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 support students of diverse academic backgrounds, as well as recruiting and mentoring more women and underrepresented students in the STEM and transportation field. I drive my professional agenda in the following ways:

Research: Urban mobility systems face growing challenges in sustaining demand while maintaining service quality, especially as transit agencies near the brink of the “fiscal cliff.” At the same time, new data sources and advanced technologies are rapidly transforming the field of urban transportation. My research develops new methods that support the design and operations of urban transportation systems by leveraging these new technologies - such as optimization and data-driven modeling techniques with both quantitative data (e.g., historical passenger requests) and qualitatative data (e.g., user comments and social media feedback) – to inform transportation planning.

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 communities.

Teaching: I strive to create inclusive learning environments that welcome students from diverse academic backgrounds. Through my teaching roles, I take an individual-oriented approach, adapting my methods to each student’s background. For instance, I might relate optimization concepts to practical applications for a student with professional experience in transportation, while appealing to theoretical concepts for a student with a mathematical 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.