Congratulations to our 2022 Dissertation Grant Awardees!
Congratulations to our UC Davis, UC Riverside, and Georgia Institute of Technology dissertation grant awardees! Our recent awardees are contributing to research on electric vehicle charging behavior, the supply chain and recycling of lithium-ion batteries, traffic congestion, the safety of both connected and automated vehicles, assessment of electric vehicle adoption and more!
Zenghao Hou | Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Davis
NCST Dissertation Award
Zenghao views reducing traffic congestion as an urgent matter, challenging the ability to develop both sustainable and resilient transportation systems. In his current research, Zenghao proposes a model to better understand the complex trade-offs between shared mobility and active transportation—both of which have the potential to alleviate traffic congestion.
Hossain Mohiuddin | Transportation Technology and Policy, UC Davis
NCST Dissertation Award
With a rapidly developing and evolving transportation landscape, Hossain’s research explores questions surrounding micromobility. In this project, Hossain will utilize advanced discrete choice modeling techniques to understand the relationships between micromobility and vehicle miles traveled as well as transit use.
Margaret Slattery | Energy Systems, UC Davis
NCST Dissertation Award
Margaret’s research aims to better understand ways in which the negative impacts and reliance on raw materials can be reduced as the production of Lithium-ion batteries ramps up due to their role in the transportation sector—powering electric vehicles and allowing them to achieve a driving range comparable to fossil-fueled vehicles.
Ran Sun | Civil and Environmental Engineering, UC Davis
PSR Dissertation Award
Ran’s current research is at the heart of mobility data analytics. Having previous experience with mobility data in various transportation-related projects as well as intentions of pursuing a career in academia, Ran is now taking his passion and learning experiences to further contribute to data analytics through his new project
Jacqueline Garrido | Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
NCST Dissertation Award
Jacqueline believes it is crucial to increase research related to electric vehicles (EVs), as they have the potential to reduce the negative impacts, such as poor air quality and public health, within the transportation sector. Contributing to this, Jacqueline’s research focuses on EV charging behavior through the implementation of a carbon-based pricing scheme and simulating various opportunity charging scenarios for drayage trucks.
David Oswald | Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
NCST Dissertation Award
With experience in improving the U.S. EPA’s emission model (MOVES)as well as developing eco-transit operations and smart intersection management, David aims to design and evaluate a Dynamic Mobility Management System to address traffic congestion and related issues. Ultimately, David’s work will help to advance efforts in creating environmentally sustainable transportation.
Abdullah Fuad Un-Noor | Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
NCST Dissertation Award
Abdullah has displayed continued interest in sustainable transportation through the research he has conducted. In his current project, Abdullah will study the application of wireless charging for battery electric truck fleets. This work investigates how innovative technologies and policies can help enhance the feasibility of electrifying the heavy-duty vehicles.
Zhensong Wei | Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
NCST Dissertation Award
Zhensong’s research focuses on innovative techniques for connected and automated vehicles (CAVs), specifically concerning eco-approach and departure (EAD). EAD at signalized intersections has been proven to be an effective application in decreasing fuel consumption and emissions in a CAVs system. Zhensong’s project could improve both traffic mobility and energy efficiency via advanced CAV technology.
Zhouqiao Zhao | Electrical Engineering, UC Riverside
NCST Dissertation Award
Zhouqiao’s research efforts aim to improve and optimize system-wide safety, mobility, and environmental sustainability. With hopes to contribute to future transportation systems, Zhouqiao’s current research efforts aim to improve the safety of both connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) and traditional human-driven vehicles through the implementation of cooperative management framework for mixed traffic.
Ziyi Dai | Transportation Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
NCST Dissertation Award
Ziyi has extensive involvement in research and projects related to electric vehicles (EVs), among other topics, with interests in the application of data mining and statistical theory-based methods in transportation. In Ziyi’s current project, she will investigate how EV adoption has increased over time and predict how future EV adoption will continue to expand in the future.
Huiying Fan | Transportation Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
NCST Dissertation Award
Huiying’s project will develop a weather-informed social impact assessment by modifying existing SidewalkSim model and incorporating the influence of extreme temperatures on walk times and exposure-related health risks. Huiying has been involved in various research projects related to transportation modeling, climate change analysis, and geospatial information system—these experiences have provided her with a solid background to conduct the interdisciplinary temperature modeling in the current project.
William Reichard | Transportation Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
NCST Dissertation Award
William has been involved in various research projects related to transportation cost estimation, air quality modeling, and transportation sustainability. In William’s current research, William intends to refine AASHTOWare Project Estimation to improve the cost estimations associated with transportation projects, ultimately allowing for greater economic sustainability within the transportation sector.
Kartik Sastry | Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
NCST Dissertation Award
Kartik’s current research focuses on smart charging of electric vehicles (EVs), specifically the optimization-based charging of EVs over time. With rising purchases and use of electric vehicles, Kartik’s research aims to pose and solve smart charging problems involving collections of EVs.