Mohamadhossein Noruzoliaee, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Civil Engineering (Transportation Systems)

Dr. Noruzoliaee is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), which he joined in 2019. His research primarily focuses on intelligent transportation systems and networks, with particular interests in resilience, cybersecurity, and decision-making under uncertainty. His interdisciplinary research integrates transportation systems modeling, machine learning, and operations research. At UTRGV, he is the Founding Deputy Director of the​ NSF CREST Center for Multidisciplinary Research Excellence in Cyber-Physical Infrastructure Systems (MECIS) and the UTRGV Director of the USDOT Safety21 National University Transportation Center (UTC). He received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Transportation Systems) from the University of Illinois Chicago 2018, followed by postdoctoral research there through 2019.

Mark Hernandez, Ph.D. Student (2024-present)

Mark joined the X-ResilieNT Lab as a senior Civil Engineering undergraduate in 2021, working on AI-driven shared mobility network analytics. After earning his bachelor’s degree and completing one year of master’s study in Civil Engineering, he transitioned to UTRGV’s newly launched Ph.D. program in Computer Science with Interdisciplinary Applications in Fall 2024. His dissertation research focuses on transportation cybersecurity at the intersection of AI and transportation systems. Mark is a recipient of the USDOT Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship.

Oziel Sauceda, Master's Student (2025-present)

Oziel joined the X-ResilieNT Lab as a Computer Science undergraduate in 2023, working on learning-driven autonomous traffic control. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he continued in the lab as a Computer Science master’s student, with graduate research focused on traffic control cybersecurity.