Nicholas J. Klein

Nicholas J. Klein is an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. His research focuses on transportation equity, urban mobility, and marginalized communities' travel behaviors. Klein holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University, an M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. from Cornell University. He has taught at Columbia University, Temple University, and Pratt Institute.

His work emphasizes how socioeconomic factors and life events influence transportation choices, particularly among low-income populations. Key research areas include car ownership dynamics, location affordability, and the intersection of transportation policy with social justice. Klein has led projects funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Cornell's Institute for the Social Sciences, exploring car donation programs' impacts on disadvantaged families.

• Grants: Principal investigator for studies on car donation programs (2018–2020) and immigrant access to public transit (2010–2013).
• Awards: Journal of Planning Education and Research Top Reviewer Award (2018).
• Teaching: Courses include quantitative methods for public policy analysis.

His publications address topics such as transportation affordability, generational car ownership trends, and the role of life experiences in shaping travel behavior. Klein frequently presents at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting and contributes to high-impact journals like Transport Policy and Journal of Transport and Land Use.