Rate My Professor H. Oliver Gao

Gao's research interests center on data science, networks and complex systems, engineering computing, statistics and econometrics, and mathematical optimization and operations research for technology, information, and systems management in intelligent and healthy communities across scales. Key areas include innovations in clean technology and community health, blockchain-based verifiability for climate actions in transportation, data-driven digital twins in urban informatics, and sustainability management of infrastructure and environment systems. He has received over $20 million in funding from NSF, US DOT, USDA, and others. Awards include the Inaugural Howard Simpson Professor of Engineering (2021), NSF Research Frontiers Nomination (2016), James and Mary Tien Excellence in Teaching Award (2010), UC Transportation Center Ph.D. Dissertation Award (2004), NSF Future Engineering Education Scholars Award (2002), and others. Select publications are "Design and creation of a racially diverse lung cancer registry with detailed genomic and environmental annotation" (2025), "Machine learning in spatiotemporal PM2.5 hotspots analysis for better targeted mitigation strategies" (2025), "Identifying urban built environment factors in pregnancy care and maternal mental health outcomes" (2021), "Marginal and aggregate social costs of primary PM2.5 and inorganic PM2.5 precursor emissions in the United States" (2016), and "Environmental and economic impacts of localizing food systems: the case of dairy supply chains in the Northeastern U.S." (2015). He served as Editor-in-Chief of Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment.