Marcelo Blumenfeld

Dr. Marcelo Blumenfeld is an Assistant Professor in Future Transport Systems at the University of Birmingham's School of Engineering and Department of Civil Engineering. He specializes in sustainable mobility solutions and systems engineering, focusing on integrating new technologies into transport systems to advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the Global South. His work involves operational optimization, systems modeling, and policy development.

Education includes a PhD in Railway Systems Engineering (University of Birmingham, 2019), an MSc in Transport Planning (University of Leeds, 2012), and a BA in Industrial Design (Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado, 2010). He has advised organizations like the UN, World Bank, and governments of Thailand, Ethiopia, and Brazil, contributing to decarbonization and digitalization strategies in rail transport.

Research interests span public transport operations, systems engineering, foresight methodologies, and transport challenges in low-income regions. Current projects include decarbonization roadmaps for railways in Asia-Pacific and capacity-building curricula for Sub-Saharan Africa. With a £750k+ research portfolio, he emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.

Advisory roles include UNESCA strategy development for rail digitalization and UNDP advisory work on Brazil's National Land Transport Plan. His TED talks and publications highlight visionary approaches to future transport systems.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates closely with the University of Birmingham's School of Engineering and international partners on transport systems innovation and sustainable infrastructure projects.