Servet Lapardhaja, Ph.D.
About
I am a Transportation Engineer with a strong background in traffic engineering, transportation operations, and the impact of automated vehicles on mobility. My expertise extends to data analytics, machine learning, and computational modeling, which I apply to optimize transportation systems and improve urban mobility.
I hold a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in Transportation Engineering. My doctoral research focused on Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) vehicles and their effects on urban congestion, leveraging data-driven simulations and predictive modeling. I also earned an MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley and a Diploma of Engineering (BS & MEng) from the National Technical University of Athens, where I specialized in Transportation Engineering with a minor in Surveying Engineering.
My work integrates advanced data science techniques, machine learning algorithms, and traffic simulation models to enhance transportation planning, operations, and decision-making. I am particularly interested in how emerging mobility technologies and AI-driven solutions can transform the future of urban transportation.
Experience
HNTB
December 2023 - Present
New York, NY, USA
Engineer I
- Led the calibration and validation of VISSIM traffic models, integrating Turning Movement Counts and Automatic Traffic Recorder data to ensure accurate microscopic simulations that reflect real-world conditions
- Developed existing, no-build and build scenarios, enabling comprehensive evaluation of network performance and facilitating data-driven decision-making for critical infrastructure projects
- Designed and implemented mitigation strategies for the Secaucus to Meadowlands Transitway, addressing anticipated event-driven congestion during FIFA 2026 and ensuring the transitway's operational efficiency and reliability
- Engineered advanced Python-based tools for LOS estimation and OD flow modeling, achieving over 95% time savings while ensuring precision and consistency in traffic analysis workflows
- Developed an automated Python-based OD matrix estimation framework, replacing manual calibration with an algorithm-driven approach, significantly improving computational speed and accuracy in predicting OD flows
- Applied dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) in VISSIM to evaluate new transit infrastructure and roadway modifications, optimizing network performance under varying demand and operational conditions
- Automated radar data processing for the Maine Turnpike, developing a Python script to compute AADT from high-resolution sensor data, reducing a manual two-week process to seconds
University of California, Berkeley
Aug 2019 - Dec 2023
Berkeley, CA, USA
Graduate Student Researcher
- Led cutting-edge research on the impacts of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) on urban transportation networks, demonstrating a potential surge of up to 80% in network-wide Vehicle Hours Traveled (VHT)
- Developed and validated advanced car-following models using Python and AIMSUN to assess the effects of AVs on traffic congestion
- Analyzed large-scale datasets to derive insights into the behavior of AVs and ACC systems in real-world scenarios
- Developed the OPT (Operations Planning Toolbox) for Caltrans, a next-generation multi-modal transportation modeling software to replace FREQ12, and performed rigorous software quality assurance (SQA)
- Analyzed millions of ridership records from three San Francisco Bay Area transit agencies (AC Transit, VTA, and Tri Delta) using SQL and Python, providing key insights into transit ridership trends during the COVID pandemic
- Provided data-driven insights to stakeholders to improve transit services and resource allocation during the pandemic
- Published findings on transit impacts in the book Pandemic in the Metropolis: Transportation Impacts and Recovery
University of California, Berkeley
Jan 2021 - Dec 2023
Berkeley, CA, USA
Graduate Student Instructor
- Intelligent Transportation Systems - CE253 (Spring 2021)
- Highway Traffic Operations - CE255 (Fall 2021)
- Transportation Systems Engineering - CE155 (Fall 2022)
- Operation of Transportation Facilities - CE251 (Fall 2023)
HNTB
May 2023 - August 2023
New York, NY, USA
Civil Engineer Intern
- Developed Wrong-Way Driving Prevention concepts and Signing/Striping Service Requests (SSRs) for tunnels (Holland and Lincoln Tunnels) and bridges (George Washington and Bayonne Bridges) under the jurisdiction of the NY-NJ Port Authority, adhering to MUTCD and Port Authority standards
- Designed detailed signal and signage plans for the 50% submission milestone of the Lincoln Avenue Grade Crossing project in Albany, NY
- Conducted traffic impact analyses for future build scenarios and updated and validated the traffic simulation model for the Delaware Memorial Bridge
- Evaluated the Level of Service (LOS) at three intersections near MetLife Stadium in Meadowlands, NJ, through on-site observations during an event, providing recommendations to enhance operations for the FIFA World Cup 2026
Fehr & Peers
May 2022 - August 2022
Walnut Creek, CA, USA
Transportation Engineer Intern
- Created the Transportation Impact Reports for the Housing Elements of the City of Antioch, City of Pleasanton, and Town of Moraga
- Performed the Transit Market Assessment for the State Route 239 (SR 239) Project
- Analyzed collision data through GIS to identify patterns of accidents for the preparation of the Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) of the City of Walnut Creek and Concord
- Estimated the existing parking demand for the Culture Cannabis Club of Concord
- Performed the modelling of the interchange I-680 and SR-4 for existing and future conditions
European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
Apr 2018 - Sep 2018
Geneva, Switzerland
Research Engineer Intern
- Developed high-precision target detection algorithms using MATLAB, significantly enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of geodetic measurements at CERN, achieving a measurement precision of ±0.04 pixels
- Applied advanced photogrammetry techniques to improve measurement and alignment processes within the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
- Created a unique algorithm for automatic target recognition of AICON-type coded circular targets across multiple photos
