Dr. Elefteriadou’s research focus is traffic operations, traffic flow theory and simulation. She is the principal investigator of the US DOT-funded Regional University Transportation Center for Region 4 (Southeast Transportation Research Innovation Development and Education, or STRIDE).  STRIDE involves nine other universities in the southeast, with current funding up to $14M over 5 years (Jan. 2017- Dec., 2021) plus an equal amount of cost sharing from non-federal sources.  STRIDE focuses on reducing congestion, and addresses research, education, tech transfer, and workforce development for transportation.

Dr. Elefteriadou has served as the principal investigator for several other federal and state projects, funded by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Federal Highway Administration, PennDOT, and FDOT.  She has authored or co-authored nearly two hundred publications and reports related to traffic operational quality and highway design, as well as a textbook titled “Introduction to Traffic Flow Theory”.   She serves on the Editorial Board of the Transportation Research: Part B, and is a former Chair of the Transportation Research Board’s Highway Capacity and Quality of Service Committee.  She is also the President of the Executive Board of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC).

Dr. Elefteriadou received the 2015 ASCE James Laurie Prize for her contributions to highway capacity analysis.  She also received the 2015 ARTBA Ethel S. Birchland Lifetime Achievement Award.  She received the 2003 PSES Outstanding Research Award from the College of Engineering at Penn State where she was a faculty member. She received the Kisinger Campo & Associates Corp. Term Professorship Award from the University of Florida in September 2005, and a Fulbright Scholarship to perform research at the Technical University of Delft, Netherlands, September- December 2001.  She was awarded the Transportation Research Board’s Fred Burggraff award for excellence in research in January 2001.  Dr. Elefteriadou received her Graduate Diploma in Surveying and Environmental Engineering, (five year program) from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in June 1987.  She received her M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, in June 1990, and her Ph.D. in Transportation Planning and Engineering from NYU, New York, in June 1994.

Matthew A. Howard was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of the New York State Thruway Authority in January of 2015. In this role he is responsible for the administration of the financial aspects of the agency that has a $1.5 billion all funds budget in 2018. Mr. Howard’s career in public service spans 21 years, and includes leadership roles in fiscal management, public policy and public administration. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Howard served as the Secretary to the New York State Assembly Committee on Ways and Means. In this role he worked as a chief budget negotiator for the Assembly during its negotiations with the Office of the Governor and the New York State Senate. Mr. Howard received his undergraduate degree from Springfield College and a master’s degree in public administration from Cornell University.

Chris Schmidt is the Division Chief of Transportation Planning for the California Department of Transportation, Caltrans, where he oversees six hundred positions and a budget of $200 million.  His office is responsible for the initiation of hundreds of capital projects annually amounting to a multi-billion dollar portfolio.  In addition, focus areas include State, Regional, Multi-modal System, Freight, Smart Mobility and Climate Change planning efforts.  He develops and implements policies and procedures in concert with federal, State, and regional transportation planning partners and regulatory agencies on statewide issues.  Advances technical policies on planning issues affecting delivery of Caltrans’ projects and establishes the strategic direction for the transportation planning programs.

Dr. C. Y. David Yang became the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s executive director in October 2016. Previously, he worked for the U.S. Department of Transportation and private consulting firms. Dr. Yang has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers and government reports on many transportation topics. He is the current chair for the Transportation Research Board’s Users Performance Section and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems and the International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology. Dr. Yang attended Purdue University and received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in the field of civil engineering.