Contact
Location
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Mobile
(+1) 520-278-8412
Email
zhaojun@arizona.edu
LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/jun-zhao-ua
Google Scholar
scholar.google.com
About
I specialize in human–computer interaction experiments, traffic simulation, and data‑driven mobility analysis. My recent work includes agent‑based modeling, cloud‑native macroscopic simulation, and behavioral analytics leveraging large‑scale location‑based services (LBS) datasets.
Work
Postdoctoral Researcher — University of Arizona
Postdoctoral Researcher — Zhejiang University
Senior Algorithm Engineer — Alibaba Cloud Computing Co. Ltd.
Research Assistant (Part‑time) — National Transportation Center, University of Maryland
Education
Ph.D., Transportation Engineering — University of Maryland
M.S., Management Science & Logistics — Tongji University
B.S., Industrial Engineering — Nanjing University
Technical Skills
C++, Python, scikit‑learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch, R, SQL, Docker, Ray
Selected Projects
Involved in proposal writing and worked as PI or Co‑PI
- Wu, Y. (PI), Zhao, J. (Co‑PI of Phase 2), & Tsai, J. (GT, External Co‑PI). AI‑Enabled Traffic Asset Management. Pima County Department of Transportation, 07/01/2024–06/30/2026, $194,991 (Phase 1) + $80,000 (Phase 2).
- Shang, M. (PI), Zhao, J. (Co‑PI), Wu, Y. (Co‑PI), & Zhao, J. (ASU, External Co‑PI). SPR‑798: Statewide Pavement Marking Assessment for Driver‑Assist Vehicle Technologies. Arizona Transportation Institute, Arizona Department of Transportation, 09/01/2025–10/31/2026, $125,000. [Link]
Involved as key researcher
- Wu, Y. (PI), Shamshiripour, A. (Co‑PI), & Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). Leveraging Existing Data Sources to Obtain Performance Measures for a Multi‑modal Transportation System. Pima Association of Governments, 11/01/2023–04/30/2025, $176,570. [Link]
- Shang, M. (PI), Wu, Y. (Co‑PI), & Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). SPR‑792: State of the Practice of a Data Management Office Within DOTs. Arizona Transportation Institute, Arizona Department of Transportation, 08/12/2024–Present, $55,000. [Link]
- Yang, B. (PI), Bernal, S. (Co‑PI), Engineer, A. (Co‑PI), Kokroko, K. (Co‑PI), Li, S. (Co‑PI), Wu, Y. (Co‑PI), Shamshiripour, A. (Co‑PI), Cabrera, M. (Co‑PI), Van Dyke, M. (Co‑PI), Pocheptsova, A. (Co‑PI), Li, M. (Co‑PI), & Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). South32 Hermosa Project Phase I — Asset Inventory, Gap Analysis, and Innovative Pathways. South32, University of Arizona, 11/01/2024–09/30/2025, $336,952. [Link]
- Lim, C. (PI), Shang, M. (Co‑PI), & Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). Impact of Transportation Electrification on Air Quality and Health in Arizona. University of Arizona, Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF), 08/2024–09/2025, $100,000.
- Ryan, A. (PI), Hurwitz, D. (Co‑PI), & Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). A Thoughtful Approach to the Integration of Equity in Traffic Safety. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 10/01/2023–03/30/2025, $461,000. [Link]
Involved as key researcher
- Zhang, L. (PI), Xiong, C. (Co‑PI), Zhou, X. (Co‑PI), et al., & Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). Integrated, Personalized, Real‑time Traveler Information and Incentive (iPretii) Technology. U.S. Department of Energy ARPA‑E (TRANSNET Program), 2015–2020, $4.5 Million. [Link]
Technical Support Research
- Zhao, J. (PM, UA CATS), Sweet, J. (PM, PCDOT). Feasibility Study for Plan Set Review with LLM. Pima County Department of Transportation, 05/2025–08/2025.
- Zhao, J. (PM, UA CATS), Hendrix, M. (PM, PCDOT). Review of Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) Prioritization. Pima County Department of Transportation, 08/2025–11/2025.
Proposal Writing
- Lim, C. (PI), Sheng, M. (Co‑PI), Wu, Y. (Co‑PI), & Zhao, J. (Co‑Author). A Data‑Driven Framework to Link Mining Activities, Air Quality, and Cardiorespiratory Health. Office of Research and Partnerships (ORP), University of Arizona, Submitted 2025.
