Lab Director
Sikai (Sky) Chen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department of Mechanical Engineering (Courtesy)
Associate Director
Digital Infrastructure, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence Program
Smart Highway Research Center (SHRC)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Office: Engineering Hall 2266
Email: sikai.chen@wisc.edu
Education:
- Ph.D., Civil Engineering / Computational Science & Engineering, Purdue University, 2019
- M.S., Transportation Engineering, University of Southern California, 2014
Lab Members
Postdoctoral Researchers
Chengyuan Ma
Research Associate
Spring 2023 - present
Email: cma97@wisc.edu
(Co-advise with Prof. Xiaopeng Li)
Ph.D., Tongji University, 2023
B.E., Tongji University, 2017
Research Interests: Urban Traffic Control, Traffic Data Analysis
Keke Long
Research Associate
Spring 2025 - present
Email: klong23@wisc.edu
(Co-advise with Prof. Xiaopeng Li)
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2024
M.S., Tongji University, 2021
B.E., Changan University, 2018
Research Interests: Vehicle Trajectory Optimization, Vehicle Control
Ph.D. Students
Zilin Huang
Research Assistant
Fall 2022 - present
Email: zilin.huang@wisc.edu
M.S., South China University of Technology, 2021
B.E., Guangdong University of Technology, 2018
Research Interests: Human-Centered AI, Autonomous Driving, Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, Intelligent Transportation
Zihao Sheng
Research Assistant
Spring 2023 - present
Email: zihao.sheng@wisc.edu
M.S., Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2022
B.E., Xi'an Jiaotong University, 2019
Research Interests: Human-Centered AI, Autonomous Driving, Robotics, Physics, Intelligent Transportation
Zheng Li
Research Assistant
Fall 2023 - present
Email: zli2674@wisc.edu
(Co-advise with Prof. Xiaopeng Li)
M.S., Tongji University, 2023
B.E., Hunan University, 2020
Research Interests: Autonomous Driving Safety Validation, Intelligent Transportation
Yongju Kim
Research Assistant
Fall 2023 - present
Email: yongju.kim@wisc.edu
(Co-advise with Prof. Sue Ahn)
M.S., Seoul National University, 2021
B.S., Seoul National University, 2019
Research Interests: Freeway Traffic Control, Traffic Simulation, Traffic Flow Theory
Yuhao Luo
Research Assistant
Fall 2025 - present
Email: yluo955@connect.hkust-gz.edu.cn
M.S., The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (GZ), 2025
B.E., Wuhan University of Technology, 2023
Research Interests: Autonomous Driving, Uncertainty Quantification, Spatial-temporal data mining, and driving behavior modelling
Zhengyang Wan
Research Assistant
Fall 2025 - present
Email: 2233474@tongji.edu.cn
M.S., Tongji University, 2025
B.E., Tongji University, 2022
Research Interests: Autonomous Driving, Vehicle Control, Human-Centered AI, Intelligent Transportation
Boyue Wang
Research Assistant
Fall 2025 - present
Email: bwang367@wisc.edu
B.E., Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2025
Research Interests: Autonomous Driving Simulation, Intelligent Transportation
Undergraduate Researchers
Xin Yi Chen
Undergraduate Researcher
Spring 2025 - present
Email: xychen@wisc.edu
Civil Engineering / Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Interests: Human-centered, AI-integrated transportation systems development
Affiliates
Yansong Qu
Teaching Assistant
Fall 2024 - present
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: qu120@purdue.edu
M.S., Beijing University of Technology, 2025
B.E., Dalian Jiaotong University, 2021
Research Interests: Autonomous Driving Simulation, Human-Centered AI, Control, Intelligent Transportation
Jiancong Chen
Research Assistant
Fall 2024 - present
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: chen5281@purdue.edu
M.S., Southeast University, 2025
B.E., Chang'an University, 2021
Research Interests: Autonomous Driving, Driving Behavior, Traffic Safety, Intelligent Transportation
Yixian (Nick) Zhong
Undergraduate Researcher
Fall 2025 - present
Email: nick.zhong@rutgers.edu
Statistics, School of Arts and Sciences
Rutgers University - New Brunswick
Research Interests: Data science in Intelligent Transportation Systems
Sky-Lab Alumni
Keke Long
CEE Ph.D.
Spring 2023 - Fall 2024
Email: klong23@wisc.edu
University of Wisconsin-Madison, co-advised with Prof. Xiaopeng Li
Current Position: Postdoc, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Jiqian (Frank) Dong
CEE Ph.D., ECE MS
Fall 2019 - Spring 2024
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: dong282@purdue.edu
Research Interests: AI-based control for CAVs, Machine learning for autonomous driving, Connected infrastructure system
Runjia (Rayne) Du
CEE Ph.D.
Fall 2019 - Fall 2023
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: du187@purdue.edu
Current Position: Research Engineer, Bot Auto
Paul (Young Joun) Ha
CEE Ph.D.
Fall 2019 - Fall 2023
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: ha55@purdue.edu
Current Position: Assistant Research Professor, University of Connecticut - Connecticut Transportation Institute
Jiaming Wang
ECE MS
Fall 2022 - Spring 2024
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: wang4146@purdue.edu
Current Position: Software Engineer, Meituan
Suya (Sue) Zong
CEE MS
Fall 2020 - Summer 2022
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: shuyazong@microsoft.com
Current Position: Product Manager, Microsoft Software and Technology Center Asia
Yujie Li
Research Assistant
Fall 2019 - present
Purdue University, co-advised with Prof. Samuel Labi
Email: li2804@purdue.edu
Research Interests: Optimal and AI-based control for CAVs, Human factors in AV technologies
Qichao Liu
Visiting Ph.D. Student
Spring 2024 - Spring 2025
Southeast University
Email: qliu426@wisc.edu
Research Interests: Automated Vehicles, Optimal Control, Optimization, Distributed Control
Penglin Song
Visiting Ph.D. Student
Spring 2023 - Summer 2023
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Email: peng-lin.song@connect.polyu.hk
Research Interests: Proactive safety, Econometric methods application, Surrogate safety measures
Zhongnan Ye
Visiting Ph.D. Student
Summer 2022 - Fall 2022
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Email: zhong-nan.ye@connect.polyu.hk
Research Interests: Path planning, Structural safety engineering, Fire emergency management, Building energy modeling