When Alexander Skabardonis arrived at the University of California Berkeley as a newly-minted post-doctoral researcher in 1982 for a 6-month appointment, little did he know he would spend the next four decades at UC Berkeley transforming the fields of traffic flow theory, traffic operations modeling, and intelligent transportation systems and inspiring generations of fellow researchers, faculty, and students.
“Alex really epitomizes the very best of what ITS Berkeley and the Berkeley Transportation Engineering program have to offer, he symbolizes these things through his research, teaching and mentoring, and dedicated leadership and service,” says colleague and collaborator CEE Professor Michael Cassidy. “But in addition to everything he means to us internally, he is also an exceptional ambassador for our program to the outside world.”
When Alex retired in 2020 and became Professor-in-Residence Emeritus, he knew he wasn’t quite done and remained on recall to continue his research at ITS Berkeley and Partners for Advanced Transportation Technology (PATH).
As he winds down this chapter, professors, researchers, alumni and friends from near and far gathered in person and online Friday, Dec. 5, 2025 to honor him with three academic talks from former students: Texas State University Assistant Professor David Kan, Professor and Chancellor's Leadership Fellow at University of Massachusetts Amherst Eleni Christofa, and Project Manager/Engineer at Remington & Vernick Engineers Joshua Seeherman, and an open mic to share their appreciation. The event was preceded by a special cookie hour — always a favorite of Alex, which included a cookie bake off.
“I want to express how thankful I am for all the effort to come and see me,” says Alex. “I am delighted to be here. At times it was a miserable job, no one is ever satisfied with your work, but I am lucky to have great people who helped me during the hard times and very lucky to have great students, faculty members and colleagues.”
Alex began his academic career in Greece at the National Technical University of Athens. For his master and PhD degrees, he jokes he chose the University of Southampton in the UK because he thought the weather would make him return home and become a consultant in Greece. But the sources he was citing were in the US, so he took a short-term research appointment at UC Berkeley to join them. The weather, the people, and the research stretched from one year to the next, building a storied career as a globally recognized leader in transportation engineering.
“I always have a great and inspiring time with Alex,” says friend Markos Papageorgiou, Professor at the Technical University of Crete. “He is a major contributor, actor, and leader in traffic flow theory and traffic management, making contributions that have significantly influenced the development of those fields. I would like to highlight his talent, instincts, and interest in seeing things being practically employed and benefitting not at some point in the future only, but also now in society at large.”
Four years into his research career at UC Berkeley, Alex co-founded PATH, Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways in 1986, which is still going strong and now known as Partners for Advanced Transportation Technologies. He built the center on his traffic flow theory, traffic operations modeling, and intelligent transportation systems research. Under Skabardonis’s guidance as a program leader throughout his career and PATH Director from 2005-2010, PATH pioneered tools like adaptive ramp metering algorithms, real-time traffic management systems, and the 1997 Automated Highway System demonstration in San Diego where a platoon of seven automated cars drove 70 mph with 2,000 onlookers.
Specifically, his notable research projects, which focused on applied research and real-world impact, include:
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Traffic monitoring and analysis, like Performance Measurement System (PeMS) and the Berkeley Highway Laboratory
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Traffic simulation and capacity analysis, like the fuel efficient traffic signal management program (fetsim)
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Integrating smart traffic signals
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Traffic Incident Management program (TIM)
From the beginning Alex has been at the forefront of developing and applying simulation models to study traffic behavior and management strategies leading to the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers in 2013, the Traffic Simulation Lifetime Achievement Award from the Transportation Research Board in 2018, and the ITS Berkeley Distinguished Legacy Award in 2020.
Many colleagues admired his ability to calculate travel time. Former ITS Berkeley and PATH Director Samer Madanat, Dean of New York University Abu Dhabi's Engineering Division, recalled how before setting off to Caltrans meetings in Sacramento, Alex would make some calculations and determine an estimated arrival time. He was allowed one update halfway through the trip.
“We always arrived within plus or minus one minute,” says Madanat. “Alex is the best predictor of travel time I have ever seen.”
Beyond the big scope, Alex has made a difference in the lives of countless people he's never met. Caltrans Traffic Engineer Lisa Davies, talked about the benefit cost analysis model he developed for the roving Caltrans tow trucks to help people who break down on California roads.
“Without him, this program wouldn’t exist” says Davies. “It’s been a great success, and I feel like I’ve been riding his coattails for the last 25 years because of his modeling work.”
In 2007, Alex was especially happy to be appointed as a Professor in Residence in Civil and Environmental Engineering. While the position was officially research focused, he was an outstanding teacher and mentor to students and junior faculty. He was awarded the ITS Berkeley Faculty of the Year Award in 2017.
“You are the authority, you enable us to do our job better,” says former ITS Director Alexandre Bayen, current CITRIS Director.” You are a pillar of our community — you are one of the most supportive senior colleagues, it’s the students you mentored, the research you do, the knowledge you have, and the influence you spread at Caltrans and beyond.”
While he led his research, Alex taught graduate courses, mentored MEng projects, and advised numerous Ph.D. students. Students consistently ranked him as one of their favorite professors, citing his engaging style, humor, and genuine care for their development
“Alex is a great teacher and mentor, he taught me to be a great researcher and how to have an impact on the real world,” says former PhD advisee Eleni Christofa. “From the early stages of my career and the last 13 years, he is always there, he picks up the phone if I have questions and has helped me navigate my academic career.”
Professors and students alike knew Alex could be found in his fourth-floor office in McLaughlin Hall from early morning until late at night, often on a Saturday. They would look for his light in the office on their way out for one last question of the day. Christofa fondly remembers a Transportation Engineering scavenger hunt on a Saturday and getting points for taking a photo with a professor. Of course Alex was there.
He was also a stalwart at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, every year from 1985-2025. He served as a lifetime member of the Traffic Flow Theory Committee, and served on the Freeway Operations, Highway Capacity, and Quality of Service committees and Simulation subcommittee. He could always be found at meetings, lectern sessions and in poster hall, talking research with UC Berkeley and other students.
“I miss our time at conferences together, especially TRB. As busy as you always were at these conferences with the demand on your time from your old colleagues, the constant presentations, and the committee meetings that went late into the night, you always had time to grab a cup of coffee and talk, I always appreciated that,” said Tom West, former PATH Co-Director and Caltrans executive. “Speaking on behalf of my former colleagues at Caltrans, and the many clients of PATH, your research products and everyday input on practical matters is unmatched.”
Throughout his career, Alex has published more than 80 journal articles, 60 conference papers, 10 TRB publications, and 80 technical reports. He’s had 10,998 Google Scholar citations and 2,949 Web of Science citations. Beyond his own publications, Alex had an uncanny knack for pulling seminal and obscure original reports from piles on his desk. He is a man of many talents, awards, and articles.
