Luyao Niu
Shenzhen, China
+86 13869560160
luyao0160@stu.pku.edu.cn 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
- Languages: Mandarin Chinese; English (TOEFL iBT 101)
- Programming & Data: Python (ML/DL/RL, LLMs, visualization), C, MATLAB, R, SQL
- Software: SPSS, GAMS, TransCAD, VISSIM, ArcGIS, CAD, LaTeX, Markdown, Git, Linux