Nikhila Gunda

Nikhila currently serves as an Assistant Researcher (Senior Transportation Planner) at the University of Kansas Transportation Center (KUTC) located in Lawrence, Kansas. Her extensive education includes a master’s in urban planning and construction management, and bachelor’s in architecture. Nikhila began her career with WSP USA as a planner, doing field investigations and developing transportation plans that addressed demographics for urban planning projects. This prepared her for future research assignments where she expanded her knowledge and impact. She later became a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Kansas in 2018, collecting and analyzing data for urban and rural transportation projects to support the center's research goals. Her hard work and talent helped her in securing a full-time job at KUTC. As a Principal Investigator, she leads major projects including, but not limited to, safety, active and public transportation and improves Transportation Center research through novel investigations and team management. Her affiliations in the Institute of Transportation Professionals (ITE), American Planning Association (APA), Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS), ITS Heartland and Young Professionals in Transportation (YPT) demonstrate her broad involvement in the professional transportation sectors.