Faculty
Academic Credentials
Diploma CE National Technical University of Athens, Greece 2001
MSCE Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia 2003
PhD Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 2006
Selected Research Projects
- Evaluating opportunities to enhance the Hoosier State Train ridership through a survey of riders' opinions and an assessment of access to the line, INDOT/JTRP, 2016-2018
- Economic Benefits of Corridor Improvements, INDOT/JTRP, 2014-2017
- Synthesis Study: Best Practices for Maximizing Driver Attention to Work Zone Warning Signs (End of Queue Warning Devices), INDOT/JTRP, 2014-2016
- Heated Airport Pavements-Task 1A Energy and Financial Viability, FAA, 2013-2016
- 21st Century National Energy and Transportation Infrastructures for Balancing Environmental Impacts, Costs, and Resiliency (NETSCORE-21), National Science Foundation EFRI-RESIN, 2008-2013
Employment History
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, Iowa
State University, Ames, Iowa, August 2007–August 2013.
Director, Sustainable Transportation Systems Program, Institute for Transportation, Iowa
State University, Ames, Iowa, August 2011– August 2013.
Associate Director, Mid-American Transportation Center, Region 7 University Transportation Center, US
Department of Transportation, January 2012–August 2013.
Associate Professor, Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Department of Agricultural and Biological
Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, since August 2013.
Presentations and Publications
Refereed journal papers (select list out of 35 papers)
1. Gkritza, K., “Modeling Motorcycle Helmet Use in Iowa: Evidence From Six Roadside Observational Surveys,” Accident Analysis and Prevention, 41(3), 479–484 (2009).
2. Gkritza, K., M.G. Karlaftis, and F.L. Mannering, “Estimating Multimodal Transit Ridership under a Varying Fare Structure,” Transportation Research Part A, 45(2), 148–160 (2011).
3. Rentziou, A., C. Milioti, K. Gkritza, and M.G. Karlaftis, “Urban Road Pricing: Modeling Public Acceptability,” ASCE Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 137(1), 56–64 (2011).
4. Wu, D., D.C. Aliprantis, and K. Gkritza, “Electric Energy and Power Consumption by Light-duty Plug-in Electric Vehicles,” IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 26(2), 738–746 (2011).
5. Gkritza, K., I. Nlenanya, W. Jiang, R. Sperry, and D. Smith, “Infrastructure Impacts of Iowa’s Renewable Energy,” Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2205, 238–246 (2011).
6. Rentziou, A., K. Gkritza, and R. Souleyrette, “VMT, Energy Consumption, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Forecasting for Passenger Transportation,” Transportation Research Part A, 46(3), 487–500 (2012).
7. Lavrenz, S., and K. Gkritza, “Environmental and Energy Impacts of Automated Electric Highway Systems,” Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems, 17 (2), 221-232 (2013).
8. Li, W., K. Gkritza, C. Albrecht, “The Culture of Distracted Driving: Evidence from a Public Opinion Survey in Iowa,” Transportation Research Part F 27: 337-347 (2014).
9. Mudgal, A., S. Hallmark, A. Carriquiry, K. Gkritza, Driving Behavior at a Roundabout: A Hierarchical Bayesian Regression Analysis, Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 26: 20-26 (2014).
10. Troutner, T.J., K. Gkritza, “Impacts of Extended Interstate Closures to Regional Freight Logistics: Case Study of 2011 Interstate 29 Closure,” Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board, Volume 2410: 113-122 (2014).
11. Shaheed, M., K. Gkritza. A Latent Class Analysis of Single-Vehicle Motorcycle Crash Severity Outcomes. Analytic Methods in Accident Research 2: 30-38 (2014).
12. Cerwick, D., K. Gkritza, M. Shaheed, Z. Hans, “A Comparison of the Latent Class and Mixed Logit Methods by Crash Data,” Analytic Methods in Accident Research 3-4: 11-27 (2014).
13. Lavrenz, S.M., V. D. Pyrialakou, K. Gkritza, “Modeling Driver Behavior in Dilemma Zones: A Discrete/Continuous Formulation with Selectivity Bias Corrections,” Analytic Methods in Accident Research 3-4: 44-55 (2014).
14. Krishnan, V., E. Kastrouni, V. D. Pyrialakou, K. Gkritza, J.D. McCalley, “An Optimization Model of U.S. Energy and Transportation Systems: Assessing the Impact of High-Speed Rail on Passenger Transportation Investment,” Transportation Research Part C, 54: 131-156 (2015).
