Luyao Niu
Shenzhen, China
+86 13869560160
[email protected] luyao0160.owlstown.net
Education
Peking University
- M.S. in Urban Planning (Smart Cities & Big Data)
- GPA: 3.75/4 | Sep 2023 - Jun 2026 (expected)
- Selected Coursework:
- Frontier Theories and Methods of Smart Cities (A+);
- Geostatistical Models and Methods (A+)
Beijing Jiaotong University
- BEng. in Transportation Engineering; Minor in Finance
- GPA: 3.97/4 | Average Mark: 91.6 | Rank: 2/389 | Sep 2019 - Jun 2023
- Selected Coursework:
- Calculus (100);
- C Programming (A);
- Transportation Planning (94);
- Traffic Flow Theory (93)
Publications
Peer-reviewed / Accepted
- Niu, L., Wang, Z., et al. (2025). MF-AttnBiLSTM: Traffic Flow Prediction via Hybrid Signal Decomposition and Dual-Stream Temporal Attention Learning. IEEE GLOBECOM 2025 (Oral).
- Shi, Z., Luo, S., Niu, L., et al. (2024). Joint Design of Public Transit and Autonomous Vehicle Mobility Systems for Tourist Cities Considering Abnormal Trips. Transportation Research Part C.
- Niu, L., Deng, Z., et al. (2025). AskNearby: An LLM-based Application for Neighborhood Information Retrieval and Personalized Cognitive-map Recommendations. ACM SIGSPATIAL GeoAI'25.
- Niu, L., Wang, Y., et al. (2025). Evaluating the Causal Impacts on Spatial Satisfaction Sentiment of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Regional Integration Policies: An Interrupted Time Series Study Leveraging Large Language Models. EUGEO 2025 Proceedings (Oral). [Extended version under review at CEUS.]
- Niu, L., Gu, J., et al. (2025). Why Public Transport Policies Work or Not? A Meta-analysis Based on the Behaviour Change Wheel. AESOP 2025 Proceedings (Oral). [Extended version in preparation for Transport Reviews.]
Under Review
- Niu, L., Wang, Y., et al. Quantifying Cross-boundary Spatial Identity with Large Language Models: Evidence from the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Region. Under review at Computers, Environment and Urban Systems.
Working Papers
- Niu, L., Wang, Z., et al. CausalTrans: Fusing Causal Inference and Large Language Models for Event-driven Traffic Forecasting.
- Niu, l., Zhang, W., et al. ST-ProC: Semi-Supervised Prototypical Contrastive Learning for Trajectory-based Transportation Mode Identification.
- Niu, L., Xing, X., et al. Traffic Assignment Model Balancing User Preference and System Optimum.
- Liu, C., Niu, L., et al. Travel Behavior Shifts Following Electric Vehicle Adoption: Evidence from a Big Data-driven Quasi-experiment.
Selected Research Experience
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Fusing Causal Inference and LLMs for Event-driven Traffic Forecasting
Peking University & Duke Kunshan University | Advisor: Prof. Peng Sun | May 2025 - Present- Developed a deep framework integrating textual event streams (e.g., crashes, work zones) with LLMs for causal-aware traffic flow prediction, improving robustness and interpretability.
- Led and executed the full research, covering topic ideation, experimental design, implementation, and analysis.
- Currently in preparation as a working paper for submission.
- Developed a deep framework integrating textual event streams (e.g., crashes, work zones) with LLMs for causal-aware traffic flow prediction, improving robustness and interpretability.
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Traffic Prediction via Signal Decomposition and Attention-based BiLSTM
Peking University & Duke Kunshan University | Advisor: Prof. Peng Sun | Feb 2025 - May 2025- Designed a dual-stream BiLSTM with multiscale signal decomposition and multi-head temporal attention; achieved SOTA results on benchmark PeMS datasets.
- Executed the full research pipeline, including experimental design, model implementation and paper writing.
- A paper accepted for presentation by IEEE GLOBECOM 2025.
- Designed a dual-stream BiLSTM with multiscale signal decomposition and multi-head temporal attention; achieved SOTA results on benchmark PeMS datasets.
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Behavioral Changes from EV Adoption: A Quasi-experimental Study
Peking University | Advisor: Dr. Chengcheng Liu | Jul 2024 - Present- Built a large-scale study using mobile signaling data to estimate causal impacts of EV adoption on travel behavior with Difference-in-Differences model.
- Co-authored the manuscript; led a novel identification strategy and empirical evaluation.
- A research manuscript in preparation for submission to Transportation Research Part D.
- Built a large-scale study using mobile signaling data to estimate causal impacts of EV adoption on travel behavior with Difference-in-Differences model.
