H. Oliver Gao

H. Oliver Gao is the Howard Simpson Professor of Engineering in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Cornell University. He holds leadership positions as Director of the Systems Engineering Program, Director of the Center for Transportation, Environment, and Community Health, and Associate Director of the Cornell Brooks Center for Infrastructure. His academic background includes dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil Engineering and Environmental Science from Tsinghua University in 1996, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Tsinghua University in 1999, and Master of Science degrees in Statistics and in Agriculture and Resource Economics, as well as a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, all from the University of California, Davis in 2004. Before joining Cornell University, Gao worked in the mathematical and econometric modeling division of TRG Management LP, a hedge fund specializing in emerging markets.

Gao's research interests center on data science, networks and complex systems, engineering computing, statistics and econometrics, and mathematical optimization and operations research for technology, information, and systems management in intelligent and healthy communities across scales. Key areas include innovations in clean technology and community health, blockchain-based verifiability for climate actions in transportation, data-driven digital twins in urban informatics, and sustainability management of infrastructure and environment systems. He has received over $20 million in funding from NSF, US DOT, USDA, and others. Awards include the Inaugural Howard Simpson Professor of Engineering (2021), NSF Research Frontiers Nomination (2016), James and Mary Tien Excellence in Teaching Award (2010), UC Transportation Center Ph.D. Dissertation Award (2004), NSF Future Engineering Education Scholars Award (2002), and others. Select publications are "Design and creation of a racially diverse lung cancer registry with detailed genomic and environmental annotation" (2025), "Machine learning in spatiotemporal PM2.5 hotspots analysis for better targeted mitigation strategies" (2025), "Identifying urban built environment factors in pregnancy care and maternal mental health outcomes" (2021), "Marginal and aggregate social costs of primary PM2.5 and inorganic PM2.5 precursor emissions in the United States" (2016), and "Environmental and economic impacts of localizing food systems: the case of dairy supply chains in the Northeastern U.S." (2015). He served as Editor-in-Chief of Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment.

Professional Email: hg55@cornell.edu