15. Pyrialakou, V.D., K. Gkritza, Fricker, J. “Accessibility, Mobility, and Realized Travel Behavior: Assessing Rural Disadvantage from a Policy Perspective,” Journal of Transport Geography, 51:251-169 (2016).
16. Aldemir Bektas, B., K. Gkritza, O. Smadi, “Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity and Crash Frequency: Segmentation, Imputation and Line Type Effects” ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering (accepted), DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)TE.1943-5436.0000863.
17. Shaheed, M., K. Gkritza, A. Carriquiry, S.L. Hallmark, “Analysis of Occupant Injury Severity in Winter Weather Crashes: A Fully Bayesian Multivariate Approach,” Analytic Methods in Accident Research 11: 33-47 (2016).
18. Chacón-Hurtado, D., E. Bardaka, R. Yang, K. Gkritza, J. Fricker, “Tools for the Wider economic Impact Assessment of Corridor Improvements: Lesson Learned from the FHWA Implementation Assistance Program in Indiana,” ASCE Journal of Transportation Engineering (accepted).
19. Pyrialakou, V.D., Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, K. Gkritza, “Exploring the Use of the TRB Research Needs Statement Database in an Introductory Transportation Course”, Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board (accepted) DOI: 10.3141/2614-02.
20. Lavrenz, S., E. Vlahogianni, K. Gkritza, M.G. Karlaftis, “Time Series Modeling in Traffic Safety Research,” Analytic Methods in Accident Research (under revision, submitted on March 21st, 2016).
1. Ibáñez E., J.D. McCalley, D. Aliprantis, R. Brown, K. Gkritza, A. Somani, and L. Wang, “National Energy and Transportation Systems: Interdependencies within a Long Term Planning Model,” In Proceedings of the IEEE Energy 2030 Conference, November 17–18, Atlanta, Georgia (2008).
2. Baird, M., K. Gkritza, R. Souleyrette, and B. Danielson, “Empirical Bayes Model to Assess Deer-Vehicle Crash Safety in Urban Areas in Iowa,” In Proceedings of the 90th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 23–27, Washington DC (2011).
3. Kastrouni, E., K. Gkritza, and M.G. Karlaftis, “Causal Linkages between Public Capital, Private Capital, and Economic Growth,” In Proceedings of the International Transportation Economic Development Conference (I-TED 2011), May 1–3, Charleston, West Virginia (2011).
4. Shaheed, M., D. Marshall, K. Gkritza, “Factors Affecting Motorcycle Conspicuity – A Driving Simulator-Based Study,” In Proceedings of the 92nd Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 13–17, Washington DC (2013).
5. Wang, T., R. Souleyrette, K. Gkritza, “Incorporating Safety into Transportation Planning at Smaller Agencies,” In Proceedings of the 92nd Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 13–17, Washington DC (2013).
6. Gao, J., B. Aldemir Bektas, K. Gkritza, O. Smadi, and N. Hawkins, “The Relationship Between Asset Condition and Safety on Primary Roads in Iowa,” In Proceedings of the 92nd Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 13–17, Washington DC (2013).
7. Pyrialakou, V.D., I. Nlenanya, K. Gkritza, “Passenger Transportation Networks and Urbanization Level: Comparison of Classification Schemes,” In Proceedings of the 93rd Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 12–16, Washington DC (2014).
8. Pyrialakou, V.D., K. Gkritza, M.G. Karlaftis, “An Econometric Analysis of Automobile Demand by Automobile Type in Greece,” In Proceedings of the 55th Annual Transportation Research Forum, March 13-15, San Jose, California (2014).
9. Pyrialakou, V.D., K. Gkritza. “A Comprehensive Framework for Assessing Passenger Rail Services: A Case Study of the Hoosier State Line,” In Proceedings of the 2014 Joint Rail Conference, April 2-4, Colorado Springs, Colorado (2014).
10. Shaheed, M., K. Gkritza, S. L. Hallmark, K. K. Knapp, “An Application of the Empirical Bayes Method for Identifying Winter Weather Crash Hot Spots,” In Proceedings of the 94th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 12–16, Washington DC (2015).
