (CETRAD), the Portuguese Society of Rural Studies (SPER) and the Spanish Association of Agricultural Economics (AEEA). Other partners of the organization of the XICIER 2016 are: the Spanish Association of Geographers, (AGE), the Groups of Rural and Food Sociology from the Spanish Federation of Sociology (FES), the Rural Studies Network (RER , Brazil), the Spanish Society of Agrarian History (SEHA) and the Brazilian Society of Economics, Business and Rural Sociology ( SOBER .

The overall theme of the XICIER 2016 is the Smart and inclusive development in rural areas, providing the opportunity to discuss and to analyse ideas, proposals and results of research and actual experience already obtained on the applicability and implementation of smart growth agenda and sustainable and inclusive development in rural areas in different
geographical and socio-cultural contexts, especially in Europe and Latin America.

We rely on your support and participation!

For more information visit http://xicier2016.utad.pt or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Call for Applications

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE BENJAMIN H. STEVENS 2016-2017
GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN REGIONAL SCIENCE

Graduate students enrolled in Ph.D. programs in North America are encouraged to apply for the Sixteenth Benjamin H. Stevens Graduate Fellowship in Regional Science, administered by the North American Regional Science Council of the Regional Science Association International (NARSC-RSAI). This Fellowship, in support of thesis research in Regional Science, is awarded annually in memory of Dr. Benjamin H. Stevens, an intellectual leader whose selfless devotion to graduate students as teacher, advisor, mentor, and friend had a profound impact on the field. Regional Science is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the theory and method of urban and regional phenomena. Regional Scientists apply theoretical and empirical frameworks and methods of the social and other sciences, as well as develop new ones specifically for regional analysis and policy.

Eligible students should have completed all degree requirements except for their dissertation by the time the Fellowship commences. A requirement of the Fellowship is that the recipient has no duties other than dissertation research during the Fellowship, although the recipient may hold other fellowships concurrently. Applications from students working in any area or any Ph.D. program are welcome as long as their dissertation research addresses a research question in Regional Science.

The Fellowship consists of a stipend in the amount of $30,000 (U.S.), paid over a twelve-month period. Applications for the 2016-2017 Fellowship should be sent electronically by the applicant to the Selection Committee Chair, Professor Laurie A. Schintler, and received by April 15, 2016. (Although the normal application deadline is February 15, in 2016 the application deadline was extended.)

An application consists of the following materials:

1. A curriculum vita of no more than two (2) pages in length.

2. A statement in ten (10) pages or less explaining the questions and issues to be addressed, the approach to be used, and the product expected from the thesis research, preceded by a summary (1-page maximum) describing the intellectual merit of the proposed research, and the broader impacts that may result. The 10-page limit is inclusive of references, but exclusive of tables and figures. This text should be in 12 point or larger font, double-spaced, with one-inch margins; references may be single-spaced.

3. Copies of the candidate’s transcripts for all graduate study. Unofficial copies are acceptable.

In addition, the thesis supervisor shall provide a confidential letter sent separately as an attachment from her/his email account with the student’s name in the subject line to Professor Laurie A. Schintler. In the letter the supervisor should assess the quality and significance of the proposed dissertation research, specify the current state of progress toward the candidate’s degree and provide a commitment by the thesis supervisor to obtain a tuition waiver for the candidate for the year of the Fellowship. A condition of the Fellowship is the granting of a tuition waiver for the year of the Fellowship by the university, or equivalent payment of the student’s tuition.

Applications should be emailed to Professor Laurie A. Schintler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Questions may also be sent to her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For information about NARSC, go to www.narsc.org/newsite/. For information about RSAI, go to www.rsai.org.

May 13, 2015

Revised, January 25, 2016

Dear colleague,

We would be delighted if you can bring this message under the attention of talented candidates who would like to pursue a PhD in transport and urban economics in Amsterdam.

The Department of Spatial Economics, VU Amsterdam has just opened 4 PhD positions. The positions are each part of larger projects, including national and international partner institutions, which are to be carried out in the context of the so-called SURF programme: Smart Urban Regions of the Future. Positions are open on the following four topics:

1. Tradable peak-hour permits in road transport: a real-world experiment
2. Behavioural modelling of peak-hour commuting behaviour: stated and revealed preference approaches
3. Automated driving: spatial-economic implications (command of Dutch required)
4. Urban form, energy use and local environmental quality: a general equilibrium perspective

For further information on how to apply, please go to: http://www.vu.nl/nl/werken-bij-de-vu/vacatures/2016/16002.asp

Sincerely,

Erik Verhoef

(Head of Department)

The objectives of the European Union for rail freight are clearly expressed in successive White Papers, particularly the one published in 2011. This expected modal shift, mainly in favour of rail transport, reflects a desire to reverse past trends, in which road transport has become very dominant. In order for this ambition to amount to more than wishful thinking, the EU has sought to develop intra-modal competition to revitalise this sector.