- Integrated the algorithm with existing surveying software at CERN, transforming it into a production-ready tool and boosting the efficiency of geodetic work at the LHC
- Published and presented the research findings at the International Workshop on Accelerator Alignment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
Education
M.S. in Analytics
Jan 2025 - Present
Georgia Institute of Technology
- Specialization: Computation Dana Analytics (Data Science & Machine Learning)
Ph.D. in Civil & Environmental Engineering
May 2020 - Dec 2023
University of California, Berkeley
- Specilization: Computation Dana Analytics (Data Science & Machine Learning)
M.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Aug 2019 - May 2020
University of California, Berkeley
- Transportation Engineering
- GPA: 3.96/4.00
- Research focus on traffic flow theory and transportation operations
Diploma of Engineering
Sep 2014 - Jul 2019
National Technical University of Athens
- B.S. and M.Eng. in Rural and Surveying Engineering
- GPA: 9.70/10.00 (ranked 1st among class of 135 and in the history of the department)
- Specialization in Transportation Engineering
- Minor in Surveying Engineering
Skills
Programming
- Python
- SQL
- MatLAB
Software Tools
- Aimsun
- Vissim
- Synchro
- FREQ12
- MatLAB
- AutoCAD
- MicroStation
- ArcGIS
- QGIS
- Microsoft Office
Field Knowledge
- Transportation Engineering
- Surveying Engineering
- Behavioral Modeling
- Data Science
- Machine Learning
- City Planning
Licenses & Certifications
Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Science
University of California, Berkeley
May 2023
IBM Data Science Professional Certificate
IBM
December 2022
Engineer in Training (EIT)
California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists
November 2022
Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Certificate
University of California, Berkeley
June 2021
Publications
ACC, queue storage, and worrisome news for cities
2024Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 167, 104809
View PublicationCommercial Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Capacity Drop at Freeway Bottlenecks
2024International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology
View PublicationMicroSimACC: An open database for field experiments on the potential capacity impact of commercial Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
2024Transportmetrica A: Transport Science, 1-30
View PublicationUnlocking potential capacity benefits of electric vehicles (EVs) with adaptive cruise control (ACC)
2023Transportmetrica B: Transport Dynamics, 11(1), 1894-1911
View PublicationTesting alternative treatments for underused carpool lanes on narrow freeways
2021Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 149, 139-149
View PublicationPosition determination of encoded and uncoded targets on the large hadron collider at CERN
2019Applied Geomatics, 11(4), 429-437
View PublicationImpacts of Adaptive Cruise Control on Urban Congestion: A Queuing Perspective
2023Ph.D. Dissertation, University of California, Berkeley
View DissertationPosition determination of encoded and uncoded targets on the large hadron collider at CERN
2019Diploma Thesis, National Technical University of Athens
View DissertationUnlocking the Potential Congestion Relief from Electric Vehicles (EVs) - Field Experiements, Open Database, and Simulations of EVs with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
20244th IEEE Forum for Innovative Sustainable Transportation Systems FISTS 2024, 26-28 February, Riverside, California, USA. Paper No. 22
View PublicationMicrosimACC: An Open Database For Field Experiments On The Potential Capacity Impact Of Commercial Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
202326th IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems ITSC 2023, 24-28 September, Bilbao, Spain. Paper No. 869
View PublicationDynamic Curbside Management: Optimizing Supply and Demand at the Curb with New Data and Technologies
2023Transportation Research Board 102nd Annual Meeting, 8-12 January, Washington D.C. Paper No. 23-00964
Modeling CAV Car Following on Freeways and Arterials – Case Study of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Equipped Vehicles
2022Transportation Research Board 101st Annual Meeting, 9-13 January, Washington, D.C. Paper No. 22-02452
Field Experiment of Mixed Traffic - Interaction between Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Human Drivers
2022Transportation Research Board 101st Annual Meeting, 9-13 January, Washington, D.C. Paper No. 22-03779
Impact of Commercially Available Automated Vehicles on Freeway Bottleneck Capacity
2021Transportation Research Board 100th Annual Meeting, 5-29 January, Washington D.C. Paper No. 21-02087
Field Experiments of Commercially Available Automated Vehicles on Freeways
2021Transportation Research Board 100th Annual Meeting, 5-29 January, Washington D.C. Paper No. 21-03778
Recent developments for a photogrammetric system to measure offsets to stretched wires at CERN
2018In Proceedings of the 15th International Workshop on Accelerator Alignment (IWAA), 8-12 October, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, Illinois, USA
View PublicationMonitoring of Bus Transit in Bay Area During COVID-19
2022In Pandemic in the Metropolis: Transportation Impacts and Recovery (pp. 283-297)
View PublicationBus Operations of Three San Francisco Bay Area Transit Agencies during the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
2022MicrosimACC-EV
MicrosimACC-ICE
Recognitions
Thomaidio Award
Awarded for the highest GPA among all students in the School of Rural and Surveying Engineering (NTUA)
Papakyriakopoulos Award
Awarded for the highest average grade in Mathematics (NTUA)
Kritikou Scholarship
Awarded for the highest average grade in Mathematics (NTUA)
Chrisovergi Award
Awarded for graduating 1st out of 135 students in the 2019 graduating class (NTUA)
Academic Excellence Award
Awarded by the Greek State Scholarships Foundation for graduating 1st out of 135 students in the 2019 graduating class
Lambadarios Award
Awarded by the Academy of Athens for the highest GPA in geodetic courses among all Polytechnic school graduates in Greece
UC Berkeley Fellowship
Full fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley
ITS California and CTF Scholarship
ITS California and California Transportation Foundation (CTF) Scholarship
Contact
Feel free to reach out for collaborations, research opportunities, or questions.
Address: Empire State Building, 57th Floor, 350 5th Ave, New York, NY 10118, USA