Cirillo Appointed Chair of TRB Travel Forecasting Committee

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) has appointed Cinzia Cirillo as the new chair of the AEP50 Travel Forecasting Committee, effective April 15, 2025. This distinguished appointment reflects Cirillo’s extensive expertise in transportation modeling, urban mobility, and data-driven forecasting methods. As chair, she will lead AEP50’s efforts in advancing research, best practices, and policy development in travel forecasting.

Cirillo brings a depth of experience to this position. As a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) at the University of Maryland (UMD), she has dedicated her career to advancing transportation planning through innovative modeling techniques. Her research focuses on travel behavior analysis, discrete choice models, and the integration of emerging mobility trends into forecasting frameworks. Her contributions have been instrumental in shaping transportation policies that promote efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility.

In addition to her academic accomplishments, Cirillo is director of the Center for MultiModal Mobility in Urban, Rural, and Tribal Areas (CMMM). Under her guidance, CMMM has become a leading institution in advancing multimodal transportation solutions, working in collaboration with federal and state agencies, researchers, and industry partners. The center’s work encompasses critical areas such as mobility equity, public transportation optimization, and the incorporation of emerging technologies in travel analysis. CMMM has funded over 30 transportation research projects, providing more than $3 million in support to advance innovative solutions in the field.

Cirillo’s appointment as Chair of AEP50 aligns with TRB’s mission to advance transportation research and policy development. The committee plays a critical role in evaluating new methodologies in travel demand forecasting, particularly as the field evolves with advancements in artificial intelligence, big data, and shared mobility services. Her leadership is expected to strengthen interdisciplinary collaborations, foster data-driven decision-making, and drive innovation in transportation modeling.

With this new appointment, Cirillo will further contribute to the transportation research community by shaping the future of travel forecasting. Her leadership at AEP50 will support the continued development of forecasting methodologies, ensuring their adaptability to the evolving demands of modern mobility.

Colleagues and peers anticipate the significant impact she will bring to AEP50 and the broader transportation research landscape.

“Dr. Cirillo has unparalleled expertise in travel forecasting as well as other areas of transportation engineering research,” said Nii Attoh-Okine, chair of the UMD civil and environmental engineering department. “Her knowledge will be a major asset to the committee as it harnesses emerging methodologies to address topics of immense complexity.”

Published March 27, 2025