Student winners Olivia Mobayed, Carrie Sauer, and Rachel Finfer with Assistant Professor Megan Ryerson
Student winners Olivia Mobayed, Carrie Sauer, and Rachel Finfer with Assistant Professor Megan Ryerson
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Three students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design—Rachel Finfer, Olivia Mobayed, and Carrie Sauer—won Women’s Transportation Seminar Awards at the 2017 Awards Banquet on November 30, 2017. Women’s Transportation Seminar is a prestigious international organization founded in 1977 with the mission of supporting women in the field of transportation, and counts more than 6500 members.
The three students who won awards from WTS are all pursing a Master of City Planning degree with a concentration in Sustainable Transportation and Infrastructure Planning. The students were honored for their dedication to accessible transportation, Vision Zero and Safe mobility, and helping students at the collegiate and high school levels connect with transportation.
Finfer describes herself as “passionate about bicycle and pedestrian planning and safety, and hopes to help people move through our public realm safely and comfortably on bike and foot, allowing our cities to truly thrive.” She adds, “this award is not only a great motivator to keep working hard, but is also a reminder of the importance of supporting your peers, particularly when they are doing work that you believe in!”
Committed to working to advance equity and safe mobility, Mobayed says, “WTS's support has helped solidify my belief that I have found my true calling as a transportation planner.”
Sauer, who helped establish the Philadelphia Student Chapter of WTS, explains, “Through its advocacy, professional development, and incredible network, WTS has helped shape my career. As a part of the Student Chapter, I aim to provide similar benefits to my peers. To be recognized for these efforts by such a wonderful community of strong women and leaders of this field means so much.”
Finfer, Mobayed, and Sauer continue the robust tradition of PennDesign students and faculty being honored by WTS for their contributions to the field. Past student winners include Amber Woodburn (PhD’16), Veronica Ge (MCP’14), Laura Byer (MCP’15), and Elynor Zhou (MCP’17). Megan Ryerson, Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning and Electrical and Systems Engineering, was awarded WTS-Philadelphia Woman of the Year in 2015.
The University of Pennsylvania School of Design prepares students to address complex sociocultural and environmental issues through thoughtful inquiry, creative expression, and innovation. As a diverse community of scholars and practitioners, we are committed to advancing the public good–both locally and globally–through art, design, planning, and preservation.
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