Jean-Daniel Saphores

Jean-Daniel Saphores serves as a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine. He also holds the position of Director of the Institute for Transportation Studies, where he leads research initiatives at the intersection of transportation systems and environmental sustainability.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Resource and Environmental Economics from Cornell University (1997)
• M.A. in Economics from Cornell University (1994)
• M.S. in Environmental Systems Engineering from Cornell University (1994)
• M.S. in Geotechnical Engineering from University of Colorado, Boulder (1989)
• Ingénieur Civil from École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (ENPC) (1988)

Professor Saphores focuses his research on transportation and environmental systems, employing statistical and economic methods combined with simulation and optimization tools. His active research interests span transportation and environmental interactions, particularly regarding air pollution and energy use, travel behavior analysis, alternative and automated vehicle technologies, transit usage patterns, sustainable infrastructure management, and decision-making frameworks under uncertainty using real options approaches.

As Director of the Institute for Transportation Studies, he oversees research initiatives that bridge engineering, policy, and environmental considerations in transportation systems. His work addresses critical challenges in sustainable mobility and infrastructure management, with implications for urban planning and environmental policy.