Wei Li

Dr. Wei Li is Associate Professor of Urban Planning. He is committed to research, education, and service activities that lead to smart solutions for challenges faced by underserved communities and underprivileged populations. He has published numerous high-impact journal articles in the field of transportation and urban planning. In 2019, he received the Distinguished Achievement Award (University Level) from Texas A&M University and the Association of Former Students.  Since 1955, the Distinguished Achievement Awards have been awarded to those who exhibit the highest standards of excellence at Texas A&M.

Dr. Li is the Founding Director of ENDEAVR Institute (www.endeavr.city), a 501c3 public charity dedicated to bringing smart-city technologies to small communities and underprivileged populations. His work has been recognized nationally (2021 W.K. Kellogg Award for Exemplary Community Engagement) and internationally (2021 Smart 50 Award).

Dr. Li has successfully obtained funding support from various agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Google Inc., W.M. Keck Foundation, and state departments of transportation. His NSF-funded project explored the behavioral impact of public transit. That was the first time that planners used confidential census microdata to examine behavioral changes caused by new transportation infrastructure. Dr. Li’s team has developed innovative methods to analyze these data and evaluate the impact of public transit on individuals’ travel and firms’ locational behavior. In March 2018, he received an NIH R01 grant (as one of three Principal Investigators) to evaluate the health and behavior impact of bus rapid transit.

Dr. Li teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in urban planning, with an emphasis on smart and connected communities. He has designed and implemented numerous service-learning projects and has made significant curriculum changes to transportation planning courses (e.g., creating online courses) at Texas A&M.

Dr. Li has served as a reviewer for NSF and more than 20 reputable journals. He was Associate Editor for Environmental Science and Policy from 2013 to 2016, and Associate Editor for Journal of Planning Education and Research during 2019-2021.

Planning for smart and connected communities; societal impacts of autonomous vehicles; sustainable and active transportation; environmental economics