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Muhammad Fahad, a Ph.D. candidate advised by Assistant Professor Tom Shi, earned third place in the graduate student poster category at the college’s Student Research Poster Competition on April 25.

Fahad presented his research titled “A Trajectory Dataset of Pedestrian-Vehicle Interactions at Crosswalks via Deep Learning and Roadside Cameras.” His work uses roadside cameras and deep learning to build trajectory data that can support crosswalk safety, pedestrian behavior analysis, pedestrian-vehicle interaction research, and intelligent transportation systems.

This event showcased 96 poster entries from across the college, including 65 graduate student posters, 20 undergraduate student posters, and 11 experiential learning posters. The third-place award recognizes Fahad’s strong research contribution and presentation at the college-wide event.

Olanrewaju Emmanuel Ogunniyi, president of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Student Chapter at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, received the Student Organization Leader of the Year Award at the UWM Student Involvement Excellence Awards on April 27.

The ITE Student Chapter at UWM, advised by Assistant Professor Tom Shi, is a student-led organization that supports professional growth, industry connections, and hands-on learning for students interested in transportation engineering.

The award recognizes Ogunniyi’s leadership and contributions to the ITE Student Chapter, as well as his efforts to strengthen student engagement in transportation engineering. Congratulations to Ogunniyi on this well-deserved honor.

Olanrewaju Emmanuel Ogunniyi, a second-year Ph.D. candidate in civil and environmental engineering with an emphasis on transportation, has been awarded the UWM Victor Podlaski Scholarship. His advisor is Professor Xiao Qin. The Victor Podlaski Scholarship supports UWM students with an interest in Polish language and culture.

Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Ogunniyi earned his master’s degree in Poland, where he also completed a six-month Polish language and cultural program. During his time there, he developed a strong connection to Polish culture through academic study, cultural engagement, and visits to cities including Warsaw, Poznań, Kraków, and Zakopane. This recognition highlights Ogunniyi’s academic achievement and his meaningful engagement with Polish language and culture.

Researchers and students from IPIT attended the 105th Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., from January 11–15, 2026, presenting thirteen papers covering a range of critical transportation research topics. Throughout the conference, they engaged in discussions with researchers and practitioners across academia, government, and industry. The experience provided an excellent platform to showcase IPIT’s latest research, receive valuable feedback, and explore potential collaborative opportunities.

Presented Posters:

1. Jung, S.*; Qin, X. Data-Driven Approach to Prioritizing Emergency Facility Deployment in High-Risk Freeway Tunnels.
2. Schneider, R. J.*; Hemze, N.; Barbee, H.; Sveen, C.; Thorne, K.; Ogunniyi, O. E. Midblock Pedestrian Crossing Volumes and Crash Rates in Milwaukee, WI.
3. Schneider, R. J.*; Gu, X.; Nelson, K.; Ferenchak, N. N.; Qin, X. Neighborhood-Level Shifts in Fatal and Severe Injury Pedestrian Crashes: 2008–2012 vs. 2017–2021.
4. Fahad, M.; Tasnim, A.; Xiong, T.; Damaraju, A.; Zhao, T.; Qin, X.; Shi, X.* A Trajectory Dataset of Pedestrian – Vehicle Interactions at Crosswalks via Deep Learning and Roadside Cameras.
5. Rai, N.; Liang, X.; Shen, D.; Huang, S.; Shi, X.*. Taming Stop-and-Go Traffic Shockwaves: Evidence from Radio-Controlled Car Experiments.
6. Sadeghi Koupaei, A.; Shi, X.*. A Novel Surrogate Safety Measure Incorporating Detection and Communication Imperfections.
7. Overstreet, J.; Qin, X.*; Parajuli, S.; Cherry, C.; Li, Y. Does Height Matter? An Analysis of Contributing Factors to Tall Vehicle–Pedestrian Crashes.
8. Rukhsana, F.; Qin, X.*; Schneider, R. J. A Sequential Spatial-ML Framework for Interpretable Macro-Level Pedestrian Crash Modeling.
9. Abrari Vajari, M.; Shi, X.; Qin, X.*. A Computer Vision Pipeline for Crosswalk Detection, Classification, and Quality Evaluation.
10. Parajuli, S.; Cherry, C.; Overstreet, J.; Li, Y.; Qin, X.*. Impact of Tall Vehicles on Pedestrian Injury Severity Outcomes: Insights from Multi-State Pedestrian Crash Data.
11. Devadiga, M.; Abrari Vajari, M.; McRoy, S. W.; Qin, X.*. Enhancing Data Accessibility Through Automated PII De-Identification in Crash Narratives.
12. Fahad, M.; Tasnim, A.; Xiong, T.; Damaraju, A.; Zhao, T.; Qin, X.; Shi, X.*. A Comprehensive Evaluation Framework for Roadside Perception Systems.
13. Liang, X.; Yang, C.; Shi, X.*. An Unsupervised Framework for Abnormal Driving Detection Using Utility-Based Feature Sequences.

