Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heather Kaths
Heather Kaths received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with a focus on Transportation Engineering from the University of Calgary in Canada. During her studies, she took part in an international student exchange at the University of Stuttgart in Germany. It was in Stuttgart that she first came into contact with sustainable mobility topics, both personally and within the study programme.
Motivated by this exchange, Ms. Kaths pursued a Master of Science in Transportation Systems at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Here, she focussed on demand management and whenever possible, cycling and walking. A following research associate position at the Chair of Traffic Engineering and Control at the TUM allowed Ms. Kaths to focus on bicycle traffic from a modelling and simulation perspective, complete her doctoral dissertation on this topic and build a research group about urban traffic simulation.
As of April 2021, Heather Kaths has led the new Chair of Bicycle Traffic. With regard to research, she is passionate about data, behaviour modelling, and traffic simulation. In teaching, she aims to bring an international perspective into educating the cycling experts of tomorrow.
Professional Activities
Since 04/2021: Professor at the Chair of Bicycle Traffic
Bergische Universität Wuppertal
01/2019 – 03/2021: Research Group Leader
Chair of Traffic Engineering and Control, Technical University of Munich
02/2012 – 12/2018: Research Associate
Chair of Traffic Engineering and Control, Technical University of Munich
03/2013 – 12/2016: Network Coordinator
International Education Network for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS EduNet)
Education
02/2012 – 09/2017: Doctor of Engineering
Chair of Traffic Engineering and Control, Technical University of Munich
10/2009 – 11/2011: Master of Science in Transportation Systems
Technical University of Munich
09/2003 – 03/2009: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
University of Calgary, Canada
- Feuchtinger-Wehner-Denkmünze (2020)
- Prize for outstanding doctoral thesis from the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and Art (2019)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship (2010)
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Undergraduate Student Research Award (2009)
Dissertation
- Twaddle, Heather (2017). Development of tactical and operational behaviour models for bicyclists based on automated video data analysis. (Technische Universität München).
Peer-Reviewed Artikel
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Leonhardt, A.; Kaths, H.; Junghans, M.; Baier, M.; & Busch, F. (2022). Traffic flow at signalized intersections with large volumes of bicycle traffic. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2021.11.021
- Kaths, Heather; Keler, A.; Bogenberger, K. (2021). Calibrating the Wiedemann 99 Car-Following Model for Bicycle Traffic. Sustainability, 13, 3487. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13063487
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Busch, F.; Kaths, H.; Baier, M.; Junghans, M.; & Leonhardt, A. (2020). Verkehrsablauf an signalisierten Knotenpunkten mit hohem Radverkehrsaufkommen. Straßenverkehrstechnik.
- Twaddle, Heather ; & Busch, F. (2019). Binomial and multinomial regression models for predicting the tactical choices of bicyclists at signalised intersections. Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, 60, 47–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2018.10.002
- Keler, A.; Twaddle, H.; Grigoropoulos, G.; Hoffmann, S.; & Busch, F. (2019). Assessing the influence of visibility components in interactions between bicyclist and car drivers. Transportation Research Procedia, 41, 590-595. doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2019.09.105
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Twaddle, H.; Spangler, M.; Hagenbring, M.; & Düsterwald, M. (2018). Evaluierung der dynamischen Grünen Welle für Radfahrer-Sitraffic SiBike-in Marburg. Straßenverkehrstechnik, 268–274.
- Twaddle, Heather; & Grigoropoulos, G. (2016). Modeling the speed, acceleration and deceleration of bicyclists for microscopic traffic simulation. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2587, 8-16. https://doi.org/10.3141/2587-02
- Twaddle, Heather; Schendzielorz, T.; & Fakler, O. (2014). Bicycles in Urban Areas: Review of Existing Methods for Modeling Behavior. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2434, 140–146. https://doi.org/10.3141/2434-17
- Margreiter, Martin; Krause, S.; Twaddle, H.; & Lüßmann, J. (2014). Evaluation of Environmental Impacts of Adaptive Network Signal Controls Based on Real Vehicle Trajectories. Transportation Research Procedia, 4, 421-430. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trpro.2014.11.032
- Twaddle, Heather; Hall, F.; & Bracic, B. (2010). Latent bicycle commuting demand and effects of gender on commuter cycling and accident rates. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2190, 28-36. https://doi.org/10.3141/2190-04
Book / Book chapter
- Kaths, Heather (2022). Cyclists’ interactions with other road users from a safety perspective. In T. Götschi & E. Heinen (Eds.), Advances in Transport Policy and Planning: Cycling. Elsevier
- Twaddle, Heather. (2017). Analysis and Modelling of the Operational and Tactical Behaviour of Bicyclists. In K. Bengler; S. Hoffmann; D. Manstetten; A. Neukum; & J. Drüke (Eds.), UR:BAN Human Factors in Traffic. Springer.
Peer-Reviewed Conference Papers
- Kaths, Heather; Keler, A.; & Bogenberger, K. (2020). The effect of facility width on following and passing: a bicycle simulator study. International Cycling Safety Conference (ICSC 2020).
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Kaths, H.; Junghans, M.; Leonhardt, A.; Baier, M.; & Busch, F. (2020). Empirical study on bicycle traffic flow characteristics at signalized intersections. Transportation Research Board 100th Annual Meeting. Washington, DC.
