Steven Polzin

Steven Polzin serves as a Research Professor at Arizona State University's School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment since July 2021, bringing over 30 years of transportation expertise. Previously, he held the position of Senior Advisor for Research and Technology at the U.S. Department of Transportation and served as Director of Mobility Policy Research at the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research. His career includes significant roles with transit agencies in Chicago, Cleveland, and Dallas, along with board service for a Transit Authority and Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Education:

• BSCE in Civil Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Master's and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Transportation Focus), Northwestern University

Research Focus: Dr. Polzin's work centers on transportation policy analysis with particular emphasis on pandemic-induced travel behavior changes, public transit evolution, and freight system dynamics. His research integrates demographic, economic, and technological trends to address contemporary transportation challenges, frequently engaging with policymakers through congressional testimony and media commentary in outlets like The New York Times and Seattle Times.

Publication Trends: His recent scholarly output (2019-2021) reveals a pronounced shift toward pandemic impacts, examining telecommuting permanence, transit ridership recovery, and freight resilience. This work consistently addresses equity implications while exploring technology's role in transportation transformation, demonstrating his ability to rapidly pivot research to address emergent societal challenges.

Teaching and Engagement: With extensive experience teaching graduate and undergraduate courses both in-person and online, Dr. Polzin has shaped transportation professionals across multiple generations. His research portfolio spans engagements with all levels of government and private sector clients, reflecting his practical approach to solving complex transportation problems through evidence-based analysis and stakeholder collaboration.