Linda Lim is currently pursuing a PhD in Systems Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, where her research focuses on improving the efficiency and safety of transportation networks. Her work spans traffic flow optimization and emerging challenges associated with autonomous vehicles – particularly how to prevent collisions between automated systems and emergency response vehicles.

Lim is also a 2025 graduate of Eno’s Leaders Development Conference (LDC), an immersive professional development program for emerging transportation leaders, designed for graduate students in transportation-related fields. Held annually in Washington, D.C., LDC connects participants with the people and processes shaping U.S. transportation policy.

As part of the 2025 cohort, Lim attended LDC as the recipient of the Lillian Borrone Scholarship, awarded to the top-scoring graduate student applicant and recognizing exceptional leadership potential and a strong commitment to public service in transportation. Named in honor of longtime Eno board member and transportation leader Lillian Borrone, the scholarship helps ensure that outstanding students from diverse backgrounds can participate in the program. Contributions to the scholarship help sustain this opportunity for future LDC fellows.

Funded by Eno and its partners, LDC provides graduate students like Lim with a rare opportunity to engage directly with transportation policymakers and stakeholders from the government, nonprofit, and private sectors. Participants gain firsthand exposure to how transportation policy is developed and debated – an experience that may be their only opportunity to do so, given that many will pursue technical or research-focused careers. The program culminates in a capstone-style legislative simulation, in which participants assume roles across the policymaking spectrum and collaborate to shape a policy outcome.

Lim’s LDC Experience

Lim first learned about the Leaders Development Conference during her master’s program after a colleague was accepted into the fellowship. The program resurfaced later during her time at UC Berkeley, when she was introduced to Eno while visiting Washington D.C. and encouraged to apply.

When asked what she found most valuable about the experience, Lim’s response was immediate: the people. She spoke highly of the Eno team and the program’s thoughtful design, noting the level of care and attention to detail that shaped the experience from start to finish, and she raved about the knowledge and expertise of her cohort peers and speakers on the program agenda.

Lim was particularly struck by the breadth of perspectives represented throughout the program. Through meetings with professionals across the federal transportation landscape, she gained a deeper appreciation for the many stakeholders involved in transportation policymaking and the complexity of aligning interests across sectors. Engaging with individuals whose priorities differed from her own provided valuable insight and guidance she expects to carry with her throughout her career.

One of Lim’s most significant takeaways was how closely the policy process mirrors real-world professional environments. Reflecting on the program’s legislative simulation, she noted the challenges of navigating competing priorities and relationships to achieve progress. “You have to navigate relationship complexities everywhere,” Lim explained. “Sometimes you have a challenging work environment, and you still have to have these conversations and get your work done.”

While Lim spoke highly of the many speakers and panelists she heard from throughout the week, she was particularly complimentary of her fellow participants. Engaging with transportation students across a wide range of disciplines allowed her to better understand the diverse interests and passions shaping the future of the industry. “We saw each other all day, every day, and really got to know each other,” she said. “It made the experience special, and I look forward to staying in touch.”

Looking Forward

Following her participation in the 2025 Leaders Development Conference, Lim has continued to build on the relationships, perspectives, and insights gained through the program. She has remained active in transportation forums both domestically and abroad, including moderating a panel at Berkeley’s Artificial Intelligence Mobility Summit, serving as a keynote speaker at the 2025 International Smart Transportation Symposium (ISTS) in Shenzhen, China, and delivering another keynote speech at IEEE ITSC in Gold Coast, Australia.

Reflecting on the experience, Lim encourages others to apply to LDC without hesitation. “Do it. Just do it – you won’t regret it,” she said.

With a few semesters remaining in her PhD program, Lim expects to graduate in May 2027 and begin the next phase of her career. She looks forward to continuing the kind of collaborative, cross-sector engagement that sits at the heart of the LDC experience.