The National Operations Center of Excellence (NOCoE) has announced Gabriel Geffen, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arizona, as the winner of the 2026 Transportation Research Board (TRB) Student Contest.
Gabriel Geffen, a third-year Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arizona under the supervision of Dr. Yao-Jan Wu, conducts research focused on transportation resilience and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to transportation systems management and operations (TSMO). His work emphasizes leveraging existing infrastructure while integrating emerging technologies to improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
Geffen’s featured research is part of National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP): Artificial Intelligence for Transportation Systems Management and Operations Applications, which addresses the growing complexity of deploying operational strategies such as ramp metering and variable speed limits.
As part of the award, NOCoE is supporting Geffen’s travel to the 2026 TRB Annual Meeting, taking place January 11–14 in Washington, DC. During the conference, he will present a research poster, attend technical and industry sessions, and engage with transportation professionals and industry leaders from across the country.
Conference attendees will also have the opportunity to meet Geffen in person. He will be available on Tuesday, January 13, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET at the AASHTO booth (#857), where he will connect with TSMO professionals and discuss his research and experiences.
We congratulate Gabriel Geffen on this achievement and looks forward to supporting his continued contributions to the future of transportation systems management and operations.
