Student: Kristen Yusiewicz, Nick Masri
Project: Simulation and Data Analysis of Electric Transit Systems
View: Research Poster (PDF)
Institution: Lehigh University
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering, IDEAS
Advisor: Shalinee Kishore, Shmim Pakzad, Alberto Lamadrid
Abstract
The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) of Santa Clara county is working towards a greener future by transitioning their conventional diesel bus fleet to an electric alternative by 2040. The Simulation and Data Analysis on Electric Transit Systems research team is working in conjunction with the VTA to predict the challenges and advise on the logistics behind this transition. In order to do this, this research team is formulating a simulation using SUMO and python to accurately predict energy consumption of battery electric buses, as well as analyzing real world data collected by the bus drivers on the pilot electric buses. The simulation is a visual representation of a bus completing route 77 through San Jose that also outputs energy consumption data. The team is using collected data from the buses in order to fine tune this simulation and to make suggestions for their more efficient management use of their electric fleet.
About Nick Masri
Nicholas Masri is a sophomore at Lehigh University in the IDEAS program with concentrations in Systems Engineering, Environmental Studies, and Economics, with a minor in Chinese. Through his major program his main focuses are optimization, data analysis, urban planning, and economic analysis, with a strong research interest in public transportation optimization and implementation powered by clean energy. He became involved in the Simulation and Data Analysis team working with the VTA in the beginning of his sophomore year. Outside of research and class he is an officer and active member of the outing club, an organization working to get more college students outside, a member of Taekwondo club, and VP of Scholarship at Delta Upsilon Fraternity. This summer he will be participating in the Critical Language Scholarship for Chinese in Taiwan to further his language skills, ultimately hoping to pursue a career that will utilize his language skills to further international research and implementation of public electric transit systems.
About Kristen Yusiewicz
Kristen Yusiewicz is a senior at Lehigh University majoring in Electrical Engineering and minoring in the Classics. During her undergraduate career she traveled to Bangkok, Thailand through the Iacocca International Internship Program and worked on a project at King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok on the implementation of a magnetic levitation control system onto a Field Programmable Analog Array (FPAA). This introduction to research drove her to join the Lehigh ECE Department’s Simulation and Data Analysis on Electric Transit Systems the following summer which she has continued working on through independent study. Outside of internships and research, Kristen also participated in tutoring- both her peers in introductory electromagnetics through the Center for Academic Success, as well as local elementary school students through the Community Service Office. Additionally, Kristen is vice president of Eta Kappa Nu (ECE honors society), and an active member of Tau Beta Pi. She has accepted an offer at Thales Defence and Security where she will be working as an Associate Hardware Electrical Engineer after graduation.