Introduction to the Global Transportation Talent "Pyramid" Empowerment Program

The Global Transportation Talent “Pyramid” Empowerment Program is jointly initiated by the international journalDigital Transportation and Safety and the Organizing Committee of the International Conference on Frontiers in Transportation Engineering (FTTE). This empowerment program consists of three tiers: the “Leading Talents” Leadership Program, the “Transportation Rising Stars” Support Program, and the “Future Stars” Cultivation Program. It aims to build a global top-tier talent development ecosystem in transportation engineering, forming clear-layered, seamlessly connected, and virtuously cycling talent cultivation chain.

The core philosophy of this empowerment program is: “Hand in hand across generations, emphasizing both inheritance and innovation.” Through institutional design, the wisdom, resources, and experience of top scholars are precisely channeled to young backbone forces and emerging talents, realizing the intergenerational transmission of knowledge, methods, and spirit, and stimulating cross-generational innovation synergy.

Tier 1: “Leading Talents” Leadership Program

The goal is to focus on internationally renowned professors who have already achieved outstanding accomplishments, and to leverage their strategic leadership and international networking roles. Candidates for this program are confidentially nominated by a dedicated committee and determined through internal review,similar to the Nobel Prize process; Personal applications are not accepted. The number of selected individuals does not exceed 10 per year.

Tier 2: "Transportation Rising Star" Support Program

The goal is to identify and support young talents under 35 years old who have already shown their mettle and possess great potential, helping them break through growth bottlenecks and reach the pinnacle of academia. Candidates for this program are determined through open call for applications or recommendation by Leading Talents or former“Rising Stars,” followed by international peer review correspondence, and then comprehensively determined. The number of selected individuals does not exceed 35 per year.

Tier 3:"Future Star" Cultivation Program

The goal is to identify outstanding graduate students with the most innovative potential from the source and provide them with a high-starting development platform. Candidates for this program are selected from graduate students currently enrolled in globally renowned universities. The number of selected individuals does not exceed 65 per year.

Implementation Pathway: 

Each “Transportation Rising Star” is matched with a “Leading Talent” as an academic mentor for regular, in-depth academic guidance. “Future Stars” are encouraged to choose a “Transportation Rising Star” as their co-mentor to receive the most cutting-edge guidance.

The International Conference on Frontiers of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (FTTE) is held annually, with scholars from all three tiers participating together. The conference venue features a Leading Lecture Forum, a Rising Star Platform, and a Future Star Poster Exhibition. Centered on specific themes, three generations of scholars interact freely, exchange ideas, and spark intellectual dialogues.

This “Pyramid” Empowerment Program deeply integrates “selection” and “cultivation”, transforming the program itself from a honorary title into a dynamic talent growth community, ensuring a continuous supply of talent and a steady stream of new achievers for the transportation sector.

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[Event Details and Application Method]

# FTTE 2026 – Call for Nominations for the “Future Stars” Cultivation Program in Frontiers of Transportation Engineering

The international journalDigital Transportation and Safety, in conjunction with the Organizing Committee of the 2026 5th International Conference on Frontiers of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (FTTE 2026), will select 65 “Future Stars” in the field of transportation engineering for inclusion in the cultivation program. Selected candidates will have the opportunity to present posters at the conference venue, exchange ideas with outstanding experts in transportation field, and to be matched with a “Transportation Rising Star” and a “Leading Talent” as co-mentors.

Requirements:

1. Currently enrolled Master’s or Ph.D. students 

2. Research Area: Transportation Engineering 

3. Application Deadline: 20:00, July 31, 2026 

4. Participation Format: poster presentation / Attendee.

*To apply, please click the following link or scan the code, and submit your application through the link:https://docs.qq.com/form/page/DUE9VWm9MQ1FYbVd0#/fill

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# FTTE 2026 – Call for Nominations for the “Transportation Rising Stars” Support Program in Frontiers of Transportation Engineering

The international journalDigital Transportation and Safety, in conjunction with the Organizing Committee of the 2026 5th International Conference on Frontiers of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (FTTE 2026), will select 35 “Transportation Rising Stars” under the age of 35 in the field of transportation engineering for inclusion in the support program. Selected candidates will have the opportunity to give an academic presentation at the conference, exchange ideas with outstanding experts in transportation, and have the opportunity to be matched with a “Leading Talent” as their academic mentor.

