The Hasnine Lab-for Transportation Ecosystem Modeling

Photo Source: STS-120 Launches to the Space Station – Oct. 23, 2007

About Our Research

Modeling individuals’ travel behavior using advanced econometrics and machine learning models is the overarching theme of our research lab. Due to many theoretical inconsistencies in existing travel demand models, it is evident that many methodological contributions are required to formulate adequate modeling structures. We have been continuously experimenting with traditional econometrics models by incorporating dynamic programming, modern economic theories, discrete-continuous models, optimization principles, machine learning in the last eight years. The main goal is to represent better individual travel behavior and accurate forecasting, essential for transportation planning and policy implications. We also try to understand how individuals perceive emerging mobility services, such as autonomous vehicles, flying taxis, and hyperloop.  

Biography of Dr. Hasnine

Dr. Md Sami Hasnine is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Howard University. Dr. Hasnine’s research is at the intersection of transportation engineering, econometrics, data science, and psychology – how human behavior is connected to transportation decision-making. He builds mathematical models to develop smart, sustainable cities to reduce emissions and energy consumption. Dr. Hasnine’s research also includes the impact of connected and automated vehicles (CAV) on individuals’ day-to-day lifestyles. Dr. Hasnine dreams of bringing fiction to future reality by being profoundly dedicated to various Urban Air Mobility (UAM) projects for different USA cities. 

Dr. Hasnine published 31 peer-reviewed journal articles and 51 peer-reviewed conference papers in the last seven years. The list of his research sponsors includes the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Transportation University Transportation Centers (UTC) Programs, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Amazon, DesignSafe and Bezos Earth Fund.

Dr. Hasnine is a trailblazer in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. During his postdoctoral tenure at MIT, Dr. Hasnine developed a DEI model, which was later followed by other educational institutions at home and abroad. He is involved with many diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, where he shows significant skills in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. He aims to understand and help those from underdeveloped and under-served communities by going very deep on a grassroots level. Dr. Hasnine is a member of the Standing Committee on Transportation Demand Management (AEP60) (previously ABE50) of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.​ Dr. Hasnine was the president of the University of Toronto chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) for two years and a former Canadian Traffic Bowl Champion (2014). Dr. Hasnine received many awards and fellowships, including the Amazon Research Award (2023), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral Fellowship (2019), and NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral (PGS D) (2017). 

Before joining Howard University, Dr. Hasnine was the NSERC postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under the kind supervision of the Edmund K. Turner Professor Moshe Ben-Akiva. Prior to that Dr. Hasnine was also a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto under the supervision of the Percy Edward Hart Professor Khandker Nurul Habib. Dr. Hasnine also completed his MASc and Ph.D. programs from the University of Toronto under the same supervisor. Before this, Dr. Hasnine pursued a BSc in Civil Engineering with Honours from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) under the supervision of Professor Md Shamsul Haque. 

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