交通运输研究Biography
Matthew Palm is an Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at UNC Chapel Hill.
Dr. Palm works with public agencies and community organizations to understand how transportation systems affect people’s daily lives. His research focuses on how investments in infrastructure influence travel behavior, health, and economic participation.
Transportation projects often bring both benefits and costs. For example, a new highway may improve access for some travelers while introducing air quality impacts for nearby neighborhoods. Palm studies these trade-offs to help planners design systems that maximize overall public benefit while minimizing unintended harms.
He also examines how barriers in transportation networks—such as long travel times or lack of late-night service—affect access to essential activities like medical care, school, and work. His work explores how reducing these barriers can strengthen communities and support broader policy goals.
Currently, Dr. Palm is studying the travel patterns of shift workers and their families, with attention to the challenges faced by people who travel at night in a 24-hour economy.
Dr. Palm has also published research on housing and transportation in the United States, Canada, and Australia.