Requirements: 

1. Age Requirement: Young scholars aged 35 or under as of September 30, 2026 

2. Professional Title Requirement: Professor / Associate Professor / Research Professor / Associate Research Professor / Assistant Professor / Assistant Research Professor / Lecturer / Postdoctoral Researcher 

3. Research Area: Transportation Engineering 

4. Application deadline: 20:00, July 31, 2026

*To apply, please click the following link or scan the code, and submit your application through the link:https://docs.qq.com/form/page/DUEdBZE5Od3RGSnNW#/fill

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 [Other Related Information and Recommendations]

# 2026 5th International Conference on Frontiers of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (FTTE 2026)

The 2026 5th International Conference on Frontiers of Traffic and Transportation Engineering (FTTE 2026) will be held in Xiangyang from October 16 to 18, 2026. The conference will focus on research areas such as transportation planning and system optimization, theoretical and applied technologies of intelligent transportation systems, transportation safety and sustainable development, transportation infrastructure design, operation and maintenance, and vehicle operation engineering. It aims to provide a platform for academic exchange for outstanding transportation experts and scholars from China and abroad, as well as a stage to showcase their latest research achievements and innovative technologies. Experts and scholars worldwide are warmly welcome to submit papers and attend the conference.

[Organizers]

Youth Committee of the China Communications and Transportation Association

Hubei Association for Science and Technology

Hubei University of Arts and Science

[Co-organizers]

School of Automotive and Traffic Engineering, Hubei University of Arts and Science

Institute of Smart Transportation, Hubei University of Arts and Science 

Hubei Key Laboratory of Vehicle-Road Collaboration and Traffic Control

[Supporting Organizations]

Editorial Office of Autonomous Transportation Research

Editorial Office of Digital Transportation and Safety

GSRA  Academic Conference

[Honorary Conference Chair]

Prof. Xinping Yan, Wuhan University of Technology, China (Chinese Academy of Engineering)

[Publication]

After a careful reviewing process, all accepted and presented papers will be published in the Conference Proceedings by SPIE-The International Society for Optical Engineering (ISSN: 0277-786X), which will be submitted to EI Compendex, Scopus for indexing.

*Conference Website: https://www.icftte.org 

*Chinese Homepage: https://www.ais.cn/attendees/index/EZJVIF 

*Paper Submission Link: https://www.ais.cn/attendees/paperSubmit/EZJVIF 

*Conference Inquiry: Mr. Liu: 18024032582 (WeChat ID same as phone number)

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#About the DTS Journal

The JournalDigital Transportation and Safety publishes innovative research findings globally in the fields of digital transportation and safety, aiming to build a high-quality academic exchange platform in the comprehensive transportation field and promote sustainable transportation development. The journal’s scope includes intelligent transportation, transportation big data, connected vehicles, autonomous driving, traffic control, transportation system optimization, transportation information security, and transportation safety planning, design, management, and control under the context of digital transportation. Published article types include research papers, reviews, case studies, and short communications. The journal will not charge article processing charges (APCs) in 2026. The Editors-in-Chief of the journal are Prof. Changxi Ma from Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Prof. Jianjun Wu from Dalian University of Technology, and Prof. Ciro Caliendo from the University of Salerno, Italy. The journal is currently indexed in ESCI, SCOPUS, DOAJ, and other major databases.

Journal Website:www.maxapress.com/dts   

Submission Link: mc03.manuscriptcentral.com/dits

Search WeChat for “数字交通与安全研究团队” (“Digital Transportation and Safety Research Team”), or directly scan the image below directly to follow the official WeChat account and stay updated on the latest research achievements in digital transportation and safety.

Digital Transportation and Safety Editorial Office

Organizing Committee of FTTE

School of Automotive and Transportation Engineering, Hubei University of Arts and Science

June 2, 2026