UCF Smart & Safe Transportation Lab (SST Lab)
The lab does research in the fields of transportation safety, mobility, travel behavior, as well as applies digital twinning to analyze different traffic scenarios. It has an expertise in computer vision and is home to advanced driving simulators. Although the lab was founded by Prof. Mohamed Abdel–Aty in 2018, the research and development work started more than 25 years ago. At any given moment, the lab hosts on average a team of about 25 researchers from different parts of the world with various expertise.
Meet Our Team
“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is a success.” – Henry Ford
Team Leader
Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Aty
P.E., F.ASCE, F.ITE
Dr. Mohamed Abdel-Aty, PE, FASCE is a Trustee Chair at the University of Central Florida (UCF). He is a Pegasus Professor and Chair of the Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering Department at UCF. He is leading the Future City initiative at UCF. His main expertise and interests are in the areas of traffic safety analysis, simulation, big data and data analytics, ITS and CAV. He is pioneer and well recognized nationally and internationally in work and research in real-time safety analysis, Proactive traffic management, integrating road safety and transportation planning, Highway Safety Manual and Connected Vehicles. He was awarded in 2015 the Pegasus Professorship, the highest honor at UCF. In the last 22 years, Dr. Abdel-Aty has managed more than 60 research projects. Dr. Abdel-Aty has published more than 541 papers, 276 in journals (Citations 12,475, H-Index 59). He supervised to graduation 70 PhD and MS students (in addition to currently supervising 15 PhD students). Dr. Abdel-Aty is the Editor-in-Chief of Accident Analysis and Prevention, the premier journal in safety. He is a member of the Editorial Boards of the ITS Journal and the International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, Fellow of ASCE, and member of multiple TRB Committees, including Safety Data, Analysis & Evaluation, Safety Performance and User Information Systems. In 2003 he was selected as UCF’s Distinguished Researcher, and in 2007 as UCF’s Outstanding Graduate Teacher. He has received multiple research awards from the College of Engineering & Computer Science in 2003, 2008, 2010 and 2012, including the Dean’s Advisory Board award. He and his students received multiple awards for their papers and research from ASCE, TRB, WCTR, ITS Florida and FL section ITE. His students received twice the best University dissertation, and once the best MS thesis. He has been invited to deliver many Keynote speeches in conferences around the world. He is a registered professional engineer in Florida.
Research Assistant Professor
Dr. Natalia Barbour
Dr. Natalia Barbour is an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida, where she studies transportation safety and travel behavior. Prior to joining UCF, she was an assistant professor of transport and energy at the Delft University of Technology. She taught courses on transportation systems and climate change mitigation and authored a book chapter on transport and its environmental impacts (forthcoming). Together with other TU Delft scientists, Natalia recorded an online educational program on edX Climate-Neutral World: Theory, Applications, and Taking Action, where she teaches two weeks on cities, transport, and climate mitigation. Prior to joining TU Delft, she was a Postdoctoral Associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she led the development of New Mobility course for MIT edX platform and collaborated with experts from around the world on how to leverage mobility disruptions to create better cities.
“Integrating programs in transportation systems and smart cities have extended our influence and reach to many students, and increased the demand for our programs,” Mohamed Abdel-Aty
Postdoctoral Scholars
Postdoctoral
Software Development
Ph.D. Candidate
Master Student
Ph.D. Candidate and Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Candidate
Ph.D. Candidate
Ph.D. Candidate
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Candidate
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
Ph.D. Student
SST Lab Alumni
- Hassan Abdelwahab
Exploring the Viability of Non-Conventional Accident Modeling Techniques in Enhancing Traffic Safety Research
(graduated – Spring 2002). Currently, Professor and Chair at Cairo University - M. Fathy Abdalla
Modeling Multiple Route Choice Paradigms Under Different Types and Levels of ATIS Using Correlated Data
(graduated – Fall 2003). Currently, Consultant in Tampa, FL - Anurag Pande
Applying Hybrid Models for Real-Time Crash Risk Assessment on Freeways
(graduated – Fall 2005). Currently, Professor at CalPoly, San Luis Obispo, CA - Xuesong Wang
Safety Analysis at Signalized Intersections considering Spatial, Temporal and Site Correlation
(graduated – Fall 2006). Currently, Professor: Tongji University, Shanghai - Abhishek Das
Analyses of Crash Occurrence and Injury Severities on Multilane Arterials using Machine Learning Algorithms
(graduated — Fall 2009). Currently, Consultant at Cambridge Systematics, Washington DC - Kirolos Haleem
Comprehensive Analytical Investigation of the Safety of Unsignalized Intersections