11. Pyrialakou, V.D., K. Gkritza. “Passenger Rail in Indiana: From our Past to our Future,” In Proceedings of the 2015 Joint Rail Conference, March 23-26, San Jose, California (2015).
12. Bardaka, E., V.D. Pyrialakou, K. Gkritza, “Assessing the Socioeconomic Effects of Rail Development: An Exploration of Displacement and Gentrification,” In Proceedings of the 95th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 10–14, Washington DC (2016).
13. Chacón-Hurtado, D., E. Bardaka, R. Yang, K. Gkritza, J. Fricker, “Wider Economic Impact Assessment of Transportation Projects at the Middle-Stage Planning Level: An Application of the SHRP2 C11 Tools and a Regional Economic Model,” In Proceedings of the 95th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 10–14, Washington DC (2016).
14. Bailey, A., K. Gkritza, J. Frankenberger, J. Fricker, “Low Income, Supermarket Accessibility, and the Transportation Network: Identifying Areas of Poor Accessibility,” In Proceedings of the 95th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 10–14, Washington DC (2016).
15. Pyrialakou, V.D., K. Gkritza. “Exploring the Opinions of Passengers and the General Public on Passenger Rail Transportation: Evidence from the Hoosier State Train,” In Proceedings of the 2016 Joint Rail Conference, April 12-15, Columbia, South Carolina (2016).
16. Anand, P., H. Ceylan , D. V. Pyrialakou , K. Gkritza, P. C. Taylor, K. Gopalakrishnan and S. Kim, “Economic Assessment of Heated Pavements for Large Hub Airports,” In Proceedings of the ASCE/T&DI International Conference on Transportation & Development, June 26-29, Houston, Texas (2016).
17. Pyrialakou, V.D., K. Gkritza, S. S. Liu, “Exploring Stakeholders’ Participation in Transportation Planning: A Focus Group on Intercity Passenger Rail”, Accepted for presentation at the 96th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 8–12, Washington DC (2017).
18. Saeed, T.U., Y. Qiao, S. Chen, K. Gkritza, S. Labi, “Probabilistic Estimation of Bridge Component Condition: Accounting for Sojourn Durations, Repair Action Effectiveness and Heterogeneity”, Accepted for presentation at the 96th Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, January 8–12, Washington DC (2017).
19. Pyrialakou, V.D., Heidi A. Diefes-Dux, K. Gkritza, “The Use of a Research Needs Statement Database for Project Topic Selection in an Undergraduate Civil Engineering Course”, 2017 American Society of Engineering Education Annual Conference and Exposition, June 25 - 28, Columbus, Ohio (2017).
Books and chapters in books
1. Gkritza, K., J. Collura, D. Teodorovic and S. Tignor, “An Analysis of the Characteristics of Emergency Vehicle Operations,” Transport Science and Technology, Chapter 25, edited by K. Goulias, Elsevier Ltd., Oxford, U.K. (2007).
2. Ibáñez, E., K., Gkritza, J. McCalley, D. Aliprantis, R. Brown, A. Somani, and L. Wang, “Interdependencies between Energy and Transportation Systems for National Long Term Planning,” Sustainable and Resilient Critical Infrastructure Systems, Springer-Verlag Inc. (2010).
3. Gkritza, K., I. Nlenanya, W. Jiang, R. Sperry, and D. Smith, “Bioeconomy and Transportation Infrastructure Impacts,” Green Energy and Technology: Bioenergy and Bioproducts, Springer-Verlag Inc. (2012).
4. Gkritza, K., “Chapter 24: Transportation, Energy and the Environment,” Handbook of Transportation, Routledge (2015).
Technical Reports (select list out of 16 reports):
1. Gkritza, K., W. Zhang, and S. Nambisan. “Evaluation of Iowa’s Driver Improvement Program.” Final report prepared for the Iowa Motor Vehicle Division and Iowa Department of Transportation, InTrans Project 08-329, (2009).
2. Gkritza, K., M. Baird, and Z. Hans. “An Assessment of Traffic Safety in Urban Deer Herd Management Zones in Iowa.” Final report prepared for the Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, InTrans Project 08-328 (2010).
3. Gkritza, K., D. Smith, R. Sperry, I. Nlenanya, and W. Jiang G. “Iowa’s Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Impacts.” Final report prepared for the Iowa Highway Research Board (TR-593), InTrans Project 08-334 (2010).
