Carsten Sommer

Carsten Sommer is a Professor and Head of the Department of Transport Planning and Transport Systems at the University of Kassel, where he also serves as Dean of Studies for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. With over two decades of experience in transportation research and planning, Professor Sommer leads significant research initiatives focused on sustainable mobility, public transport systems, and integrated transport planning.

Professor Sommer received his civil engineering degree from the Technical University of Braunschweig in 1997, following which he completed his doctorate at the same institution in 2002. His academic journey includes research positions at TU Braunschweig and WVI Prof. Dr. Wermuth Verkehrsforschung und Infrastrukturplanung GmbH before joining the University of Kassel in 2010. He has held various leadership roles including Academic Director of Master's programs in Public Transport and Mobility since 2013 and Dean of Studies since 2018.

His research spans multiple critical areas in transportation, with particular emphasis on integrated transport planning, public transport systems, and transportation economics. Professor Sommer has pioneered work in fine mobility (Feinmobilität), which explores how smaller vehicles can contribute to more sustainable urban transportation. His research on pandemic-resilient public transport systems has gained significant attention, particularly his work on infection risk modeling in buses and developing strategies for maintaining public transport operations during health crises. He has also made substantial contributions to understanding the relationship between mobility and social exclusion, developing methods to quantify mobility options and create more equitable transport systems.

Professor Sommer's recent work demonstrates a clear trend toward more integrated, sustainable, and socially inclusive transportation systems. His publications increasingly focus on the intersection of social and ecological dimensions of mobility transition, pandemic resilience in public transport, and innovative approaches to fine mobility that balance environmental sustainability with urban quality of life.

Professor Sommer has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to transportation research:

• German Mobility Award for the 'Mobilfalt' project (2016)
• 2nd place at the VCÖ Mobility Award Austria for economic evaluation methods (2018)
• Feuchtinger-Wehner Memorial Medal by the Road and Transportation Research Association (2018)
• Endowed professorship 'Cycling and Local Mobility' from the Federal Ministry of Transport (2020)
• Award for the MOSACA II project (2022)

As an academic leader, Professor Sommer serves as Academic Director for the Master's programs in 'Public Transport and Mobility' and 'Mobility, Transport and Infrastructure' at the University of Kassel. He has supervised numerous graduate students and leads several significant research projects funded by federal ministries, including the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure and the Federal Ministry for the Environment. His work with the Kassel Institute for Sustainability demonstrates his commitment to interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable mobility.

Professor Sommer leads the Transportation Planning and Traffic Systems research group at the University of Kassel, which focuses on developing practical solutions for current transportation challenges. The team collaborates extensively with government agencies, transport associations, and industry partners to translate research into actionable policies and practices. Their work on the EMILIA project has been particularly influential in developing pandemic-resilient public transport systems. He also serves on numerous committees including as Head of Working Committee 1.6 'Public Transport' for the Road and Transportation Research Association (FGSV) and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV).