Zachary Jerome from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is the UFTI’s 2019 SURF student. He is currently working on two projects under the guidance of Dr. Lily Elefteriadou: “Autonomous Vehicles at Intelligent Intersections and Advanced Networks” and “Highway Capacity Manual Methodologies for Corridors Involving Freeways and Surface Streets.” After graduation, Jerome hopes to be at the intersection of research and industry. He hopes to not only work with teams that develop new methods and technologies, but also ensure that these developments are implemented into our transportation systems by working with consulting firms, vehicle manufactures and local agencies.

On the topic of transportation engineering, this is what Zachary had to say:

“Throughout my life, I have always loved to travel and have been fascinated by the different modes and infrastructure that make up our transportation system. At UT, I am involved with transportation research under Dr. Asad Khattak, and this experience has solidified my desire to specialize in transportation engineering. I am interested in how human behavior and decision making influence transportation development, particularly how humans will interact with autonomous vehicles in mixed traffic environments. I hope to improve our transportation systems through an understanding of how humans and technology behave and make choices.”

Zachary Jerome