4. Gkritza, K., W. Zhang, and Z. Hans. “Enhancing Motorcycle Conspicuity Awareness in Iowa,” Final report prepared for the Iowa Department of Transportation, InTrans Project 09-355 (2010).
5. Gkritza, K., T. Wang, and R. Souleyrette. “A Transportation Safety Planning Tool for the City of Ames,” Final report prepared for the City of Ames, Iowa Department of Transportation, and Midwest Transportation Consortium, InTrans Project 09-360 (2011).
6. Gkritza, K., and C. Albrecht. “Improving Traffic Safety Culture in Iowa,” Final report prepared for the Iowa Department of Transportation, InTrans Project 09-357 (2011).
7. Gkritza, K., Marshall, D., and M. Shaheed, “Motorcycle Conspicuity – What Factors Have the Greatest Impact,” Final report prepared for the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Midwest Transportation Consortium, MTC Project 2011-01 (2012).
8. Smadi, O., N. Hawkins, K. Gkritza, B. Aldemir-Bektas, and J Gao. “Asset Management and Safety: A Performance Perspective,” Final report prepared for the Midwest Transportation Consortium, MTC Project 2009-01 (2012).
9. Gkritza, K., C. Albrecht, W. Li. “Improving Traffic Safety Culture in Iowa-Phase II,” Final report prepared for the Iowa Department of Transportation, InTrans Project 11-398 (2013).
10. Hans, Z., K. Gkritza, D. Cerwick, Y. Huang, and I. Nlenanya. “Statewide Heavy Truck Crash Assessment,” Final report prepared for the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Mid-America Transportation Center, InTrans Project 12-437, WBS: 25 1121 0003 136 (2014).
11. Hans, Z., N. Hawkins, K. Gkritza, M. Shaheed, and I. Nlenanya. “Winter Weather Safety-Phase III,” Final report prepared for the Iowa Department of Transportation, InTrans Project 11-399 (2014).
12. Qian, X., A. Sadri, S. Ukkusuri, K. Gkritza, “SPR-3901: Best Practices for Maximizing Driver Attention to Work Zone Warning Signs,” Final Report (FHWA/IN/JTRP) prepared for Indiana Department of Transportation (2015).
13. Chacón-Hurtado, D., R. Yang, E. Bardaka, K. Gkritza, J. Fricker, “SHRP2 Tools for Assessing the Wider Economic Benefits of Transportation (C11)- Implementation Assistance,” Final Report prepared for Indiana Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Transportation. (2015).
14. Anand, P., H. Ceylan, D. V. Pyrialakou , K. Gkritza, P. C. Taylor, K. Gopalakrishnan and S. Kim, “Task 1-A: Energy and Financial Viability of Heated Pavement Systems Final Report,” Federal Aviation Administration (2016).
Invited colloquium/seminar series presentations
1. “Discrete Choice Analysis,” Seminar presented at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, December 2009.
2. “Transportation and Energy Interdependencies: Implications for Infrastructure Design,” Seminar presented at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, February 26, 2015.
3. “Economic Impact Assessment of Transportation Projects at the Early- and Middle-stage Planning Levels,” Workshop 135: Benefit-Cost Analysis to Inform Planning, Programming, and Design Decisions, TRB 95th Annual Meeting, January 10-14, 2016, Washington, D.C.
4. “Transportation and Energy Interdependencies: Implications for Investment Planning and Finance,” Seminar presented at the 17th Annual Technical Day, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, March 25, 2015.
Teaching
Courses taught
Iowa State University
CE 355 Principles of Transportation Engineering
CE 556 Transportation Data Analysis
TRANS 555 Economic Analysis of Transportation Investments
CE 552 Traffic Safety
Purdue University
CE 361 Introduction to Transportation Engineering
CE 561 Transportation Systems Evaluation
CE 614 Statistical and Econometric Methods I
Student Mentoring
Graduate Student Mentoring: To date, Dr. Gkritza has advised and mentored 22 graduate students from diverse backgrounds: 3 doctoral and 19 masters (including seven female) students. Her students have been employed across all sectors: ten are employed in the industry, four are employed in the public sector, and three pursued academic/research jobs. Five of these students are pursuing an advanced degree in other universities. Currently, she advises 4 PhD students (including 1 female student). In addition, she has served (or is currently serving) on 14 MS thesis committees (two at Purdue University) and 16 PhD committees (eight at Purdue University and two outside US). Dr. Gkritza meets with the group weekly and encourages collaboration within the group, particularly among students working on similar research areas, students coming from diverse backgrounds (engineers, economists or planners) as well as between senior and junior students bringing excellent mentoring opportunities. Under her tutelage, 15 students have won 40 nationally, regionally and university-competitive scholarships and awards. Most notably, 3 female students have won the Women’s Transportation Seminar Scholarships, and 2 female and 3 male students in her group have won the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship, probably the most prestigious fellowship for transportation students. Dr. Gkritza received the 2016 Outstanding Engineering Graduate Student Mentor in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University.