(graduated Fall 2009). Currently, Associate Professor at the University of Western Kentucky - Hany Hassan
Improving Traffic Safety and Driver Behavior in Reduced Visibility
(graduated Summer 2011). Currently, Assistant Professor at the Louisiana State University - Chowdhury Siddiqui
Macroscopic Crash Analysis and its Implications for Transportation Safety Planning and Management
(graduated Spring 2012). Currently at South Carolina DOT - Mohamed Ahmed
Multi-Level Safety Performance Functions for High-Speed Facilities
(graduated Spring 2012). Currently, Professor at the University of Cincinnati. - Rongjie Yu
Real-Time Traffic Safety Evaluation Models and their Application for Variable Speed Limits
(graduated Summer 2013). Currently, Professor at Tongji University, China. - Jaeyoung Lee
Development of Traffic Safety Zones and Integrating Macroscopic and Microscopic Safety Data Analytics for Novel Hot Zone Identification
(graduated Spring 2014), Currently, Professor at Central South University, China. - Muamer Abuzwidah
Traffic Safety Assessment of Different Toll Collection Systems on Expressways using Multiple Analytical Techniques
(graduated Fall 2014). Currently, Assistant Professor at the University of Sharjah - Qi Shi
Urban Expressway Safety and Efficiency Evaluation and Improvement Using Big Data
(graduated Fall 2014). Currently, Entrepreneur in China - Khalid Alkaaf
Transferability and Calibration of the Highway Safety Manual Performance Functions and Development of New Models for Urban Four-Lane Divided Roads
(graduated Fall 2014), Oman government - Juneyoung Park
Exploration and Development of Crash Modification Factors and Functions for Single and Multiple Treatments
(graduated Summer 2015), Associate Professor at the Hanyang University, Korea - Ling Wang
Microscopic Safety Evaluation and Prediction for Special Expressway Facilities
(graduated Summer 2016), Associate Professor at the Tongji University, Shanghai - Jung-Han Wang
Evaluation of Crash Modification Factors and Functions Including Time Trends at Intersections
(graduated Summer 2016), Currently, Director of Citi Bank, Tampa - Qing Cai
Integrating the Macroscopic and Microscopic Traffic Safety Analysis Using Hierarchical Models
(graduated Summer 2017), Currently, Waymo - Yina Wu
Improving Safety under Reduced Visibility Based on Multiple Countermeasures and Approaches including Connected Vehicles
(graduated Fall 2017) Currently, - Samer Alamili
Dynamic Hotspot Identification for Limited Access Facilities using Temporal Traffic Data
(graduated Spring 2018), Currently, Assistant Professor in Iraq - Saif Alarifi
Hierarchical Corridor Safety Analysis Using Multiple Approaches
(graduated Spring 2018), Currently, Assistant Professor at King Saud University, KSA - Ahmed Farid
Investigating and Facilitating the Transferability of Safety Performance Functions
(graduated Spring 2018), Currently, CalPoly - Khalid Alkahtani
Safety Investigation of Traffic Crashes Incorporating Spatial Correlation Effects
(graduated Summer 2018), Assistant Professor, King Saud University, KSA - Moatz Saad
Safety, Operation, and Design Analyses of Managed Toll and Connected Vehicles’ Lanes
(graduated Summer 2019), Currently, Consultant in Miami - Md. Sharikur Rahman
Assessing the Safety and Operational Benefits of Connected and Automated Vehicles: Application of Platooning and CAV Managed Lanes
(graduated Summer 2019), Currently, Oregon DOT. - Jinghui Yuan
Arterial-Level Real-Time Safety Evaluation in the Context of Proactive Traffic Management
(graduated Summer 2019). - Whoi Bin Chung
Development of Decision Support System for Active Traffic Management Systems Considering Travel Time Reliability,
(graduated Summer 2019), Currently, VA DOT - Lishengsa Yue
Evaluating the Safety Effectiveness of Advanced Driver Assistance and Connected Vehicles Technologies in Different Pre-Crash Scenarios,
(graduated Spring 2020), Currently at the Tongji University. - YaoBang Gong
Improving Traffic Safety and Efficiency by Adaptive Signal Control Systems Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning,
(graduated Spring 2020), Currently at the University of Maryland. - Md. Hasibur Rahman
Evaluation of Safety and Mobility Benefits of Connected Vehicles by Considering V2V, V2I, and V2P Technologies.
(graduated Summer 2020), Currently, FDOT. - Nada Mahmoud
Safety and Operations of Urban Arterials Incorporating the Context Classification System
(graduated Spring 2021) - Shile Zhang
Improving Pedestrian Safety Using Video Data, Surrogate Safety Measures, and Deep Learning
(graduated Spring 2021), Currently, Assistant Professor, Nanjing - Pei Li
Real-Time Traffic Safety Evaluation in the Context of Connected Vehicles and Mobile Sensing
(graduated Summer 2021), Currently at the University of Wisconsin - Zubayer Islam
Applying Machine Learning Techniques to Improve the Safety and Mobility of the Urban Transportation System Using Infrastructure- and Vehicle-Based Sensors
(graduated Summer 2021), Currently at UCF - Ma’en Al-Omari
Evaluation of Unconventional Signalized Intersections on Arterial Roads and a Proposition for a Novel Intersection Design
(graduated Fall 2021), Currently, FL Turnpike - Amr Abdelraouf
A Deep-Learning Approach for Spatiotemporal-Data-Driven Traffic State Estimation
(graduated Spring 2022), Currently at Toyota - Ou Zheng
