Welcome!

Our group is part of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine), and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

UC Irvine is ranked 9th among the nation’s best public universities on U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-25 list of “Best Colleges.” This is the 10th consecutive year UC Irvine has placed in the top 10! The Princeton Review has chosen UC Irvine as the fifth-best-value public college in its 2024 rankings based on academic quality, costs, financial aid, debt, graduation rates, and alumni career and salary data.

The STEER Lab studies the technical, social, behavioral, and institutional factors shaping sustainable transportation and energy transitions. We tackle engineering challenges related to personal and fleet electrification and managed charging while examining how human behavior influences technology adoption and use. We develop and analyze solutions to complex energy and transportation problems using agent-based simulations, choice modeling, and optimization models.

Key Research Areas

EV Charging Signage

Electrified Transportation

We study innovative charging infrastructure and managed charging solutions that enhance the adoption and utility of electric vehicles, while addressing concerns about access and equity.

Shared Mobility

We examine the operations and impacts of shared transportation services, ranging from micromobility to autonomous ride-hailing, with a focus on efficiency and sustainability.

Other Topics

We also study travel demand under regular and shock events, the adoption and use of distributed energy resources, and the benefits of active transportation and physical activity.

News

Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) is an Innovative Business Models that Could Help with California’s Vehicle Electrification Goals
In pursuit of California's ambitious climate goals, the state has adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations for all new passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs sold by 2035. The state's Advanced Clean Trucks rule sets up a cap-and-trade system for manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to sell an …
Research Grant Award: Workplace Charging Policies & Optimal Operations
Our research group received funding from the Statewide Transportation Research Program (STRP), funded by the State of California through the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (SB 1). Workplace Charging Policies Most Americans commute to work using personal vehicles, which remain parked in employer-provided spaces for extended …
Fall 2025 Position Available
Dr. Dean is recruiting 1-2 highly motivated students for fall 2025 to conduct innovative, high-quality research on sustainable transportation and energy systems, like shared autonomous vehicles, electric mobility systems, charging stations, and vehicle-grid integration. The student will be part of the Sustainable Transportation & Evolving Energy …
Call for Papers: Special Issue on Urban Mobility Electrification
Please consider submitting your research paper to Transportation Research Part A's Special Issue on Urban Mobility Electrification. More details are in the attached flyer. TRA Special Issue_Urban Mobility ElectrificationDownload
UCI-UCLA Seed Funding Collaboration
Professors Dean and Ma Our research team was one of 18 new UCI-UCLA collaborations started between faculty at the two engineering schools that received funding from the Samueli Foundation. Dr. Dean (UCI) and Associate Professor Jiaqi Ma (UCLA) received money to look at sustainable mobility and equitable access …
KJZZ Interview on Peer-to-Peer Charging Apps
Dr. Dean spoke with Mark Brodie, co-host of KJZZ's The Show, to talk about Buzze, a Phoenix-based start-up that connects EV owners with residential Level 2 chargers with EV drivers in need of a place to plug in. This app is a new form of peer-to-peer …
Introduction to Dr. Dean
Interested in learning more about our lab's research? Check out this UCI Samueli School of Engineering intro video to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wRogEVglK0
Research Grant Award: Charging-as-a-Service Business Model
Our research group received funding from the State of California’s one-time allocation in the 2021 State Budget for the Resilient and Innovative Mobility Initiative (RIMI) to conduct research on the role of turnkey EV charging infrastructure in our state. Role of Charging as a Service in …

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