School of Planning, Design and Construction

ABSTRACT
Transportation is essential for ongoing healthcare needs and access to medication, particularly for individuals managing chronic illnesses. The central research problem addressed in this study is how transportation mobility barriers affect healthcare accessibility among the residents in Dallas, TX, and Detroit, MI, and how these relationships are shaped by chronic health status and spatial alignment between public transit routes and healthcare facilities. In both Detroit and Dallas, the chronically ill population exhibits a greater concentration in the “high insecurity” and “marginal insecurity” categories, while the population without chronic health condition is more likely to fall within the “no insecurity” category. Moreover, the cost of transportation, service delays, and limited ride availability are key transportation challenges affecting public transit users when accessing healthcare services in Dallas and Detroit.

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BIO
Toushik Ahmed Niloy, is a Ph.D. candidate in the Urban & Regional Planning concentration. His Ph.D. research concentrate on the impact of Transportation Insecurity on healthcare accessibility for chronically ill and lower income populations in Dallas, TX and Detroit, MI. Niloy completed M.Eng. in Transportation & Highway Engineering from Iowa State University, USA. In addition, he received his M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, USA. During his Master's programs, he performed research on the Real-time information dissemination, Automated traffic signal timing optimization, Signal control algorithms for coordination, Impacts of Freeway travel time aggregation on metrics, Routes of significance etc.

ABSTRACT
In this work I analyze the extent to which housing and building code enforcement are reactive to neighbor reporting in the context of neighborhood change using four case studies: Baltimore, MD, Boston, MA, Houston, TX, and Los Angeles, CA. I focus on exploring the spatial patterns of neighbor reporting and building code violations. Leveraging the temporal (year by year) and spatial (point data) detail of neighbor reporting and building code enforcement data I use point pattern analysis to evaluate the spatial and statistical relationship between these spatial patterns.

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BIO
Danna Gutiérrez Lanza is a Ph.D. candidate in the Urban & Regional Planning concentration. Focusing on housing studies, her work is at the intersection of housing, code enforcement and neighborhood change. She explores code enforcement as a socially mediated process shaped by subjective perceptions, reporting behavior, and spatially uneven neighborhood change.

ABSTRACT
Intelligent transportation systems have adopted dynamic speed feedback signs as an effective means of reducing speeding; however, their cognitive effects on drivers remain limited. This study presents a neuroergonomic comparison of dynamic speed feedback signs versus traditional signs using continuous 24-channel EEG data collected during high-fidelity VR-based driving simulation. Results show that dynamic signs generated a more specific and sustained cognitive load, marked by increased Theta power across a fronto-centro-temporal network associated with executive function, perceptual processing, and sensorimotor readiness. No significant differences were found in the Alpha, Beta, or Gamma bands, indicating a targeted increase in workload rather than general spatial or visual attention. Additionally, this heightened cognitive state also persisted after the drivers’ sign was passed. These findings provide objective evidence that dynamic signs actively engage drivers’ in a real-time feedback loop and offer guidance for designing transportation technologies that are both effective and cognitively safe.

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BIO
Cornelia Asiedu-Kwakyewaa is a Ph.D. candidate in the Construction Management concentration. She conducted an EEG-based driving and cognitive workload study examining how neurophysiological responses can inform human-centered transportation design, driver behavior, and safety-related decision-making. Her research also explores collaborative learning and undergraduate student engagement in virtual environments in engineering and construction education. Cornelia’s interdisciplinary work reflects a broader commitment to understanding how technology, behavior, and learning intersect across both transportation and construction education domains.

ABSTRACT
Rapid AI expansion places extraordinary strain on regional power, water, and spatial infrastructure. Physical site selection is the primary anchor of data center sustainability, fundamentally governing thermodynamic cooling access, grid connection stability, and multi-energy integration. Strategic location decisions dictate whether facilities can operate efficiently within local physical constraints. This seminar highlights the decisive role of geospatial siting in bridging heavy computing demands with resilient built-environment systems.

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BIO
Mi Zhou is a Ph.D. candidate in the Construction Management concentration. He holds an M.S. in Construction Administration from Columbia University. His research focuses on construction site management. He is dedicated to exploring the complementary relationship between construction technology and construction management. His work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

ABSTRACT
This seminar explores how evidence-based captive environment design promotes animal welfare and mitigates zoonotic disease risks in urban settings. Integrating empirical zoo exhibit assessments with disease surveillance case studies - including COVID-19 transmission patterns across U.S. zoos - we examine critical misalignments between architectural practices, regulatory standards, and biological needs. By evaluating spatial standards, environmental complexity, and airborne disease vulnerabilities, this presentation provides actionable frameworks to bridge design and welfare science. We demonstrate how scientific enclosure design minimizes zoonotic spillover between humans and captive wildlife while advancing modern conservation goals.

