About Alexander

Professor Alexander Paz is the Transport and Main Roads Chair at the Queensland University of Technology. Before joining QUT, he was an Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and the director of the Transportation Research Center at the University of Nevada. He is a Chartered Professional and a Fellow Engineer in Australia, a Registered Professional Engineer in Queensland, and a Professional Engineer Licensed in the State of Nevada. Professor Paz has a strong background in transport engineering, travel behavior, transport planning, and road safety. He has significant experience developing methods, algorithms and software tools for the management of highway infrastructure, the analysis and evaluation of transport systems, and the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems.

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Conference Topic

Active transport to support healthier communities

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Australia has set a Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. However, there is a strong likelihood that the plan will fall short because it relies largely on consumers choosing to purchase low and zero emission vehicles (LZEVs). Although available, more affordable transport technologies and services that complement LZEVs and support decarbonisation and better public health have been poorly implemented in Australia.

Indeed, only a few countries, such as the Netherlands, have succeeded in this regard. One of the most beneficial complementary pathways to LZEVs is a shift to greener than driving travel modes (GTMs), which include (among others): walking, cycling, public transport, emerging electric mobility devices, such as scooters, working from home, and mobility as a service (MaaS). In contrast to the contemporary norm of driving, GTMs, generate a zero or extremely low carbon footprint. They also provide other public benefits, such as physical and mental health.

In addition, infrastructure for GTMs requires less resources compared to driving, thereby creating significantly less environmental impact. In close collaboration with my Key Industry Partner, the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR), we are developing tools and approaches to realise broader implementation of greener than driving travel modes in Australia.