PhD candidate advances human-centered transportation safety research
Published August 25, 2025
Gongda Yu, a PhD candidate in Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at the University at Buffalo, is preparing to graduate at the end of August 2025. At the Transportation Research and Visualization Laboratory (TRAVL), his research explores how driver behavior and decision-making can shape roadway safety.
Gongda Yu, PhD candidate in the department Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering.
One of Yu’s main projects uses virtual reality driving simulation to study how anxiety affects young drivers in both rural and urban environments. His work helps identify risk factors and potential interventions to make driving safer for new drivers.
Yu also applies advanced econometric modeling to large crash datasets, uncovering patterns that explain why certain roadway and population groups face higher crash severity. These insights support transportation agencies in designing targeted safety strategies.
In 2025, Yu was selected as an Eno Future Leaders Development Conference Fellow, a recognition of his leadership potential in the transportation field.
“Gongda’s research brings human factors into the heart of transportation engineering, combining rigorous data analysis with innovative simulation,” says Irina Benedyk, assistant professor of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering.
Looking ahead, and as he prepares to graduate, Yu will be joining AECOM in Boston as an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Engineer. In this role, he hopes to continue advancing the design and evaluation of transportation systems that improve safety, equity and resilience across communities.
