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What are you researching and what is your area of expertise?

My expertise lies in travel behaviour modelling, traffic management, and multimodal mobility, with a focus on developing sustainable, resilient, and human-centred transportation systems. I aim to understand and model how people make travel choices, how traffic management strategies can shape mobility patterns, and how emerging transport services can be integrated into traditional systems. 

A key part of my work is to incorporate behavioural insights, environmental considerations, and technological advances into models that can support decision-making. I am particularly interested in how policy tools such as incentives, pricing, and infrastructure design can influence individual behaviour, and how these choices at the micro level translate into system-wide impacts. By bridging theory, modelling, and practice, my research seeks to create solutions that can contribute to sustainable and liveable cities.

What interests you about this particular area?

What drives me in this field is its direct impact on people’s everyday lives and its potential to transform the way we design and experience cities. Transportation is not only about moving people and goods; it shapes access to jobs, education, healthcare, and social life. 

For me, the most exciting aspect is the possibility of contributing to more equitable, efficient, and environmentally responsible mobility systems that improve accessibility and quality of life. I am also motivated by the interdisciplinary nature of transportation research, which sits at the intersection of engineering, economics, urban planning, and behavioural sciences.

What kind of career path led you to this position?

I began my academic journey with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, which laid the foundation for my interest in infrastructure and urban systems. I then pursued a master's and PhD in Transportation Engineering at Sharif University of Technology, Iran, where I focused on demand modelling and traffic management strategies. 

During my PhD, I spent a year as a visiting PhD student at the University of British Columbia in Canada, which broadened my perspective on international transport challenges. 

In 2021, after completing my doctorate, I joined Aalto University as a postdoctoral researcher and later as a research fellow, where I have deepened my expertise in sustainable mobility solutions and my engagement with multimodal transport, incentive design, and collaborative European projects. Alongside this, I had the opportunity to continue my research as a visiting postdoctoral researcher at TU Delft in the Netherlands, where I engaged with leading scholars on advanced modelling approaches for transport systems. 

These experiences enriched my academic profile, strengthened my international collaborations, and naturally led me to pursue an academic role in advancing research and teaching in transportation at Aalto University.

What are your expectations for your work here at Aalto University?

Aalto University, particularly the Spatial Planning and Transportation (SPT) group, has provided me with a supportive environment for academic development throughout my four-year journey as a postdoctoral researcher and research fellow. Building on this foundation, I now aim to contribute to the group’s continued success by conducting high-quality research that addresses pressing urban mobility challenges, from traffic management to the promotion of sustainable urban mobility. 

Aalto’s strong reputation and inclusive culture create ideal conditions for achieving meaningful social impact, which I see as a central aspect of my work. I am especially eager to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, both within Aalto and with international partners, so that research outcomes can translate into practical solutions and inform real-world policy and planning. 

Equally important for me is the teaching and mentoring side of academia. I look forward to working closely with students, encouraging them to think critically, and equipping them with the tools and skills needed to shape future mobility systems. I also value the extensive services, training opportunities, and state-of-the-art facilities that Aalto provides, which I see as essential for continuous growth as a researcher, educator, and member of the academic community.