Raphael Stern

Raphael Stern is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering at the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering. His research focuses on vehicle automation and transportation cyber-physical systems, with specific interests in how autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles impact traffic flow dynamics, particularly at low market penetration rates. He also applies data science and machine learning approaches to transportation data analysis.

His research interests span several critical areas in modern transportation engineering. Stern investigates the impact of autonomous vehicles on traffic flow stability, developing physics-informed models for next-generation traffic control systems. His work on cyber-physical systems includes detecting cyberattacks on adaptive cruise control vehicles and analyzing their effects on traffic dynamics. He also studies non-motorized transportation, developing methods to estimate pedestrian and bicycle traffic flows using mobile data sources.

Professor Stern's recent publications reveal a strong focus on the intersection of transportation engineering and cybersecurity, with multiple studies on cyberattacks against adaptive cruise control systems. His work also addresses practical transportation challenges in Minnesota, including driver yielding behavior at unsignalized intersections and efficient traffic flow estimation techniques. His research demonstrates a consistent trajectory toward addressing the challenges of mixed-autonomy traffic systems where human-driven and automated vehicles coexist.

• CAREER: Physics-informed modeling for next-generation traffic control (NSF)
• EAGER: How well does traffic control theory and optimization research work on public roads? (NSF)
• Using electric vehicle onboard data for pavement quality assessment and management (MnDOT & US DOT)
• Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship (US DOT)

Professor Stern actively advises graduate students, with T. Li, M. Shang, and S. Wang appearing as first authors on multiple recent publications. His research group has secured significant funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Transportation. Stern has also contributed to public understanding of transportation issues through media appearances, including commentary on Twin Cities highway connectivity.