Amir M. Molan is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Mississippi. He earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Azad University in Tehran, Iran, and his Ph.D. from Wayne State University. Amir has authored or co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles published in leading civil engineering journals and conference proceedings. His research has been widely recognized, with one of his articles being awarded the 2018 Best Paper in the ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering. Amir has served as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI on eight research projects funded by state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and University Transportation Centers (UTCs), securing over $1.5 million in research funding. His research interests focus on innovative infrastructure designs, traffic operations analysis, highway safety, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), and transportation modeling. He is particularly dedicated to evaluating innovative (alternative) designs that improve the performance and safety of interchanges and intersections, ensuring better service for all transportation users—including drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other modes of transportation. Amir has also pioneered several novel intersection and interchange designs, notably inventing the Super Diverging Diamond Interchange (Super DDI) as an innovative solution for improving the efficiency of failing interchanges.
Research Interests
- innovative infrastructure designs with a primary focus on intersections and interchanges
- traffic operations analysis of different highway classifications
- safety and equity for all transportation users
- intelligent transportation systems
- transportation modeling
Biography
Amir M. Molan, Ph.D., P.E. is an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Mississippi (UM). He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Wayne State University and earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees from Azad University in Tehran, Iran. Prior to joining UM, Dr. Molan served as a Lecturer and Research Associate at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly-SLO), a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Wyoming, a Research Associate at Michigan State University, and an Instructor and Graduate Research Assistant at Wayne State University. In addition to his academic roles, he has two years of industry experience as a construction engineer and traffic engineer in the private sector. Dr. Molan’s extensive research experience spans all four U.S. time zones, providing him with diverse insights into the geographic and cultural nuances of transportation systems in both urban settings (e.g., California) and rural areas (e.g., Mississippi). His commitment to serving underserved communities is exemplified by his work on transportation projects for the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. This breadth of experience allows him to develop tailored, site-specific solutions that address the unique needs of local, state, and federal transportation agencies. Dr. Molan is actively engaged in national and international professional organizations. He is a member of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Standing Committee on Performance Effects of Geometric Design (AKD10) and currently serves as the Co-Lead for the Committee Research Coordinator (CRC) role. Additionally, he is a panel member for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 05-27. Since 2020, he has served as an advisor for the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), first with the Cal Poly ITE Chapter (2020–2021) and currently with the Ole Miss ITE Chapter (since 2021). He is also a member of the Gulf Region Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS).
Education
B.S. Civil Engineering, Azad University (2011)
M.Sc Civil Engineering, Azad University (2013)
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Wayne State University (2017)