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Synthesizing the Impact of Public Transit Policy Interventions: A Meta-analysis
Peking University | Advisor: Prof. Wenjia Zhang | Nov 2023 - Dec 2024- Conducted a systematic review of 24 international studies and executed meta-analytic modeling to derive policy-relevant effect sizes.
- Co-first author; led research design, statistical modeling, data analysis and writing.
- Proceedings paper accepted by AESOP 2025 Oral, with a full journal version in preparation.
- Conducted a systematic review of 24 international studies and executed meta-analytic modeling to derive policy-relevant effect sizes.
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Policy Impacts on Cross-border Spatial Sentiment via LLMs + ITS.
Peking University | Advisor: Prof. Wenjia Zhang | Oct 2023 - Dec 2024- Designed a computational framework integrating LLMs with Interrupted Time Series (ITS) to quantify the causal impacts of policy changes on public sentiment via social media.
- Led large-scale data collection, model design, implementation, data analysis, and manuscript writing.
- Produced two manuscripts: one accepted by EUGEO 2025 Oral and one under review at Computers, Environment and Urban Systems.
- Designed a computational framework integrating LLMs with Interrupted Time Series (ITS) to quantify the causal impacts of policy changes on public sentiment via social media.
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Joint Design of SAV-Transit Systems for Tourist Cities.
Beijing Jiaotong University | Advisor: Prof. Sida Luo | Jan 2023 - Oct 2023- Proposed an integrated SAV and public transit design showing a 25% total cost reduction in low-demand scenarios.
- Contributed to the methodology, writing and revision.
- Published in Transportation Research Part C.
- Proposed an integrated SAV and public transit design showing a 25% total cost reduction in low-demand scenarios.
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Optimized Path Planning and Traffic Flow Assignment Model.
Beijing Jiaotong University | Advisor: Prof. Enjian Yao | Jun 2021 - May 2022- Developed a novel traffic assignment approach balancing user equilibrium and system optimum to mitigate congestion caused by navigation systems.
- Led the end-to-end research process, from problem formulation and experimental design to model implementation and manuscript writing.
- Won First Prize in the National University Traffic Technology Competition; currently advancing this work by applying IRL and real-world data.
- Developed a novel traffic assignment approach balancing user equilibrium and system optimum to mitigate congestion caused by navigation systems.
Selected Project Experience
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Technical Lead, LLM Integration for Urban Planning
China Academy of Land Surveying and Planning (Collaborative) | Beijing, China | Apr 2025 - Present- Architected the roadmap for integrating LLMs with spatial optimization models to enhance urban diagnostics.
- Led LLM-agent algorithm development and validation to align with public policy objectives.
- Architected the roadmap for integrating LLMs with spatial optimization models to enhance urban diagnostics.
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Research Assistant, Intelligent Mobility
Duke Kunshan University, Data Science Department | Suzhou, China | Jun 2025 - Present- Contributed to spatio-temporal modeling research; resulting work on traffic flow prediction accepted by IEEE GLOBECOM 2025.
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Project Contributor, China Two-wheeler Usage Report
China Bicycle Association & Beijing Jiaotong University | Beijing, China | Sep 2022 - Jan 2023_- Supported research and analysis for the national 2022 China Two-wheeler Usage Report, informing industry and policy.
Extra-curricular Activities
President, Student Union
Beijing Jiaotong University | Beijing, China | Jun 2021 - Jun 2023
Led university-level student affairs and coordinated campus-wide events.Volunteer, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics
National Indoor Stadium | Beijing, China | Jan 2022 - Apr 2022
Supported personnel management and venue operations; recognized as Outstanding Volunteer.
Awards & Honors
National
National Scholarship (China's highest undergraduate honor) — Dec 2020
Baoshan Iron & Steel Scholarship (Top 0.01%) — Oct 2022Municipal
Beijing Bus Talent Scholarship (Top 0.2%) — Dec 2021Campus
First-class Academic Scholarship (Top 1%) — Dec 2020
Competitions
- First Prize, China University Student Traffic & Transportation Technology Competition — Jul 2022
- Second Prize, China MathorCup Optimizing Mathematical Modeling Competition — Apr 2022
- Third Prize, China University Student Mathematics Competition — Dec 2020
Skills
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Languages: Mandarin Chinese; English (TOEFL iBT 101)
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Programming & Data: Python (ML/DL/RL, LLMs, visualization), C, MATLAB, R, SQL
- Software: SPSS, GAMS, TransCAD, VISSIM, ArcGIS, CAD, LaTeX, Markdown, Git, Linux