Thank you to Xinyu (Jason) Cao, Professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, who presented Using Machine Learning to Address Nonlinear Relationships Between Land Use and Travel Behavior at the Transportation Seminar Oct. 13, 2023.
Abstract: Empirical studies often assume a (generalized) linear relationship between land use and travel behavior. However, scholars need to diagnose this assumption before interpreting modeling results. If the true relationship between them is nonlinear, the linear assumption will lead to a biased estimate of the relationship. This presentation emphasizes the charm of machine learning approaches in address the nonlinear relationships between variables in the context of land use and transportation. The case studies show that the applications of machine learning may change the conventional understanding of land use-transportation interactions and inform urban and transportation planners of efficient solutions to address transportation-related challenges. The approaches enable scholars and practitioners to revisit previous questions from an innovative perspective.
Bio: Dr. Jason Cao is a professor at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He specializes in land use and transportation interaction, the effects of ICT on travel behavior, and planning for quality of life. He has published more than 130 peer-reviewed papers and edited four books. Dr. Cao is internationally well-known for his research on residential self-selection in the relationships between the built environment and travel behavior. His recent work focuses on the applications of machine learning approaches in addressing nonlinear relationships between variables. Dr. Cao is the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Transportation Research Part D. He received his degrees from University of California, Davis and Tsinghua University.