Philosophy

I am motivated by novel transportation applications at the intersection of rigorous mathematical methods and societal impact. I am committed to leveraging my position to actively sustain students of diverse academic backgrounds, as well as recruiting and sustaining more women and underrepresented students in the STEM and transportation field. I drive this academic and personal agenda in the following ways:

Research: My current research focuses on emerging modalities in urban mobility, leveraging data and optimization to promote efficient transportation systems. The wealth of new forms of data and new technologies in transportation raises key design and operational questions in the transportation field. Namely, how can we enhance existing infrastructure in urban mobility, given emerging transportation modes? What does the design and operations of these new systems look like? These are questions that I seek to answer in my current research.

Policy: I strongly believe that shifting the field to change perspectives on transportation requires not just methodological research, but also policy outreach. Because my research directly intersects with transportation planning, I seek opportunities to disseminate my work in accessible policy organizations. To that goal, I am committed to informing broader policy audiences about my research and engaging with transportation planning broadly.

Teaching: I aspire to foster inclusive environments for students of diverse academic backgrounds, helping expose students to new problems that push their mathematical comfort zones. I seek opportunities that engage students from a variety of mathematical and professional depths: for instance, a student with a background in chemical engineering but less familarity in optimization, versus that of a transportation planner with years of professional experience. For each of these students, my teaching approach is individual-oriented, where I tailor my approach to best suit the student’s background.

Outreach: As an individual deeply committed to supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds, I believe in leveraging my academic position to mentor and advise students seeking academic careers in transportation and engineering broadly.