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BIO
Jing Zhou is a Ph.D. candidate in Planning, Design, and Construction and Environmental Science and Policy at Michigan State University, holding an M.S. in Integrative Biology and a B.S. in Animal Science. Bridging biological sciences and spatial planning, she leverages professional experience at PGAV Destinations and accredited zoological institutions to evaluate how built environments and regulatory standards influence captive wildlife well-being. Her research focuses on evidence-based exhibit design, disease surveillance, and mitigating zoonotic disease transmission risks in urban and conservation settings.

ABSTRACT
The transition to electric mobility requires not only expanding the charging network but also ensuring that electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) are accessible to all communities. This seminar examines methods for measuring EVCS accessibility across geographic and social dimensions and explores how allocation decisions affect equity outcomes. Drawing on spatial and socio-economic data, the seminar will present how accessibili ty varies across urban and rural areas, and discuss trade-offs in allocation strategies. The session highlights both methodological approaches and policy implications, with a focus on viewing EVCS accessibility through the lens of social equality.

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BIO
Chang Xu is a Ph.D. candidate in the Urban & Regional Planning concentration. She holds an M.S. in Sustainable Urban Planning from George Washington University. Her research centers around spatial planning, computational modeling, and utilizing big data analysis.

ABSTRACT
Mass Timber technology has several barriers to greater adoption in the USA. A combination of access to better training and improved communication among stakeholders is explored as a strategy to increase adoption.

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BIO
Sean Huberty is a Ph.D. candidate in the Construction Management concentration with 25 years of teaching experience and 20 years of construction experience. Huberty is an OSHA outreach trainer for general industry and construction.

ABSTRACT
In this seminar, Musab invites us to ask: How do the spaces we design shape the way we feel and live? Drawing on systematic reviews, empirical studies, and AI-assisted modeling, he explores how elements like vegeta tion, amenities, and spatial design influence both perceptions and health outcomes. What if evidence-based frameworks and decision-support tools could guide landscape architects and planners toward creating cities that are not only more resilient and sustainable, but also healthier for the people who live in them?

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BIO
Musab Wedyan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Environmental Design concentration. His research explores the intersections of outdoor environments and human health. He employs machine learning, multimodal data, and user-generated content to understand how urban design influences mental and physical well-being. Musab has presented his work at national and international conferences, published in peer-reviewed journals, and actively leads academic and community initiatives.

ABSTRACT
This seminar presents insights from the paper "Growth patterns and factors of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for sustainable development" (2025). The study analyzes the evolution of EV charging infrastructure across 20 cities in Michigan, using EV adoption rates ranging from 5% to 95%. It identifies three key growth stages—inflection (25%), convergence (80%), and saturation (100%)—and classifies cities based on their size and traffic roles. Key influencing factors include population density and high-traffic road proportions. This talk will discuss how these patterns can guide sustainable planning and investment in EV charging networks.

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BIO
Hu Hongyu is a Ph.D. candidate in the Construction Management concentration. He holds an M.Sc. in Civil Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on geospatial decision-making models for sustainable infrastructure construction. He is passionate about innovative computing for better quality of human life. Hongyu's work is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

ABSTRACT
This study explores the factors shaping urban fire risks in Seoul, distinguishing between human-caused and physically-caused fires. Drawing on urban ecology and social disorganization theory, it examines socioeconomic, crime-related, and physical variables at the census tract level. Regression, spatial analysis, and machine learning are used to identify high-risk areas. The findings highlight how social conditions and building characteristics influence fire vulnerability, offering insights for more targeted prevention and urban planning strategies.

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BIO
Taehwan Hyeon is a researcher at the Architecture & Urban Research Institute in Korea, specializing in urban safety, facility management, and data-driven analysis of fire risks in the built environment. He earned his Ph.D. in Urban Planning from Seoul National University and a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Florida. Currently, he is a visiting scholar at Michigan State University. His research integrates spatial data, machine learning, and policy analysis to enhance resilience and sustainability in cities, bridging academic insights with practical urban management strategies.

ABSTRACT
This seminar explores strategies for classifying building components from point clouds to enable circular economy practices in construction. It covers design science approaches for developing new labeling workflows, benchmarking studies comparing manual, semi-automated, and AI-driven methods, and case studies applying these workflows to real demolition projects. Participants will learn how labeled data supports material recovery, waste reduction, and carbon savings, and how simulation can quantify system-wide impacts. The session highlights methodological frameworks, best practices, and research directions, bridging technical innovation with sustainability outcomes to support industry adoption of Scan-to-BIM and material reuse workflows.

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BIO
Mohammad Hoonejani is a PhD candidate in the Construction Management concentration with a background in architecture and building science. His research explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, BIM, and circular economy principles to advance sustainable construction practices. He is particularly focused on deconstruction, material reuse, and the development of digital tools for surveying and Scan-to-BIM technologies that enable more efficient workflows. Drawing on both academic and industry experience, including work as a VDC intern at Granger Construction, he aims to bridge design and construction with AI-driven solutions that promote sustainability, resource efficiency, and resilient urban development.