Md Asif Raihan

Md Asif Raihan is guided by the words of Steve Jobs: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

It is what drove him to pursue his Ph.D. in civil engineering despite several challenges. He left his young sons behind in his native Bangladesh to pursue his dream. During his time at FIU, he worked day and night, despite several serious and persistent health issues.

Asif’s research focuses on transportation safety. He knows the consequences of traffic crashes firsthand – he lost his youngest uncle in a car accident and his eldest uncle survived an incapacitating injury. He has always believed proper infrastructure and effective traffic management are crucial for safer and efficient transportation systems. He implemented an improved methodology to prioritize where to make traffic safety improvements on highways.

Graduating with a 4.0 GPA, Asif has co-authored six peer-reviewed journal publications, 14 peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and presented at 13 conferences. He won the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) International Best Student Paper Award, the highest recognition at the international level for a transportation student. He is also a Traffic Safety Scholar Award recipient and has been an active ITE student chapter member at FIU.

Asif’s goal is to solve transportation problems across the globe. After graduation, he plans to teach and do research at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. He also hopes to use his research to improve traffic safety in Bangladesh.

By Millie Acebal
Director of Marketing & Communications, College of Engineering & Computing