- Ryan, A. (PI), Pudasaini, P. (Co‑Author), & Zhao, J. (Co‑Author). AI‑Driven Pavement Marking Visibility Assessment Tool. NCHRP IDEA Proposal, Submitted 2025.
Projects & Experience
Human‑Computer Interactive Experiment in Transportation
- Designed interactive experiments on mode choice, en‑route diversion, and parking reservation.
- Built the experiment system, recruited participants, and prepared IRB/ethics documentation.
- Conducted a preliminary experiment on mode choice with carbon credits at Zhejiang University.
Distributed Cloud‑Native Macro Traffic Simulation Platform
- Developed a Ray‑based macro simulation platform to simulate city‑scale networks within minutes in parallel.
- Designed models for road‑network splitting (Leuven algorithm), calibration of road resistance via computational graphs, and capacity estimation using random forests.
- Built a GCN‑based spatio‑temporal representation of network topology and traffic distribution, achieving ~90% accuracy in short‑term flow/speed prediction.
- Supported large events: Beijing Winter Olympics, Chengdu Universiade, Hangzhou Asian Games; evaluated road‑control scenarios.
- Filed three patent applications based on this work.
COVID‑19 Impact Analysis Platform
- Co‑developed the COVID‑19 Impact Analysis Platform.
- Used mobile‑device location data to infer home/work CBGs and OD trips; applied multi‑level weighting for population representativeness.
- Computed a Social Distancing Index (SDI) and documented quarantine fatigue toward the end of the pandemic.
- Observed behavioral inertia in social distancing despite rising cases; published three papers from this work.
Real‑Time Traffic Simulation & Travel State Prediction
- Designed a dynamic traffic assignment model to simulate millions of vehicles in real time in the DC metro area.
- Modeled traveler decisions (mode, departure time, route) under utility maximization; aggregated to predict next‑period traffic, reaching ~85% accuracy vs. sensor counts.
- Informed federal and Maryland state policy evaluation by comparing alternative costs and benefits.
Incentrip: Incentivizing Congestion‑Reducing Travel Behaviors
- Built a behavior model encouraging off‑peak departure, under‑utilized routes, and alternative modes; reduced peak‑hour travel time by ~6%.
- Implemented the personalized rewards model in the Android app Incentrip.
- Added push notifications for extreme weather/incidents using OpenWeather and INRIX Accidents APIs.
Publications
Journal Papers
- Xiong, C., Shahabi, M., Zhao, J., Yin, Y., Zhou, X., Zhang, L. “An integrated and personalized traveler information and incentive scheme for energy‑efficient mobility systems”, Transportation Research Part C, 2019.
- Lee, M., Zhao, J., Sun, Q., Pan, Y., Zhou, W., Xiong, C., Zhang, L. “Human mobility trends during the early stage of the COVID‑19 pandemic in the United States”, PLOS One, 2020.
- Zhao, J., Xiong, C., Zhang, L. “Analysis of Travel Behavioral Responses to Monetary Incentives — DC‑Baltimore Case Study Based on a Joint Revealed and Stated Preference Survey”, Travel Behaviour and Society, 2023 (revising).
Conference Papers
- Zhao, J., Xiong, C., Ji, Y., Zhang, L. “Analyzing Travel Behavior Responses under Personalized Incentives with Interpretable Economic Information”, TRB 99th Annual Meeting, 2020.
- Zhao, J., Zhang, L. “Predicting Behavior Responses under Monetary Incentives by Deep Choice Model Using Pointer Networks”, ISETT, 2019.
- Zhao, J., Xiong, C., Zhang, L. “A Joint Revealed and Stated Preference Analysis of Travel Behavioral Responses to Monetary Incentives”, TRB 97th Annual Meeting, 2018.
- Zhao, J., Xiong, C., Yang, D., Liang, T., Zhang, L. “A Wide‑and‑Deep Learning Model of Travel Mode Detection”, ISETT, 2018.
arXiv Papers
- Zhao, J., Lee, M., Ghader, S., et al. “Quarantine Fatigue: first‑ever decrease in social distancing measures after the COVID‑19 pandemic outbreak before reopening United States”, arXiv preprint, 2020.
- Ghader, S., Zhao, J., Lee, M., Zhou, W., Zhao, G., Zhang, L. “Observed mobility behavior data reveal social distancing inertia”, arXiv preprint, 2020.