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Kaths, H.; Busch, F.; Baier, M.; Junghans, M.; & Leonhardt, A. (2020). Verkehrsablauf an signalisierten Knotenpunkten mit hohem Radverkehrsaufkommen. HEUREKA 2020. Stuttgart. (postponed until 2021)
- Ruf, Mara; & Kaths, H. (2020). Wirkungen von Restzeitanzeigen auf den Radverkehr – eine Fahrradsimulatorstudie. HEUREKA 2020. Stuttgart. (postponed until 2021)
- Kaths, Heather; Grigoropoulos, G.; & Krämer, K. (2019). Green signal countdown display for bicycle traffic – Results from a field study. Cycling Research Board 2nd Annual Meeting. Delft.
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Kazakovtsev, S.; Kaths, H.; & Krämer, K. (2019). Evaluation of a traffic signal coordination for bicycles in a mixed traffic urban network. Cycling Research Board 2nd Annual Meeting. Delft.
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Kaths, H.; & Busch, F. (2019). Introducing the effect of bicyclist stabilization control in microscopic traffic simulation. 2019 IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (ITSC). Auckland, New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.1109/ITSC.2019.8916880
- Kaths, Heather; Keler, A.; Kaths, J.; & Busch, F. (2019). Analyzing the behavior of bicyclists using a bicycle simulator with a coupled SUMO and DYNA4 simulated environment. In M. Weber; L. Bieker-Walz; R. Hilbrich; & M. Behrisch (Eds.), SUMO User Conference 2019 (pp. 199–205). https://doi.org/10.29007/dcmp
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Lücken, L.; Erdmann, J.; & Kaths, H. (2019). Modelling Bicycle Infrastructure in SUMO. In M. Weber; L. Bieker-Walz; R. Hilbrich; & M. Behrisch (Eds.), SUMO User Conference 2019 (pp. 187–198). https://doi.org/10.29007/6cs5
- Keler, Andreas; Kaths, J.; Chucholowski, F.; Chucholowski, M.; Grigoropoulos, G.; Spangler, M.; Kaths H.; & Busch, F. (2018). A bicycle simulator for experiencing microscopic traffic flow simulation in urban environments. 2018 IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Conference (ITSC), 3020–3023. https://doi.org/10.1109/ITSC.2018.8569576
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Keler, A.; Kaths, J.; Twaddle, H.; Spangler, M.; Hoffmann, S.; & Busch, F. (2018). Evaluation of the Traffic Efficiency of Bicycle Highways: A Microscopic Traffic Simulation Study. 7th symposium arranged by the European Association for Research in Transportation (hEART).
- Grigoropoulos, Georgios; Twaddle, H.; & Busch, F. (2016). Introducing Bicycle Dynamics in Microscopic Traffic Simulation. 5th symposium arranged by the European Association for Research in Transportation (hEART).
- Twaddle, Heather; Grigoropoulos, G.; & Busch, F. (2016). Integration of an external bicycle model in SUMO. SUMO Conference 2016. Berlin.
- Twaddle, Heather; Grigoropoulos, G.; & Busch, F. (2016). An approach for simulating bicycle traffic using observed trajectory data. SUMO Conference 2016 Post Conference Proceedings. Berlin.
- Amini, Sasan; Twaddle, H.; & Leonhardt, A. (2016). Modeling of the Tactical Path Selection of Bicyclists at Signalized Intersections. Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting Proceedings, (16–2970).
- Twaddle, Heather; Schendzielorz, T.; Fakler, O.; & Amini, S. (2014). Use of automated video analysis for the evaluation of bicycle movement and interaction. Proc. SPIE 9026, Video Surveillance and Transportation Imaging Applications 2014. San Francisco.
Invited Presentations
- SUMO User Conference, Keynote presentation. Simulating and modelling traffic: What are we trying to achieve? (2022)
- polisMOBILITY 2022, Panel discussion. (2022)
- Nationaler Radverkehrskongress, Panel discussion. (2021)
- Guest speaker at the PTV Mobility Roadshow, Dusseldorf, Germany. (2021).
- Guest speaker in the PTV webinar series Shaping Mobility (2020).
- EPFL Transport and Mobility Laboratory Seminar. Lausanne, Switzerland. Data driven simulation of bicycle traffic at intersections (2016).
- UR:BAN Final Conference. Munich, Germany. Modellierung des operativen und taktischen Verhaltens von Radfahrern an signalgesteuerten Knotenpunkten (2016).
- CIRRELT Seminar. Montreal, Canada. Development of an integrated, generic approach for modelling the operational and tactical behaviour of bicycles (2015).
- Bicycle Infrastructure Design and Interplay in Traffic. Oslo, Norway. Modelling and simulation in safety analyses concerning cyclists (2015).
- Berliner Verkehrskolloquium bei DLR. Berlin, Germany. Modellierung des mikroskopischen Verhaltens von Radfahrern an urbanen Knotenpunkten (2014).
- Founding member of the working group 3.10.3 (Multimodal Simulation) of the Forschungsgesellschaft für Straßen- und Verkehrswesen (FGSV)
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Council of the Zukunftsnetz Mobilität NRW
- Member of the Scientific Advisory Council of Deutsche Verkehrswissenschaftliche Gesellschaft (DVWG)
- Jury member of the competition "ways2work" of companies and communes in NRW