However, in light of the unrelenting strong intermodal competition, mainly from road transport, one cannot help but question the European Union’s objectives. To what extent will rail freight transport be able to expand its relevance?

These topics will be addressed in the 4th TransportNet Railway Seminar “Rail Freight: the Thwarted Ambitions of EU” on March 11, 2016, in Karlsruhe. Presentations will be given by practitioners as well as academics, with ensuing discussions by all participants.

The seminar is free of charge, but registration is compulsory. Full information and registration possibilities are available on the seminar website.

URBAN DIALOGUES: CREATING INCLUSIVE URBAN SPACES IN UNCERTAIN GLOBAL TIMES

UK coordinator: Dr Sarah Ayres (University of Bristol, UK)

Brazilian coordinator: Professor Clélio Campolina Diniz (Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Dates and venue: 3-6^th May 2016 at Center for Regional Development and Planning at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horitonte, Brazil

Workshop details:

This workshop will explore the construction of inclusive urban spaces in uncertain global times. One of the major impacts of the global economic crisis is the way it has deepened inequalities at a time when the state’s capacity for public intervention to tackle inequality has diminished. These developments raise questions about what forms of governance step in when the state withdraws and how urban policy can be developed to reflect the interests of all. To address these issues further research is needed to evaluate the opportunities and challenges ahead. There is a need to reflect on the usefulness of previous urban development approaches and explore the potential for alternative structures in both established (UK) and emerging (Brazil) economies. This multi-disciplinary workshop will promote scientific excellence and international collaboration in the field of urban governance with a view to informing future policy in a way that will enrich the lives and wellbeing of all those living in cities.

The workshop is being coordinated by Dr Sarah Ayres (University of Bristol, UK) and Professor Clélio Campolina Diniz (Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil) and will have contributions from other researchers, including Professors Roberto Luís de Melo Monte-Mór and Heloísa Soares de Moura Costa (Federal University Minas Gerais, Brazil), and Dr John Harrison (Loughborough University, UK) and Dr Stephen Hincks (University of Manchester, UK).

The workshop will provide a unique opportunity for sharing research expertise and networking. During the workshop early career researchers will have the opportunity to present their research in a multi-disciplinary setting and discuss this with established researchers from the UK and Brazil. There will be a focus on building up links for future collaborations. Participants will be selected on the basis of their research potential and ability to pursue longer term research partnerships.

Available funding:

The British Council and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) will cover the costs related to the participation to the workshop, including accommodation and meals and will provide travel and visa expenses up to £1000 (for UK participants) and £250 (approximately 1400 Brazilian Real for Brazilian participants).

Application and Deadline: The full application from must be completed and submitted by Friday 19^th February 2016 to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Full details about the workshop and the application form can be found here: https://www.britishcouncil.org/education/science/current-opportunities/workshop-inclusive-urbanisation

Eligibility Criteria:

- Applications must be submitted using the Researcher Links application form

- Applications must be submitted before the above deadline

- Participants must be early career researchers: Early Career Researchers are defined as holding a PhD (or having equivalent research experience) and having up to 10 years post-PhD research experience.

- Participants must have a research or academic position (either a permanent post, research contract, or fellowship etc) at a recognised research institution either in the UK or in Brazil. 

Dear colleagues,

We are organizing the next INFER Annual Conference as part of the scientific activities supported by the CREIP research center (www.urv.cat/creip). INFER AC will take place in Reus, at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the Rovira i Virgili University in June 2016 (8th, 9th and 10th).

The INFER Annual Conference will include 15 special sessions with a wide variety of topics. Here you have the list of these sessions and the organisers.
 

1. SIMBIEN Network "Sustainability of the welfare state and intra and intergenerational redistribution of income": Hèctor Sala (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona & Xarxa de Recerca en Economia i Polítiques Públiques) and Ció Patxot (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona & Xarxa de Recerca en Economia i Polítiques Públiques).
2. “Fiscal Policy and Financial Markets”: Andreea Stoian (Bucharest University of Economic Studies) and David Duffy (University of Ulster).
3. “Firm Location and Relocation Processes”: Camélia Turcu (Université d’Orléans) and Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod (Universitat Rovira i Virgili).
4. “Economic History”: Jordi Guilera (Lisbon University).
5. “The Eurozone crisis: how will it end?”: Alberto Bagnai (Università degli Studi "G. d'Annunzio").
6. “Spatial Econometrics”: Miguel Manjón (Universitat Rovira i Virgili), Oscar Martínez (Universitat Rovira i Virgili) and Karen Miranda (Universitat Rovira i Virgili).
7. “Creative Industries”: Rafael Boix (Universitat de València) Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod (Universitat Rovira i Virgili).
8. “University Spin-offs. Results of entrepreneurship in academia”: Pere Segarra (Entrepreneurship Chair: Universitat Rovira i Virgili) and Judit Albiol (Entrepreneurship Chair: Universitat Rovira i Virgili).
9. “The Financial Cycle: Assessment by Early Warning Systems and Consequences”: Virginie Coudert (Banque de France and University of Paris West Nanterre la Défense).
10. “Economic Culture of Industry Companies”: Miguel Ángel Pérez Benedito (Universitat de València).
11. “Fiscal Policy Convergence in the European Union”: Bernd Theilen (Universitat Rovira i Virgili).
12. “Policy regimes and forecasting”: Peter Claeys (Vrije Universiteit Brussel).
13. "Network Configurations, Location, Innovation and Time": F. Xavier Molina-Morales (Universitat Jaume I), Angeles Montoro-Sánchez (Complutense University of Madrid) and Isabel Díez-Vial (Complutense University of Madrid).
14. “Energy Economics”: Maria Llop (Energy and Development Chair: Universitat Rovira i Virgili)
15. “Growth prospects and trends in terms of entrepreneurial typology”: Pere Segarra (Entrepreneurship Chair: Universitat Rovira i Virgili) and Judit Albiol (Entrepreneurship Chair: Universitat Rovira i Virgili).

The INFER Annual Conference will include keynote speeches by Prof. Guillem López Casasnovas (Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Prof.Thierry Mayer (SciencesPo), and Prof.Diego Puga (CEMFI).
 
Remember that submissions to special and ordinary sessions must be send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 29th February. For further updates please visit:
 
http://wwwa.fundacio.urv.cat/congressos/infer-conference/
 
Kind regards,
Josep-Maria Arauzo-Carod
Universitat Rovira i Virgili & CREIP

Dear NECTAR friends,

The deadline for submission of abstracts to the NECTAR Cluster 1 workshop on “The wider economic and social impacts of transport networks” has been extended. The organizers are accepting abstracts till the 29^th of January 2016. Please find enclosed the updated call for papers.

Best wishes,

Ana Condeço-Mehorado

NECTAR secretary

Call for Submissions

PRSCO Award for Best Paper by a Young Regional Scientist [PDF][MS-Word]

The Pacific Regional Science Conference Organisation (PRSCO) offers a Best Paper Award annually. The Award is aimed at encouraging young regional scientists within the Asia-Pacific region to participate in research within the PRSCO community and to achieve research excellence. The best paper prize was first awarded in 2015, and PRSCO now invites submissions for the 2016 Award.

The 2016 Award will be made for the best submission to the PRSCO Best Paper competition by a young regional scientist, under the age of 33 (on July 1, 2016), who is from a PRSCO-relevant part of the world.The Award rules can be found on the PRSCO web site.

The author of the winning paper will be expected to present their paper at the 2016 PRSCO Summer Institute to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, June 27-29, 2016. The winning paper will be announced by May 6, 2016. The decision of the selection committee will be final.

Eligible authors who wish to submit a paper to the 2016 PRSCO Best Paper competition should email a pdf copy of their paper to the PRSCO Executive Secretary (Hiroyuki SHIBUSAWA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) by no later than Thursday, March 24, 2016.

Submissions should include a cover page with the paper’s title, the author’s full name, affiliation, and contact details. Award applicants should either: state that the paper is single-authored; or provide the name of the co-author(s), together with evidence that the applicant is the lead author and has contributed over 70 per cent of the paper’s content. The applicant should also affirm that they meet the Award’s age criterion.


List of Winners
2015 Andrés Castaño Zuluaga (the Catholic University of the North at Antofagasta, Chile)
Paper Title “The effect of the spatial density of firms on gender wage gap”

The call for abstracts for the 45th Annual Conference of the RSAI-BIS is displayed below.  For a PDF copy please click here.  Online abstract submissions can be made here.  A call for a special session on "Spatial analysis and coastal economies" is available here.