After twenty years at the helm, Dr. Genevieve Giuliano will be stepping down as Director of the METRANS Transportation Consortium. The new Director of METRANS, Professor Marlon Boarnet, will step into his role July 1, 2022.

Marlon Boarnet is an internationally recognized scholar in travel behavior, transportation, and land use. Having published almost 70 papers and two books, Boarnet has been recognized with several awards and appointments, including his recognition as Fellow of the Regional Science Association International and election to the Homer Hoyt Institute. He is Professor and Chair of the Department of Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis. In addition to his leadership experience at USC, he is the immediate past president of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning.

Dr. Boarnet has been engaged with METRANS since joining USC in 2012 and has been a member of the Executive Committee for many years. He is the Principal Investigator of a major grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and his research portfolio includes several METRANS research projects. “METRANS is incredibly strong, and it’s energizing to think about how you can build from something with such a prestigious track record. Following in the footsteps of somebody like Gen Giuliano is both an honor and, of course, a little daunting. I’m tremendously excited about this role,” Boarnet said.

“I am delighted that Marlon has agreed to lead METRANS,” Giuliano stated, “he is amazingly qualified and well prepared. Thanks to the efforts of the METRANS team, he is inheriting a strong, internationally recognized research center poised to accomplish even more in the coming years.”

On his vision for ongoing and future METRANS research, Boarnet states, “We must reduce the carbon footprint of our transportation systems, while building a transportation system that enhances social justice and improves accessibility for all.”

Speaking about METRANS’s longstanding strength in goods movement, Boarnet said, “At a time when supply chains and goods movement are more visible than ever, I look forward to deepening METRANS’s strong leadership in freight research.”

“METRANS is a unique combination of USC’s Price School of Public Policy, USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering, and Cal State Long Beach,” Boarnet said. “I look forward to working with all our METRANS faculty, staff, and students to meet the challenges of a cleaner, more just, more efficient transportation system.” As METRANS looks back on the many contributions of Dr. Gen Giuliano as Director, the consortium looks forward to Boarnet’s leadership and the bright future ahead.