Research
Dr. Wei (David) Fan is a leading scholar in transportation research and innovation. He serves as Director of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Center for Advanced Multimodal Mobility Solutions and Education (CAMMSE). He is also the Thrust Leader and Associate Director of the NC Transportation Center of Excellence on Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Technology (NC-CAV) and the Founding Director of the Smart, Safe, and Sustainable (S3) Transportation Lab.
Research Expertise
Dr. Fan’s work spans a broad range of cutting-edge transportation topics, including:
Sustainable and resilient transportation systems - optimization, simulation, and infrastructure resilience
Big data analytics & AI in transportation - machine learning, travel demand forecasting, safety data analysis, and discrete choice modeling
Connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles - technology development, simulation, optimization/control, and impact analysis
Shared mobility and multimodal transportation systems - carsharing, bikesharing, public transit, and active transportation
Traffic operations and control - simulation, and active traffic management (e.g., variable speed limits, managed lanes)
Transportation system analysis and network modeling - traffic assignment, network design/redesign, bottleneck mitigation, travel time reliability, and congestion pricing
Operations research and custom software development applied to complex transportation problems
Research Impact
Dr. Fan’s scholarly impact has been recognized globally. He was ranked among the top 2% of the most-cited scientists worldwide in September 2024 and September 2025 - both in the “Single Year” and “Career” categories - within the fields of “Economics and Business” (Logistics and Transportation) and “Civil Engineering.” Dr. Fan has led or contributed to numerous major research initiatives, securing over $17.35 million in funded projects. His work has been supported by:
U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP)
SHRP2 Education Connection
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT)
Leadership of CAMMSE
As Director of CAMMSE, Dr. Fan oversees all program activities – research, education and workforce development, and technology transfer. Under his leadership, the center has achieved:
Personnel Involvement
5 universities
~30 faculty/staff
~35 collaborators
Research Output
87 research projects (21 led by UNC Charlotte)
219 journal publications (122 from UNC Charlotte)
Education and Workforce Development
Annual summer camps and various outreach activities
148 undergraduate and 154 graduate courses taught by CAMMSE-affiliated faculty
200+ students engaged in research
Student support: 33 undergraduates, 78 master’s students, and 134 Ph.D. students
25 UNC Charlotte student awards, including the prestigious USDOT Student of the Year Award and multiple NCSITE scholarships
Technology Transfer
Annual CAMMSE Research Symposium
Seminar Series
Strong participation at TRB conferences and other national events
Research Collaborations
Dr. Fan has cultivated an extensive national and international research network. He has collaborated with scholars at over 40 U.S. universities on interdisciplinary projects focused on improving mobility, enhancing safety, and advancing transportation infrastructure. His collaborative efforts span numerous large-scale research proposals and reflect a deep commitment to tackling complex, cross-cutting challenges in the transportation field.