Henry Posner, Anne Molloy, and Robert and Christine Pietrandrea Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Heinz College
Courtesy Appointment, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sean Qian is the Henry Posner, Anne Molloy, and Robert and Christine Pietrandrea Associate Professor jointly appointed at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (major) and Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy (minor) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).
He directs the Mobility Data Analytics Center (MAC) at CMU. Qian’s research interest lies in large-scale dynamic network modeling and big data analytics for multi-modal transportation systems, in development of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and in understanding infrastructure system interdependency.
His research has been supported by a number of public agencies and private firms, such as NSF, DOE, FHWA, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), IBM, Benedum Foundation, and Hillman Foundation.
Professor Qian serves an associate editor for Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, and an editorial board editor for Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, and is an active member of the Network Modeling Committee of Transportation Research Board.
He is the recipient of the NSF CAREER award in 2018 and Greenshields Prize from the Transportation Research Board in 2017. Qian was a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University from 2011 to 2013, and received his Ph.D. degree in civil engineering at the University of California, Davis in 2011 and his MS degree in statistics at Stanford University in 2012.
2012 MS, Statistics, Stanford University
2011 Ph.D., Civil Engineering, UC Davis
2006 MS, Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University
2004 BS, Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University
CMU Engineering
Researchers designed and piloted the rural access mobility platform to improve rural mobility services that are inefficient, unaffordable, inaccessible, and unsustainable.
The Business Journals
Sean Qian was quoted on the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CEE hosts its inaugural Spring Industry Day with speakers and panels discussing how cutting-edge technologies are reshaping the future of our field.
Fujitsu
CEE’s Sean Qian was mentioned in a story about recent advances in social digital twin technology, a joint research effort between CMU and Fujitsu Limited.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
A collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Fujitsu, a global leader in technology solutions and services, is advancing digital twin technologies in southwestern Pennsylvania to address the recent challenges posed by aging infrastructure.
PITA
A collaboration between Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and Fujitsu, a global leader in technology solutions and services, is advancing digital twin technologies in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CEE's Sean Qian and his doctoral students are collaborating with Morgan State University (MSU) researchers to predict the impacts of climate change on transportation systems. The work not only creates an early-warning notification system that detects impending infrastructure problems, but also allows Qian’s students to learn from MSU faculty and researchers who are world-class leaders in hazard modeling.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CEE PhD student Lindsay Graff received the prestigious K&L Gates Presidential Fellowship for her research in optimizing mobility subsidies and network investments in multi-modal transportation. Her work aims to address inequities in transportation infrastructure, ensuring fair distribution and meeting the diverse needs of communities.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Kevin Freymiller, a CEE PhD student, has received the esteemed Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Under the mentorship of Professor Sean Qian, his research delves into the intricate relationship between energy and transportation systems, focusing on electric vehicle usage during morning commutes and aiming to develop strategic policies to alleviate the financial burdens of both systems, all while exploring the impact of solar energy.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CMU is a key partner with UCLA in establishing the Mobility Center of Excellence, which recently received a $7.5 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to research the impact of emerging mobility technologies and automated vehicles on transportation. This initiative aims to revolutionize travel and enhance efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility, with a focus on addressing potential negative consequences and disparities in mobility services, all supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
CMU Engineering
Optimal ride-hailing pricing (ORHP) has potential to improve transportation network performance in a more equitable manner than current rider behavior interventions.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
CEE PhD student Lindsay Graff has been awarded the prestigious Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Currently pursuing her PhD under the guidance of professors Sean Qian and Katherine Flanigan, Graff's research focuses on optimizing mobility subsidies and network investments in multi-modal transportation networks, addressing the growing need for efficient and sustainable urban transportation solutions.
