Eva Kassens-Noor

Eva Kassens-Noor is an Adjunct Professor of Transportation, Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Planning, Design, and Construction at Michigan State University, holding a joint appointment with the MSU Global Urban Studies Program (GUSP). She also maintains adjunct appointments in the MSU Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering as well as Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences.

Her educational background includes:

• Diplom-Ingenieur (equivalent to a BA and one year MS) in Business Engineering from Universität Karlsruhe (TH), Germany
• Master of Science in Transportation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• PhD from Department of Urban Studies and Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Kassens-Noor's research centers on how people perceive, cope with, and understand extreme events. Her work spans from examining societal transitions toward living with artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies to investigating how transportation systems enable resilience during disasters, pandemics, and hazards. She employs diverse methodologies including grounded theory, interviews, ethnography, online and mail surveys, big data analysis, and content analysis. Her research aims to create livable communities within an autonomous, sustainable, and resilient society where citizens maintain agency over technological impacts.

Her publication portfolio reveals a consistent focus on emerging transportation challenges, with emphasis on autonomous vehicles, pandemic resilience, sociomobility, and mega-event planning. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary approaches connecting urban planning, transportation engineering, and social sciences to address complex societal transitions.

Notable recognitions include:

• 2013-2014 MSU Lilly Teaching Fellow
• 2014 AT&T Faculty Award Competition in Instructional Technology (best blended course)
• 2021 AT&T Faculty Award for 'Experiencing Autonomous Futures'

Dr. Kassens-Noor has secured significant research funding from the National Science Foundation and Michigan Department of Transportation, supporting projects on autonomous vehicles and public transportation systems. She pioneered the 'flipping, moving and tweeting classroom' teaching methodology that emphasizes experiential learning with emerging technologies. Her work extends to developing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on mega-event planning, including those focused on the Sochi Winter Games and FIFA World Cup.

She actively contributes to several research initiatives including Mega Event Planning, Autonomous Futures, and MSU Mobility, demonstrating commitment to bridging academic research with practical applications in urban planning and transportation systems.