The 2025 Southeastern Wisconsin Transportation Symposium, co-hosted by UWM’s Institute for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation (IPIT) and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), brought together more than 220 transportation professionals, researchers, and students on October 10 at the UWM Student Union—the largest turnout in the event’s history!

The symposium featured engaging presentations and discussions on topics such as artificial intelligence in transportation systems, driver behavior and safety innovations, infrastructure preservation, and regional mobility planning. The event showcased collaborative research that advances Wisconsin’s transportation systems and reflects IPIT’s growing impact in connecting academia, industry, and government partners.

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Frustrated by sitting at red lights with no cross traffic, UWM PhD student Joel Roberts turned a daily annoyance into innovation. His startup, Shepherd Traffic, uses computer vision and algorithms to automate traffic data collection—providing more detailed, accurate, and cost-effective insights for smarter signal timing and road design.

Roberts’ pitch earned the $2,500 grand prize at the WiSys Big Idea Pitch Competition, standing out among top student innovators across Wisconsin. His system not only counts vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians but also tracks trajectories and delay times—offering a scalable, real-time solution far beyond manual clipboards.

Backed by UWM’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center and mentored by Civil Engineering Professor Xiao Qin, Roberts integrates his startup into his academic research. With support from the national I-Corps program, he’s now exploring ways to expand his system to include near-miss detection and risky behavior forecasting—insights that could revolutionize intersection design and urban safety.

As cities move toward smarter infrastructure, Shepherd Traffic is helping lead the way.

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On May 16, 2025, Traffic & Parking Control Company, LLC (TAPCO) generously donated advanced traffic equipment to UWM’s Institute for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation (IPIT), enhancing hands-on learning for civil engineering students. The donation, including a state-of-the-art SWARCO McCain 352i ATC Cabinet and accessible pedestrian crosswalk buttons, was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting event attended by TAPCO representatives, faculty, and students. This real-world equipment will be used for classroom instruction and research, supporting student development and promoting community safety. TAPCO’s partnership reflects a shared commitment to innovation in traffic engineering and accessible transportation infrastructure.

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Master’s student Joely Overstreet (Civil Engineering) has been awarded the 2024–2025 Beimborn Graduate Fellowship, receiving $7,500 to support her research on improving pedestrian visibility from tall vehicles, advised by Professor Xiao Qin. Overstreet earned her BS in Civil Engineering and Mathematics from Valparaiso University in 2024.

The fellowship was established by donors Curtis C. and Maureen E. Lueck to honor Professor Emeritus Edward Beimborn, recognizing excellence in transportation research.

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Xiaowei (Tom) Shi, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), was recently interviewed about his research into autonomous vehicle technology, particularly its applications in rural and tribal communities. This initiative is supported by a $1.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, part of a larger $15 million allocation aimed at advancing self-driving technologies in less urbanized areas. Dr. Shi emphasized that this funding enables UWM to conduct vital testing of autonomous vehicles in rural settings, addressing unique challenges and opportunities in these regions. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted the national significance of this research, citing potential improvements in safety and national security. The project’s goal is to enhance the safety and efficiency of autonomous vehicles, especially in areas with limited transportation options.

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Tom Shi, assistant professor; Xiao Qin, professor; and Yang Li, research associate, civil engineering, are partners with UW-Madison on a six-year U.S. Department of Transportation grant to explore the use of autonomous vehicles in rural areas where transportation services are limited. The college’s share of the grant is $1.4 million.

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