Cuperus Prize

About the Cuperus Prize

KIVI's Traffic and Transport Department, in collaboration with CROW, DHV and ProRail, once every two years awards the Cuperus Prize for the best graduation work at a Dutch university in Traffic and Transport Engineering. The prize consists of a sum of €1,000 and a year's membership of KIVI. In addition, a second and third prize, of €500 and €250 respectively, will be awarded if there is sufficient quality.

Prof. J.L.A. Cuperus

Prof J.L.A. Cuperus (1896 - 1975) was a versatile engineer who started his career with the Dutch Railways in 1919 and finished as director of the Railway Construction Company in 1960. His commitment to education was great. From 1948, he contributed to the development of technical education in many roles, including as chairman of the Curriculum Committee of the Tilburg Traffic Academy and the NIRIA/KIVI Traffic Engineering Training Committee, and as a board member of the Foundation for Postgraduate Training in Traffic Engineering. At Delft University of Technology, as extraordinary professor of Railway Engineering (1958-1966), he left his mark on the education of civil engineers and stood at the cradle of the degrees in Traffic Engineering and Civil Planning. Within the then KIVI Department of Traffic and Traffic Engineering, he founded the Traffic Theory section, of which he was chairman for seven years. He was a member of the Railway Accident Council and active in the Toekomstbeeld der Techniek Foundation. In 1970, KIVI awarded him the Institute Medal of Merit. With the Cuperus Prize, KIVI wants to keep alive the memory of a great man in the field of Traffic and Transport Engineering.

Focus area

The focus area for the award includes traffic and transport and all factors affecting it to the exclusion of the field of vehicle technology. New traffic and transport systems do fall within the focus area. It covers passenger and freight transport, individual and collective, by road, rail, water and air.

Conditions

Graduation work for a Dutch academic programme, which falls within the aforementioned focus area and is nominated by a graduating professor, is eligible. It is assumed that assessment against the following requirements takes place at the relevant department by or under the supervision of the relevant professor. The work should:

  • Demonstrate creative application of acquired knowledge.
  • Demonstrate breadth and depth in the treatment of the problem.
  • Be creative or groundbreaking in its approach or solutions.
  • Be systematic and consistent in its elaboration.
  • Draw conclusions that are proven to be correct and generally applicable.
  • To have been carried out with a high degree of independence.
  • Not have already been awarded in any other context.

Report to be submitted

The paper must

  • Be written in clear Dutch or English;
  • Contain a short abstract of no more than 1,000 words indicating the social relevance of the work;
  • Be suitable for publication in 'The Engineer' - abridged or otherwise.

The procedure

  • The Cuperus Prize is awarded once every two years.
  • The period to be considered is always the two preceding course years.
  • Application of candidates may be made by the relevant graduating professor, after verification of the above requirements, by sending five copies of the report to the secretary of the KIVI Department of Traffic and Transport.
  • No correspondence will be entered into regarding the assessment and awarding of the prize.
  • The prize will be awarded by the president of KIVI or, in his absence, by the chairman of the Traffic and Transport Section.

Jury

The award is made by an assessment committee appointed by the board of the Traffic and Transport Section of KIVI. In principle, the committee consists of a member of the Traffic and Transport Section Board and four other leading experts (not professors) in the field.

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