Stern Research Group | Experts@Minnesota | Google Scholar

My research interests include vehicle automation and transportation cyber-physical systems. Specifically, I am interested in the impact of autonomous (or semi-autonomous) vehicles on the overall traffic flow and dynamics at low market penetration rates. Additionally, I am interested in data science and machine learning approaches to transportation data analysis.

Education

• Ph.D., 2018, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• M.S., 2015, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• B.S., 2013, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Professional Background

• Visiting Scholar, Institute for Software Integrated Systems, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (2018)
• Data Science for Social Good Fellow, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (2014)

Selected Publications

De Souza, F. & Stern, R. (2021). Calibrating microscopic car-following models for adaptive cruise control vehicles: Multiobjective approach. Journal of Transportation Engineering Part A: Systems. 147(1), [04020150]. doi: 10.1061/JTEPBS.0000475

Vrabac, D., Shang, M., Butler, B., Pham, J., Stern, R. & Pare, P. E. (2021). Capturing the effects of transportation on the spread of COVID-19 with a multi-networked SEIR model. IEEE Control Systems Letters. doi: 10.1109/LCSYS.2021.3050954

Shang, M. & Stern, R. E. (2021). Impacts of commercially available adaptive cruise control vehicles on highway stability and throughput. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies. 122, [102897]. doi: 10.1016/j.trc.2020.102897

Liu, Z. & Stern, R. (2021). Quantifying the traffic impacts of the COVID-19 shutdown. Journal of Transportation Engineering Part A: Systems. 147(5), [04021014]. doi: 10.1061/JTEPBS.0000527

Gunter, G., Janssen, C., Barbour, W., Stern, R. E. & Work, D. B. (2020). Model-based string stability of adaptive cruise control systems using field data. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Vehicles. 5(1), 90-99. [8910461]. doi: 10.1109/TIV.2019.2955368

Delle Monache, M. L., Liard, T., Rat, A., Stern, R., Bhadani, R., Seibold, B., Sprinkle, J., Work, D. B., & Piccoli, B. (2019). Feedback Control Algorithms for the Dissipation of Traffic Waves with Autonomous Vehicles. In Springer Optimization and Its Applications (pp. 275-299). (Springer Optimization and Its Applications; vol. 150) Springer International Publishing. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-25446-9_12

Stern, R. E., Chen, Y., Churchill, M., Wu, F., Delle Monache, M. L., Piccoli, B., Seibold, B., Sprinkle, J., & Work, D. B. (2019). Quantifying air quality benefits resulting from few autonomous vehicles stabilizing traffic. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 67, 351-365. doi: 10.1016/j.trd.2018.12.008

Wu, F., Stern, R. E., Cui, S., Delle Monache, M. L., Bhadani, R., Bunting, M., Churchill, M., Hamilton, N., Haulcy, R., Piccoli, B., Seibold, B., Sprinkle, J. & Work, D. B. (2019). Tracking vehicle trajectories and fuel rates in phantom traffic jams: Methodology and data. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies. 99, 82-109. doi: 10.1016/j.trc.2018.12.012

Stern R. E., Chen Y., Churchill M., Wu F., Delle Monache M. L., Piccoli B., Seibold B., Sprinkle J., & Work D. B. (2019). "Quantifying air quality benefits resulting from few autonomous vehicles stabilizing traffic." Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 67, 351-365.

Stern R. E., Song J., & Work D. B. (2017). “Accelerated Monte Carlo system reliability analysis through machine-learning-based surrogate models of network connectivity.” Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 164, 1-9.

Stern R., Cui S., Delle Monache M. L., Bhadani R., Bunting M., Churchill M., Hamilton N., Haulcy R., Pohlmann H., Wu F., Piccoli B., Seibold B., Sprinkle J., Work D. (2017). “Dissipation of stop-and-go traffic waves via control of a single autonomous vehicle.” Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 89, 205-221.