Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute

Staff Bio

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Xinyi Yang, Ph.D.
Post Doc Researcher
Phone: (701)231-8793
Email: xinyi.yang@ndsu.edu
ORCID: 0000-0002-9020-7261

Xinyi Yang is a postdoctoral researcher at the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) at North Dakota State University (NDSU). Her research focuses on data analytics, machine learning, and their applications in intelligent transportation systems. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Statistics with a minor in Mathematics and a Master of Science in Civil Engineering, both from NDSU. During her master’s program, she conducted research on intelligent transportation systems, including modeling car-following behavior for autonomous vehicles.

Her Ph.D. research integrates advanced methodologies such as computer vision, deep learning, and federated learning to address real-world challenges in transportation infrastructure and safety. A key aspect of her doctoral work involves developing a hybrid system that combines Fiber Bragg Grating sensors and computer vision to improve the accuracy of vehicle weight-in-motion measurements. She has applied tools such as ESRI/GIS, MATLAB, Python, and Java to manage large datasets, build predictive models, and conduct network analyses. Her interdisciplinary expertise and practical experience contribute significantly to advancing innovative transportation research.

Research Interests

  • Intelligent Transportation Systems and Data Analytics
  • Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Computer Vision
  • Cybersecurity and Privacy-Preserving Techniques
  • Pavement Engineering and Structural Health Monitoring
  • Traffic Simulation and Behavioral Analysis
  • Advanced Database Management and Data Mining

Recent Research Activities/Major Programs of Activity

  • Developed a hybrid system combining computer vision and FBG sensors to improve weigh-in-motion accuracy
  • Designed and validated a car-following model to enhance safety and mobility in mixed driver environments
  • Applied micro-simulation tools to model driver behavior and traffic dynamics for improved road safety
  • Contributed to digital twin systems for real-time visualization of pipeline infrastructure in transportation networks
  • Analyzed weather effects on weight-in-motion measurements for enhanced reliability

Employment

  • Dec 2024 – Present, Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, NDSU
  • May 2023 – Aug 2023, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Computer Science, NDSU
  • Sep 2021 – May 2022, Research Internship, Center for Computationally Assisted Science and Technology, NDSU
  • Sep 2020 – Nov 2024, Doctoral Graduate Research Assistant, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, NDSU
  • Sept 2020 – May 2021, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Computer Science, NDSU
  • Sept 2018 – May 2020, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NDSU

Education

  • PhD, Civil Engineering, North Dakota State University, 2024
  • MS, Civil Engineering, North Dakota State University, 2020
  • BS, Statistics, North Dakota State University, 2018