mni@ucdavis.edu; jasonni521@hotmail.com
Phone (510) 517-0238

Research Interests

1. Hydrogen Demand and System Modeling (2003 ~ 2004)

Through his affiliation with the UC Davis Hydrogen Pathways Program, Jason is interested in researching regional hydrogen demand and system modeling. He has done previous work on using Geographic Information System (GIS) to understand the hydrogen demand distribution within the State of Ohio based on several parameters, including population density, car ownership and market penetration rates.

Two potential research topics can be pursued based on Jason's experiences and background in transportation engineering and city planning. First, he is interested in applying traffic engineering concepts, such as capacity and traffic flow, to the modeling of a hydrogen distribution system. There are some emerging ideas on delivering (liquid) hydrogen using truck or existing goods systems. However, more sophisticated models can be built by considering historical or even real-time traffic data. The second idea is to apply consumer choice behavior model into hydrogen demand estimation. Instead of considering a homogeneous population with uniform market penetration rate, more robust model can be achieved by introducing choice model and market segmentation concept.

2. Motorization and Vehicle Purchase Behavior in China (2004 ~ 2008)

中国上海地区 交通工具购买行为调研

In the long term, Jason is also interested in the motorization of China . His focus is a pathway analysis, which examines how and why China makes the transition to a motorized society. One way of looking at the motorization pathway is to start with the vehicle purchase behavior. Jason proposes a case study in Shanghai, where he will conduct surveys by working with local universities. The objective is to improve our understanding of how private car competes with other alternatives (walk, bicycle, transit, motorcycle, etc.), and how car purchase behavior varies among different "market segments". (e.g. Chinese new rich, salary class, etc.)

The China vehicle purchase behavior study is a beginning, and it can be combined with researchs on other aspects of motorization, such as the impacts on the economy, environment, and society. One goal of motorization pathway research is to study the potential of alternative energy systems (such as hydrogen) given that the oil shortage is inevitable.

中文摘要 (简体)

“机动化”的主要意涵在于一个从步行到各种不同交通工具的历程。此一历程和社会及经济的演变是息息相关的。中国、作为世界人口最多的国家，正开始它的机动化过程。有鉴于中国近年来快速机动化，及其对交通、能源、环保的影响。本研究在美国设计问卷，透过和中国大学的合作，在上海实地进行调研。目标在于：藉由建立“交通工具 购买/使用 选择模型”，我们可以了解，何种族群 (或市场) 偏好购买或使用何种交通工具？更重要的是，何种因素影响了他们的选择？

就长远而言，研究成果将可用于预测中国机动化之趋势及新能源的引进。对政府制定相应政策和产业界分析中国汽车及能源市场亦有贡献。此外、总结实际调研时所碰到的问题和相应的解决对策，我们可以发展出一套符合中国上海地区实际情况、针对性较强的、卓有成效的调研技巧。为日后有志在上海地区进行调研的工作者提供参考。最后、本研究在学术和产业上的贡献将奠基于它的原始性(在上海当地第一手的数据采集) 以及创新性 (一种 “中学为体，西学为用” 的结合) 。

中文摘要 (繁體)

“機動化”的主要意涵在於一個從步行到各種不同交通工具的歷程。此一歷程和社會及經濟的演變是息息相關的。中國、作為世界人口最多的國家，正開始它的機動化過程。有鑒於中國近年來快速機動化，及其對交通、能源、環保的影響。本研究在美國設計問卷，透過和中國大學的合作，在上海實地進行調查。目標在於：藉由建立“交通工具 購買/使用 選擇模型”，我們可以瞭解，何種族群 (或市場) 偏好購買或使用何種交通工具？更重要的是，何種因素影響了他們的選擇？

就長遠而言，研究成果將可用於預測中國機動化之趨勢及新能源的引進。對政府制定相應政策和產業界分析中國汽車及能源市場亦有貢獻。此外、總結實際調研時所碰到的問題和相應的解決對策，我們可以發展出一套符合中國上海地區實際情況、針對性較強的、卓有成效的調研技巧。為日後有志在上海地區進行調研的工作者提供參考。最後、本研究在學術和產業上的貢獻將奠基於它的原始性(在上海當地第一手的資料獲取) 以及創新性 (一種 “中學為體，西學為用” 的結合) 。

Research Docket

Summary

Jason is originally from Taiwan , he got his BS. degree from the department of Civil Engineering of National Taiwan University. (www.ntu.edu.tw) Before coming to US; he served in the Engineering Army as Lieutenant for two years.

Jason got his master degrees from the dual-degree program of Transportation Engineering and City Planning at UC Berkeley. (www.berkeley.edu) He learned the skills and concepts in both fields, from traffic operation to GIS planning.

During his graduate study at UC Berkeley, Jason was researcher affiliated with UC Transportation Center (UCTC) (www.uctc.net) and Institute of Urban and Regional Development (IURD) (www-iurd.ced.berkeley.edu). He also had intern experiences in Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) (www.mtc.ca.gov), Dowling Associates (www.dowlinginc.com) and has done projects for Cambridge Systematics (www.cambridgesystematics.com) and City of San Leandro (www.ci.san-leandro.ca.us)

Jason joined UC Davis in Fall, 2003 as Ph.D. student in Transportation Technology and Policy program (ttp.ucdavis.edu). He started working for Professor Joan Ogden on hydrogen demand modeling since Spring, 2004. The major work he has done was the GIS demand modeling for the State of Ohio.

Starting from Fall 2004, Jason was involved in a project about "motorization and vehicle purchase behavior in China", which later was developed into his dissertation. Jason spend around 2 years in Shanghai for the data collection and case study. This project was under a large-scale educational exchange program between US and China and was sponsored by ITS-Davis, Tongji University (Shanghai), Nissan USA and Ford China.

Education

• Ph.D., Transportation Technology and Policy program, University of California , Davis . (2003 ~ 2008)
• M.S., Transportation Engineering Group, Dept. of Civil Engineering, University of California , Berkeley (2000 ~ 2003)
• M.C.P., Dept. of City and Regional Planning, University of California , Berkeley (2000 ~ 2003)
• B.S., Dept. of Civil Engineering, National Taiwan University (1994 ~ 1998)

Experiences

• Transportation Planner, Parsons Brinckerhoff (www.pbworld.com)
• Transportation Engineer (Intern), Dowling Associates (www.dowlinginc.com)
• Research Director [產業研究 總監], CHINA VISTA CAPITAL LTD [遠景投資有限公司], Shanghai, China
• Hydrogen Demand Modeling, project sponsored by NETL of US DOE
• Mainstreaming Intelligent Transportation Systems (www.uctc.net/mainstream), project sponsored by Caltrans.
• Taipei Smart Card Experiences as Lesson for California, professional report for Caltrans
• Traffic Flow Study using Floating Car Method, project of Cambridge Systematics
• Parking Study, project of City of Berkeley
• Traffic Signal Coordination, project of City of San Leandro

Activities and Interests

At UC Berkeley, Jason has served as the President of Berkeley Association of Taiwanese Students (www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~bats/) and he has been the fundraiser for International House, UC Berkeley (ias.berkeley.edu/ihouse/) in 2002.

In his professional field, Jason is member of Institute of Transportation Engineer (ITE) and International Chinese Transportation Professional Association (ICTPA).

Jason has broad interests in addition to his research, he likes Asian pop music (jasonni.v33.org/) and basketball. He speaks fluent Chinese (Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese), English, and little (very little, actually) Japanese.