The IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Society France Chapter is pleased to launch the Best PhD Presentation Award 2026, which recognizes outstanding doctoral research presentations in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and highlights the contributions of early-career researchers within the French ITS community.

This award aims to promote high-quality research advancing ITS from theoretical, methodological, technological, and application-oriented perspectives, with the potential to contribute to safer, more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable transportation systems.

🎓 Eligibility

Candidates must meet the following conditions:

  • The PhD degree must have been awarded by a French university or higher-education institution.
  • The thesis must have been defended after 1 January 2024;
  • The thesis must be clearly aligned with field of Intelligent Transportation Systems.

The principal eligibility criterion is that the awarding institution for the doctoral degree is located in France.

📌 Scientific scope

Applications are welcome from all research areas related to Intelligent Transportation Systems as portrayed within the IEEE ITS Society, including, but not limited to:

  • Artificial intelligence and data science for transportation;
  • Traffic flow modelling, simulation, optimisation, and control;
  • Intelligent vehicles
  • Connected and automated mobility;
  • Shared, on-demand, and multimodal mobility;
  • Mobility as a Service;
  • Smart public transport systems;
  • Freight transportation and logistics;
  • Transportation safety and security;
  • Intelligent infrastructure and communication systems;
  • Travel behaviour and demand modelling;
  • Sustainable mobility, energy, and environmental impacts;
  • Decision-support systems and transport operations;
  • Innovative ITS applications and case studies.

Evaluation criteria

Applications will be assessed by the IEEE ITSS France Chapter Scientific Committee. The criteria includes:

  • Scientific relevance to ITS;
  • Originality and significance of the contribution;
  • Methodological rigor;
  • Potential scientific, societal, or practical impact;
  • Quality and clarity of the thesis;
  • Publications, patents or other related outputs.

The period considered for the publications is within the period of the PhD research or close to the defense. The evaluation will focus primarily on the quality and contribution of the doctoral research.

Application documents

The following documents are required for the application:

  • The final official version of the PhD thesis;
  • A one-page summary highlighting the research problem, methodology, principal contributions, application context, and potential impact;
  • A curriculum vitae, including a list of publications and scientific outputs produced during the PhD;
  • The official thesis reviewers’ reports;
  • A supporting letter from the PhD supervisor (optional).
  • The applicant’s IEEE membership number (optional).

🔗 Applications must be submitted via the form below:

IEEE ITSS France Chapter PhD Award 2026 – Application Form – Fill out form

📅 Timeline

• Application deadline: 31 August 2026

• Notification of awardees: September 2026

• Award ceremony: 2 October 2026, Paris

The selected candidate(s) will receive an official award certificate from the IEEE ITSS France Chapter, visibility through the Chapter’s communication channels, and an invitation to the award ceremony during the IEEE ITSS France Chapter Annual Meeting in Paris.

We invite supervisors, laboratories, doctoral schools, universities, and ITS community members to share this call with eligible candidates.

For further information, please contact: france-itss@ieee.org

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