 Maya Abou-Zeid Ph.D. student Maya Abou-Zeid recently answered questions about her studies in Transportation Systems, and how she came to be involved with the MIT Portugal Program. MPP: What is your hometown, and what degree are you pursuing? Abou-Zeid: I’m from Beirut, Lebanon, and am working toward a Ph.D. in Transportation at MIT. MPP: Where did you do your previous studies? Abou-Zeid: At the American University of Beirut, in Civil Engineering, and at MIT, where I got an M.Sc. in Transportation in 2003. MPP: Have you had any work experience? Abou-Zeid: Yes. For two-and-a-half years after my Master’s degree, I worked in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Chevy Chase, Maryland, for Cambridge Systematics, a transportation consulting firm. Then I decided to come back to MIT, in January 2006. MPP: What is your research area? Abou-Zeid: I study travel behavior modeling. MPP: What is your thesis topic? Is it in the context of an MIT Portugal Program research project? Abou-Zeid: My topic is well-being and happiness among transport users, which I am researching in the U.S. and in Switzerland. This is related to the Transportation Systems focus area project called Smart Combination of passenger transport modes and services in Urban areas for maximum System Sustainability and Efficiency (SCUSSE), which is a part of Intelligent Transportation Systems. But my research is not supported by the Program directly. MPP: What, then, is your connection to the MIT Portugal Program? Abou-Zeid: I have been supported by the Transportation Systems focus area’s educational program since September 2006. I was very interested in this kind of program, since I plan to stay in academia—as a professor at American University of Beirut—when I complete my Ph.D. When I first joined MIT Portugal, I did a literature review of other educational programs in this area worldwide, and prepared for the initial workshops, where we defined options for the design of what ended up becoming the Master’s program in Complex Transportation Infrastructure Systems. Since then, I have helped to identify MIT faculty who can play a role in teaching for the Ph.D. and the CTIS programs, as well as MIT curricula that can support the teaching. I was also a Teaching Assistant for my Ph.D. advisor, Prof. Moshe Ben-Akiva, who taught a block on Transportation Economics in Portugal. And I assisted in the marketing and evaluation of the program. MPP: You have a unique perspective on the Transportation Systems programs. How do you see them evolving in the future? Abou-Zeid: The CTIS program is really unique. From doing the review of other programs, I know there is nothing else in the world that combines the transportation and engineering elements with the perspective of an MBA. It is an interesting combination of many players [from MIT and Portugal] and many perspectives. The Ph.D. program is also interesting because there are many new transportation modes and services that are just now available to model, test and explore. This should provide the basis for a lot of research and should be relevant to companies working in this area. In the future, once the programs draw more students and professors, there will be the opportunity to specialize in areas like logistics, maritime transport, etc. MPP: When you return to Lebanon, how do you see yourself staying connected to the MIT Portugal Program? Abou-Zeid: I would love to remain connected to the Program. The American University of Beirut only started its Ph.D. in Transportation last year, so there are great opportunities to learn from the experience of developing the Ph.D. in Transportation Systems for MIT Portugal. I will also point out the Program to Lebanese students who are thinking of studying in this field. | 
