Alireza Talebpour

Alireza Talebpour is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois. He leads the Smart City Lab and focuses on advancing transportation systems through research in automated vehicles, traffic flow theory, and quantum computing applications. His work bridges microeconomic principles with microscopic traffic modeling to enhance urban mobility solutions.

Education

• Ph.D. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University (2015)
• M.Sc. and B.Sc. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (2009, 2007)

Research Interests

His research spans quantum computing for infrastructure optimization, human-automated vehicle interactions, and AI-driven traffic management. Key areas include:
- Mixed traffic systems with connected/autonomous vehicles
- Smart city infrastructure and policy design
- Microscopic traffic simulation (e.g., TGSIM dataset)
- Freight and public transit consolidation strategies

Key Contributions

Recent work explores:
- Charging lanes for EVs and their traffic impacts
- Lane-changing behavior in automated driving environments
- Quantum algorithms for EV charging station placement
- Safety implications of self-enforcing street designs

Affiliations

He chairs the Traffic Flow Theory Committee at the Transportation Research Board and collaborates on national efforts for autonomous vehicle integration. Current projects include:
- Developing game-theoretic frameworks for intersection maneuvers
- Enhancing traffic prediction via machine learning
- Evaluating infrastructure impacts of truck platooning