Jun Zhao, Ph.D. — Projects and Experience

Project Investigator or Co-Project Investigator

• 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]

Key Researcher

2024 — Present

• 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), et al. 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.
• 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]
• Ryan, A. (PI), Hurwitz, D. (Co-PI), et al. 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]

Before 2024

• Zhang, L. (PI), Pack, M. (Co-PI), Darzi, A. (PM), Xiong, C., Yang, M., Ji, Y., Tang, C., et al. Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). University of Maryland COVID-19 Impact Analysis Platform. Maryland Transportation Institute (MTI), Center for Advanced Transportation Technology Laboratory (CATT Lab), 2020 — 2021. [Link]
• Zhang, L. (PI), Xiong, C., Ji, Y., et al. Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). “IncenTrip” Smartphone App Using Personalized Incentives to Reduce Congestion, Energy Use, and Emissions. Maryland Transportation Institute, University of Maryland, 2019 — 2020. [Link]
• Zhang, L. (PI), Rouphail, N. (Co-PI), Zhou, X. (Co-PI), Yin, Y. (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 — 2019, $4.5 Million. [Link]
• Zhang, L. (PI), Xiong, C. (Key Researcher), Zhao, J. (Key Researcher). Maryland Integrated Travel Analysis Modeling System (MITAMS). Maryland State Highway Administration, 2015 — 2016.

Assissted in Proposal Writing

• Lim, C. (PI), Shang, 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.
• Lim, C. (PI), Shang, M. (Co-PI), Wu, Y. (Co-PI), & Zhao, J. (Co-Author). A Data-Driven Framework to Link Mining Activities, Air Quality, and Cardiorespiratory Health. NIH Research Project Grant: R01, to submit 10/2025.
• Ryan, A. (PI), Pudasaini, P. (Co-Author), & Zhao, J. (Co-Author). AI-Driven Pavement Marking Visibility Assessment Tool. NCHRP IDEA, Submitted 2025.

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.

Presentations and Posters

Conference & Annual Meeting Presentations Accepted by Abstract

Jeon, Y.⁺, Zhao, J., Zhang, X., Shamshiripour, A., & Wu, Y. (2025). Evaluating the Impact of Pricing Plans on Bike-Sharing Usage in Mid-Sized City of the United States. ASCE International Conference on Transportation and Development (ICTD) 2025.

Click for full poster!
• Zhao, J.⁺, Sweet, J.⁺, & Leyva, G. (2025). AI-Enabled Traffic Asset Management. Institute of Transportation Engineers and International Municipal Signal Association (ITE–IMSA), Section 5E. [Link]
• Shang, M.⁺, Zhao, J., Geffen, G., & Wu, Y. (2025). SPR-792: State of the Practice of a Data Management Office within DOTs. Transportation Research Symposium (TRS) 2025, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Click for full poster!
Shang, M.⁺, Zhao, J., & Wu, Y. (2025). Data-Driven Classification of Vehicle Driving Behavior in Mixed Traffic Using Car-Following Trajectories
• Zhao, J.⁺, & Zhang, L. (2019). Predicting Behavior Responses under Monetary Incentives by Deep Choice Model Using Pointer Networks. International Symposium on Emerging Trends in Transportation (ISETT). [Link]

Incoming Invited Conference & Annual Meeting Presentations

• Sweet, J.⁺, and Zhao, J.⁺. AI in Transportation Now! (Invited talk). ITS Arizona Annual Conference, 10/2025.

Posters

• Hu, C., Zhao, J., Ding, H., Wang, L., Zhu, Z., & Yang, H. (2025). Evaluating and Optimization of the Credit Charge-cum-Reward Scheme: Experiments based on a Collaborative Experimental Platform. Transportation Research Board (TRB) 2025 Annual Meeting.
• Jeon, Y., Zhao, J., Zhang, X., Shamshiripour, A., & Wu, Y. (2026). Understanding User Retention in Bike-Sharing Systems with a Survival Analysis of Operational, Environmental, and Demographic Influences. Transportation Research Board (TRB) 2026 Annual Meeting.

⁺ Presenter
Co-advise Student

Project Reports

• PAG (Pima Association of Governments) Phase III — Leveraging Existing Data Sources to Obtain Performance Measures for a Multi-modal Transportation System, Sep 2025. [in progress]
• Zhao, J., Pan, Y., Xiong, C., & Zhang, L. (2016). Metro SafeTrack Impact on Individual Travel Behavior & Regional Traffic Conditions. National Transportation Center, University of Maryland. [ Volume 1 ] [ Volume 2]