Alissa Kendall Appointed Director of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies
The Office of Research at UC Davis is pleased to announce the appointment of Alissa Kendall, the Ray B. Krone Endowed Professor of Environmental Engineering, as the new director of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS-Davis). Kendall succeeds founding director Dan Sperling, who has led the institute since its establishment in 1991.
“Professor Kendall is a proven thought leader and natural collaborator certain to deliver immediate and long-term advancements through the institute,” said Simon Atkinson, vice chancellor for research at UC Davis. “She is an excellent choice to build upon the success established throughout Dan Sperling’s leadership.”
Kendall has served as associate director of ITS-Davis for the past year, helping guide the institute’s expansive research, education, and policy engagement portfolio. She is an internationally-recognized scholar in industrial ecology and lifecycle assessment, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications spanning transportation, infrastructure, energy, and agriculture. Her work has provided rigorous insights into the environmental impacts of vehicles, fuels, and infrastructure systems, advancing science-based solutions for climate and mobility challenges.
A UC Davis faculty member since 2007, Kendall is a core faculty member in the Transportation Technology and Policy Graduate Group and was the founding chair of the Energy Graduate Group. She is a past board member and recipient of the Laudis Medal from the International Society for Industrial Ecology, recipient of UC Davis’s College of Engineering Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Research Award and was a UC Davis Chancellor’s Fellow.
Kendall traces her path to transportation research back to an unexpected start at Ford Motor Company, where she worked on electric vehicles as a young engineer. The experience sparked her lifelong curiosity about how to innovate and inform the best solutions for sustainable transportation systems and technologies, and led her to pursue a joint PhD in Natural Resource Policy and Civil & Environmental Engineering at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Today, her research applies industrial ecology methods to improve decarbonization and sustainability strategies for the transportation sector.
“ITS-Davis has always been a place where leading edge research meets real-world impact. Its success is fueled by a shared vision for a more sustainable transportation future and the collaborative and interdisciplinary culture of UC Davis,” Kendall said. “I’m honored to lead the institute into its next chapter—continuing to generate rigorous science, foster partnerships, and mentor the next generation of leaders who will transform our transportation systems.”
Sperling praised Kendall as the right choice to guide the institute’s future. “Alissa is an extraordinary scholar, a thoughtful leader, and great manager,” he said. “She is committed to bringing research to policy, works well with both industry and community groups, and has much international experience. She combines technical excellence with humility, openness, and a deep commitment to mentoring. She is perfectly positioned to carry forward the ITS-Davis legacy and expand its global impact.”
Founded in 1991, ITS-Davis is home to more than 150 faculty, staff, and graduate students, and is widely recognized as the leading university center on sustainable transportation. Its interdisciplinary research and education programs inform California, national, and global policy on climate, energy, and mobility.
