Assist Prof Dr. Amirhossein Baghestani | Transportation | Interdisciplinary Research Excellence Award

Faculty | Shahid Beheshti University | Iran

Strengths for the Award 🌟

1. Comprehensive Analysis:
   • The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the impacts of cordon pricing on traffic congestion, public transportation accessibility, environmental quality, and health outcomes. This interdisciplinary approach integrates civil engineering, environmental science, and sociology.
2. Equity Focus:
   • A significant strength is the focus on equity and social justice. The study examines how cordon pricing affects different demographic groups, including racial and income-based disparities. This aligns with the award’s criteria for addressing issues of fairness and inclusivity.
3. Quantitative Metrics:
   • The research uses robust quantitative metrics such as the reduction in congested links, accessibility to subway stations, and exposure to PM2.5 emissions. This data-driven approach supports the credibility of the findings.
4. Real-World Application:
   • The study’s relevance to New York City, a major metropolitan area with complex transportation dynamics, adds practical value. The proposed scenarios and their implications for policy are grounded in real-world applications, making the research highly relevant for urban planning and transportation policy.
5. Interdisciplinary Approach:
   • The collaboration across various institutions and disciplines (civil engineering, environmental science, sociology) exemplifies interdisciplinary research, which is a key criterion for the award.

Areas for Improvement 🛠️

1. Broader Context:
   • While the study focuses on New York City, comparing its findings with other cities that have implemented similar pricing strategies could provide a broader context and enhance the generalizability of the results.
2. Public Acceptance:
   • The paper could benefit from a deeper exploration of public and political acceptance of cordon pricing. Addressing potential resistance and strategies to gain public support could offer a more comprehensive view.
3. Long-Term Impacts:
   • An analysis of long-term impacts beyond immediate metrics could strengthen the research. Examining how cordon pricing influences urban development, economic factors, and long-term health outcomes would provide a fuller picture.
4. Equity Measures:
   • The study could elaborate on potential measures to mitigate negative equity impacts, such as compensatory policies or targeted support for affected populations.

Conclusion 📝

The research conducted by Amirhossein Baghestani and colleagues is highly suitable for the Interdisciplinary Research Excellence Award due to its thorough examination of the impacts of cordon pricing from multiple dimensions. It addresses critical issues related to traffic congestion, environmental justice, and public health, all while integrating perspectives from various disciplines. Enhancing the study with broader comparisons, deeper insights into public acceptance, long-term impacts, and detailed equity measures could further bolster its application for the award.

Short Bio 🌟

Amirhossein Baghestani, born on September 11, 1988, is a distinguished faculty member at the Abbaspour School of Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. With a specialization in Civil, Water, and Environmental Engineering, he contributes significantly to the field through both teaching and research. He is known for his expertise in transportation planning and engineering, as well as his active role in various research projects and academic conferences.

Profile

Orcid

Education 🎓

Amirhossein Baghestani earned his PhD in Civil Engineering (Transportation) from the City College of New York, NY, U.S. in June 2020. His dissertation focused on evaluating traffic and emissions impacts of New York City cordon pricing using an activity-based approach under the guidance of Dr. M. Allahviranloo. Prior to this, he completed his M.Sc. in Transportation Planning & Engineering at Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran in October 2013, and his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran in February 2011.

Experience 🛠️

Currently, Amirhossein Baghestani serves as an Assistant Professor at Shahid Beheshti University, where he manages projects such as revising regulations for freight transport and pricing non-airport services. He previously held positions at Tarbiat Modares University and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, contributing to studies on travel demand management, the impact of COVID-19 on travel behavior, and urban transportation measures. His extensive experience also includes research at Tarahan Parseh Transportation Research Institute, focusing on various transportation studies across Iran.

Research Interest 🔍

Amirhossein Baghestani’s research interests encompass transportation planning, traffic engineering, and transportation demand analysis. His work often explores the impacts of pricing schemes on traffic and emissions, the behavioral responses to new transportation policies, and the optimization of urban transportation systems. His current research includes analyzing the effects of COVID-19 on transportation patterns and developing models for urban parcel delivery and logistics planning.

Awards 🏆

Amirhossein Baghestani has been recognized for his contributions to transportation engineering through various awards and nominations. Notably, his work has been acknowledged in the fields of transportation policy and urban planning, reflecting his impact on advancing transportation research and practice.

Publications 📚

• Mahpour, A.R., Baghestani, A., Mollajani, M. (2024). “The lasting legacy of COVID-19 on individual shopping decisions: Tracing the evolution of online shopping habits and its stability,” Transportation Planning and Technology (Accepted, In press). Link
• Fattahi, A., Asadi, M., Baghestani, A., Mamdoohi, A.R., Habibian, M. (2024). “Urban Transportation Measures and Vaccination Impact on COVID-19: A Before and After Study,” Transactions on Transport Sciences (Accepted, In press). Link
• Mahpour, A.R., Asadi, M., Baghestani, A. (2024). “Are supply and demand the main key drivers of airport parking prices? The quantitative study,” Journal of Air Transport Management, 2024, Vol 114. Link
• Farzin, I., Mamdoohi, A.R., Abbasi, M., Baghestani, A., Ciari, F. (2023). “The Determinants behind the Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles in Mandatory and Optional Trips,” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Engineering Sustainability, 2023, Vol 40. Link
• Baghestani, A., Najafabadi, Sh., Allahviranloo, M. (2023). “An On-Demand Dynamic Taxi Crowdshipping Model for Urban Parcel Delivery,” Transportation Journal, 2023, 62 (2), 117-208. Link