Prof. Hai Yang Receives 2021 Francis C. Turner Award by ASCE
Prof. Hai Yang, Chair Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has won the Francis C. Turner Award. The Transportation and Development Institute (T&DI) of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) selected Prof. Yang for the award for “his outstanding leadership in the fields of transportation network modeling and transportation economics, and extraordinary record in both research and mentoring”.
T&DI commends Prof. Yang for an illustrious career, particularly an outstanding record of research and output, exceptional leadership and editorship, and unparalleled mentorship. As highlighted by T&DI, as a researcher, Prof. Yang is one of the world’s best in tackling today’s transportation woes and challenges. Particularly influential is his analysis on transportation networks and economics. Prof. Yang’s papers have appeared in numerous prestigious journals and have accumulated over 24,000 citations in Google Scholar, placing him among the world’s very top Civil Engineering researchers. Beyond quantities and metrics, it is the many innovative ideas and methodological approaches published in his works (including presentations and invited talks) that have steered the course of transportation research globally.
Prof. Yang’s work has shaped and advanced our understanding and thinking on not only complex transportation problems but also transportation itself. His work on on-demand transportation (including ridesharing services and traditional taxi services) has influenced both the public and private sectors, greatly helping them to improve their operations and efficiencies.
As an academic editor Prof. Yang is equally influential: between 2012 and 2018, he not only served as Editor-in-Chief of Transportation Research Part B, a leading journal in the transportation field, but also raised the status of that journal, making it ever more impactful — during his tenure, the number of papers published per year by the journal doubled, greatly increasing its impact factor.
As a mentor and educator, Prof. Yang has been hailed as “first-rate”, “deeply committed”, “selfless”, among many accolades. He has advised many students, and those who have graduated from his tutelage have gone on to win awards and flourish in their respective successful careers.
The Francis C. Turner Award was established by the ASCE T&DI in honor of Francis C. Turner, Hon.M.ASCE, former Chief Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads, and retired Federal Highway Administrator.
