Mahmudur Fatmi’s Post

New journal paper: At UBCO, we are developing the next generation agent-based integrated urban model, STELARS, which adopts a hybrid of event-based discrete and continuous time simutaion techniques as well as uses data driven techniques. This is the first paper reporting the framework of the STELARS, and simulation and multi-year validation results for the demographic component which is crucial for this event-based model. In this process, we have also compared machine learning models with logit - both in-terms of their prediction accuracy and interpretability. Coauthor: Mohamad Khalil and Muntahith Mehadil Orvin https://lnkd.in/gyHg_4ww

Received “Certificate of Appreciation” from the AEP35 committee of TRB, National Academies, for my service. This year, I intransitioned into one of the Paper Review Co-ordinators for AEP35 and we had a record number of papers (105), which required a massive undertaking of ~400 review requests and their processing. Always feels good when your hard work gets recognized; specially, by your peers. #TRBAM2024

End of the year dinner with the team. Thanks to the team members and collaborators for their amazing work and making 2023 a special one. Md. Shahadat Hossain, Elis Davanzo, Bijoy Saha, Uthpalee Hewage, Nick Blackwell, Shivam Khaddar, M.Eng., EIT, Shoumic Shahid, Imrul Kayes Shafie, Dakota Svendsen, Mostaq Ahmed, Muntahith Mehadil Orvin, Nobinur Rahman, MASc., P.Eng., Maryam Zakeri, Mohamad Khalil, Nathan Nichol, Ling Sun, Kenny-Wayne Lim Chow Toon

CTRF's call for abstracts for its 59th annual conference closes tomorrow, Dec 15. Get yours in now!

Congratulations Maryam Zakeri for successfully defending her MASc thesis. Thanks to the university examiner Dr. Babak M. Tosarkani, committee members Dr. Siddiqua Sumi and Dr. Anas Chaaban and the Chair Dr. Ahmad W. Al-Dabbagh. Mary’s thesis focused on the usage of machine learning models to interprete unlabelled GPS records from bike sharing services. She interpreted trip purposes from this unlabelled data. She also investigated the generation of feasible choice set for route choice modeling. Her thesis has produced two research articles. I wish her success in all her future endeavours. A proud moment for a supervisor.

Congratulations Dr. Muntahith Mehadil Orvin for successfully defending his PhD thesis - my first PhD student to graduate. Thanks to the external examiner Dr. Eric Miller, university examiner Dr. Anas Chaaban committee members Dr. Kasun Hewage and Dr. Suliman Gargoum, PhD and the Chair Dr. Jahangir Hossain. Dr. Orvin’s thesis made contributions in advancing integrated urban modeling literature; particularly, he developed advanced behavioral models to represent households location choice decisions, as well as innovative agent-based microsimulation technique to accurately simulate the choices. He also tested the housing market for socio-economic shocks such as COVID-19. His thesis has produced five research articles. Dr. Orvin will continue as a post-doc in my group. I wish him success in all his future endeavours. A proud moment for a supervisor.

New journal paper: How Canadian housing prices have changed during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period, and what factors influenced the prices? In this investigation, we used 5 years (2016 - 2021) of housing sales data from the Okanagan region of BC. In this process, we developed an advanced regression model to improve prediction accuracy, which is capable of capturing spatio-temporal correlations such as accommodating the influence of neighbouring dwelling prices. Methodologically, we also addressed heterogeneity in price over time and location. The results suggest significant differences in the prices of dwellings by their types and locations between the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. For example, buyers were likely to spend more to reside in urban areas in the pre-pandemic period; whereas, people were willing to spend more on larger dwellings in maybe residential areas during the pandemic period. This could be triggered by the work-from-home opportunities and associated need for additional space (e.g., office), and consequently households reevaluation of living arrangements and locations. Coauthor: Muntahith Mehadil Orvin