Jinhua Zhao named head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning

Overview

MIT appointed Professor Jinhua Zhao as head of its Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP), effective July 1, 2026. Zhao, the Class of 1941 Professor of Cities and Transportation, is a transportation planner whose work blends behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and public policy to address how cities move people. He succeeds Professor Christopher Zegras, who led the department since 2020.

Key Takeaways

Jinhua Zhao becomes head of MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning on July 1, 2026, taking over from Christopher Zegras.
Zhao holds the Class of 1941 Professor of Cities and Transportation chair and earned three MIT degrees: a Master of City Planning and Master of Science in 2004 and a PhD in 2009.
His research combines behavioral science, transportation technology, AI, and public policy to tackle urban mobility problems.
He founded the MIT Mobility Initiative and hosts the weekly MIT Mobility Forum, a public Zoom series that grew into a global platform.
Zhao has advised transit agencies and governments worldwide, including Transport for London, Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway, Japan Railways, and several major U.S. transit authorities.
He helped develop autonomous vehicle deployment strategies in Singapore and the Middle East.

Stats & Key Facts

#Appointment takes effect July 1, 2026, the start of the new leadership term for the department.
#Zhao earned three MIT degrees across 2004 and 2009 (MCP, SM, and PhD).
#The MIT Mobility Forum draws more than 200 practitioners, policymakers, and researchers each week.
#Zhao succeeds Christopher Zegras, who served as department head for roughly six years since 2020.
#His advisory work spans transit systems on at least three continents, including North America, Asia, and Europe.

Zhao's Appointment and the Leadership Handoff at DUSP

The appointment marks a planned transition at one of MIT's signature departments.

Jinhua Zhao becomes head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning on July 1, 2026. He holds the Class of 1941 Professor of Cities and Transportation chair at MIT and has been a member of the DUSP faculty since completing his graduate studies at the Institute.

He succeeds Professor Christopher Zegras, who led the department since 2020. During Zegras's tenure, DUSP widened opportunities for students to work directly with communities and policymakers around the world and kept its tradition of linking academic research to real planning practice. Dean Hashim Sarkis thanked Zegras for steady leadership through a difficult period.

From MIT Student to Department Head: Zhao's Academic Path

Zhao built his entire academic career at MIT.

›Earned a Master of City Planning (MCP) and a Master of Science (SM) at MIT in 2004.
›Completed his PhD at MIT in 2009.
›Joined the DUSP faculty after finishing his degrees.
›Holds the Class of 1941 Professor of Cities and Transportation appointment.

Zhao credits MIT's open, cross-disciplinary culture for shaping his work. He has described the Institute as a place with fewer intellectual and physical boundaries than other universities, pointing to its famous Infinite Corridor as a literal connector between fields.

Behavioral Science, AI, and Public Policy in One Research Program

Zhao's work sits at the meeting point of human behavior, technology, and government.

Zhao studies how people make travel decisions and how that behavior shapes the design of mobility systems and transportation policy. He pairs behavioral science with computational methods, including artificial intelligence, to model and improve how cities move people.

A central theme in his work is the gap between fast-moving technology and the slower institutions meant to govern it. Zhao frames his research around closing that gap so that planners, city officials, and engineers can act on findings while decisions are still being made.

The MIT Mobility Initiative and a Weekly Global Forum

Zhao has built platforms that pull transportation experts together across MIT and beyond.

›Founded the MIT Mobility Initiative, which connects mobility and transportation researchers across the Institute with outside leaders in the field.
›Hosts the weekly MIT Mobility Forum on Zoom, open to the public.
›The Forum grew from a small internal participant list into a global gathering of more than 200 people each week.
›Directs the JTL Urban Mobility Lab and Transit Lab, which run long-term partnerships with transit operators worldwide.

Advising Transit Systems and Governments Around the World

Zhao's research has been applied to some of the most complex transportation networks in operation.

›Shaped policy for Transport for London, Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway, and Japan Railways.
›Advised major U.S. transit authorities, including Boston's MBTA, the Chicago Transit Authority, and Washington's Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
›Guided strategic planning on the future of autonomous and digital mobility.
›Developed autonomous vehicle deployment strategies in Singapore and the Middle East.

Studying How AI Reshapes Work and Learning in Cities

Beyond transportation, Zhao works on the broader effects of AI on people.

Zhao is a lead principal investigator with Mens, Manus, and Machina (M3S), an MIT initiative at the intersection of artificial intelligence, the future of work, and human learning. The effort looks at how cities, institutions, and economies should be designed so that AI strengthens the role of people rather than replacing them.

He also leads a related M3S program at the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART). This line of work extends his core question about governing new technology from transportation into the wider economy and workforce.

What the Appointment Signals for Urban Planning Education

The choice of a transportation and AI scholar reflects where the field is heading.

Putting a researcher who works across behavioral science, AI, and policy at the head of DUSP signals that urban planning education increasingly treats technology governance as a core skill, not a side topic. Zhao's stated focus on closing the gap between technology and institutions suggests the department will keep emphasizing research that planners and city officials can put to use quickly.

For non-technical readers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: the people training the next generation of city planners are placing autonomous vehicles, AI, and data-driven decision making at the center of how cities will be designed and run.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Jinhua Zhao?

Jinhua Zhao is an MIT professor and transportation planner who holds the Class of 1941 Professor of Cities and Transportation chair. His research combines behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and public policy to address urban mobility challenges.

When does Zhao take over as head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning?

His appointment as head of DUSP takes effect July 1, 2026. He succeeds Professor Christopher Zegras, who had led the department since 2020.

What is the MIT Mobility Forum?

It is a weekly public Zoom discussion that Zhao hosts through the MIT Mobility Initiative. It started as a small internal list and grew into a global platform drawing more than 200 practitioners, policymakers, and researchers each week.

Which transit systems has Zhao worked with?

He has shaped policy for Transport for London, Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway, and Japan Railways, and advised U.S. authorities including Boston's MBTA, the Chicago Transit Authority, and Washington's Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

How does Zhao's work connect to artificial intelligence?

Zhao applies AI and computational methods to model travel behavior and design mobility systems. He also leads work within MIT's Mens, Manus, and Machina (M3S) initiative on how AI affects the future of work and learning.

Zhao's appointment places a transportation and AI scholar at the helm of one of MIT's leading planning departments. His focus on bridging fast-moving technology and the institutions that govern cities points to where urban planning is headed.