Undergraduate Student Mentoring: To date, Dr. Gkritza has mentored 17 undergraduate students (six of whom are females including one female Hispanic) in multidisciplinary senior design teams, Honors projects, independent studies and as undergraduate research assistants; 8 of these students decided to pursue graduate studies (4 of whom under her supervision). Dr. Gkritza has also served as academic advisor of 5 undergraduate students in the school and a co-advisor of the Purdue Micro-Hydropower (MHP) team, as part of Purdue’s Global Engineering Program.
Service
Memberships in academic, professional and scholarly societies
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American Society of Civil Engineers (since 2003)
- T&DI Planning, Economics and Finance Committee (since 2010)
- American Society for Engineering Education (since 2008)
- Institute of Transportation Engineers (since 2003)
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International Road Federation (since 2006)
- Committee on Road Finance and Economics (since 2010)
- North American Colleges & Teachers of Agriculture (since 2014)
- Society of Women Engineers (since 2005)
- Transportation Research Forum (since 2014)
- Tau Beta Pi (since 2006)
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Transportation Research Board
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Committee on Transportation and Economic Development
- Member since 2006
- Paper review coordinator, 2009–2012
- Co-Chair since 2014
- Committee on Transportation Economics (Member 2008-2013)
- Committee on Freight Transportation Economics and Regulation (Member since 2009)
- Planning and Environment Group Young Member Council (Member 2010-2013)
- Committee on Motorcycles and Mopeds (since 2012)
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Committee on Transportation and Economic Development
Service to government or professional organization
National Science Foundation proposal reviewer for the ENG/NSF Environmental Sustainability Program, December 2–3, 2008.
Editor for the publications sponsored by the Transportation and Economic Development Committee, Transportation Research Record, Journal of the Transportation Research Board (since 2009).
Associate Editor, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Journal of Transportation Engineering (since 2011).
Guest Editor, Special Issue on ITS Applications for the Environment and Energy Conservation, Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems: Technology, Planning, and Operations, Taylor & Francis (2011–2012).
Grant reviewer for METRANS, the US DOT University Transportation Centers at University of Southern California, May 2011.
Grant reviewer for Region 2 University Transportation Research Center at City College of New York (CCNY), July 2011.
Transportation Research Board, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Synthesis Study 44-02, “Using the Economic Value Created by Transportation to Fund Transportation,” 2012–2013.
National Science Foundation proposal reviewer for the Civil Infrastructure Systems program in Transportation, December 4–5, 2013.
Transportation Research Board, National Cooperative Highway Research Program Project 08-99, “Methodology for Estimating the Value of Travel Time Reliability for Truck Freight System Users,” 2013–2014.
Guest Editor, Special Issue on Transportation and Economic Development of the Journal Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier (2015-2016).
Editorial Board, The International Journal of Transportation Science and Technology (IJTST), Elsevier (effective January 2016).
National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Fellowship Program Panelist, Sociology & Geographic Sciences, January 2017.
International program activities
External reviewer for the research program ‘Archimedes III’, which aims at the Enhancement of Research Groups at the Technological Educational Institutes of Greece, Greek Ministry for Education, Life Long Learning and Religious Affairs, 2011.
External reviewer for the research program ‘Thalis’, which aims at the Interdisciplinary or/and Interdepartmental Research and Innovation with the Prospect for Recruitment of High-Level Researchers from Abroad via the Implementation of Basic and Applied High-Quality Research, Greek Ministry for Education, Life Long Learning and Religious Affairs, 2011.
Global Engineering Program, Purdue Micro-Hydropower Global Design Team, co-advisor, since 2014.
Session Chair of International Conferences
Member, PhD Committees, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Member, PhD Committees, Monash University, Victoria, Australia