Christopher Paul Lyman Barkan is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and serves as the Director of RailTEC. His research focuses on railway engineering, railroad safety, hazardous materials logistics, and risk analysis. He has contributed to advancing methodologies for assessing derailment risks, optimizing railcar placement in freight trains, and improving international safety benchmarks for rail systems. His work integrates probabilistic modeling, structural analysis, and policy-driven frameworks to enhance transportation infrastructure resilience. Notable research interests include the design and safety of railroad tank cars, probabilistic modeling of hazardous materials transportation, and cross-continental comparisons of railway safety data systems. He has authored over 128 publications, including peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Accident Analysis and Prevention , Transportation Research Record , and Safety Science . Awarded the NARP Academic Award (2012) for contributions to railway safety and engineering, Barkan’s leadership in RailTEC underscores his commitment to advancing rail transportation through interdisciplinary research. His projects often involve collaborations with industry stakeholders and international organizations to address real-world challenges in rail infrastructure safety and operational efficiency.










