Zilin Bian

I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate in C2SMARTER Center at New York University. I earned my Ph.D. degree in Transportation Planning and Engineering from New York University, working with Professor Kaan Ozbay. I also held a M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from University of Florida, and a B.S. degree from Harbin Institute of Technology in China.

My research originated from a very simple question: Do they (e.g., decision maker, transportation manager/operator/planner, policy maker) feel what we (e.g., driver, pedestrian, VRU, etc) feel in our daily urban system?

My research focuses on bridging the gap between transportation managers, planners, and policymakers, and the experiences of travelers and vulnerable road users. Through innovative approaches such as digital twins, spatio-temporal modeling, machine/deep learning, control and optimization theory, I aim to provide those in management roles with a deeper, comprehensive understanding of real-world traveler experiences. My goal is to develop data-driven models and tools that make transportation systems safer, more efficient, sustainable, and resilient, ultimately enabling better-informed decisions that benefit both travelers and the broader community.

My research interests include Human-Centered Urban Management Decision Science, Connected and Smart Infrastructure System, Advanced and Cooperative Digital Twins Situational Awareness, Resilient and Sustainable Mobility&Incident Managemnent.