Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ilaria Henke | Environmental Science | Best Researcher Award

Universitas Mercatorum | Italy

Author Profile

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Early Academic Pursuits

Ilaria Henke’s academic journey began with a strong focus on civil and transport engineering, where she cultivated a deep interest in the interaction between infrastructure, mobility, and social development. Early in her career, she explored themes such as the accessibility of railway systems, the role of station design in influencing user behavior, and the broader socio-economic impacts of transport networks. Her formative years were marked by research on cost-benefit analysis, sustainability in mobility planning, and innovative approaches to infrastructure evaluation, which provided a solid foundation for her later academic and professional contributions.

Professional Endeavors

As an academic and researcher, Dr. Henke has been affiliated with the University of Naples Federico II and has collaborated with several national and international institutions. She has taken part in projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Education and international organizations, focusing on sustainable transport, electric mobility, and resilience in road networks. Her professional trajectory also includes roles as guest editor and board member of reputed journals, as well as teaching appointments in doctoral programs in Italy and abroad. Notably, she contributed as a teaching assistant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she engaged with advanced topics on transportation networks and smart mobility.

Contributions and Research Focus

Dr. Henke’s research is distinguished by its multidimensional approach to transport systems. She has extensively studied public transport quality, user perceptions, and decision-making models under uncertainty. Her work spans from the evaluation of high-speed rail impacts on regional equity to the role of urban transport policies in fostering sustainability. She has also investigated the challenges of post-pandemic mobility, resilience of road networks against disruptions, and the integration of big data in mobility planning. Her contributions to understanding gender differences in transport perception and the decarbonization pathways for road mobility demonstrate her commitment to socially inclusive and environmentally responsible research.

Accolades and Recognition

Her scholarly impact has been recognized through awards and distinctions. One of her early co-authored works on public transport quality received the Best Paper Award at the International Conference on Sustainable City and Public Transportation. More recently, a collaborative article reflecting on transport revolutions and their historical evolution was awarded as one of the best papers published in Ingegneria Ferroviaria. Beyond awards, her editorial leadership in special issues of international journals and participation in high-level research projects highlight the recognition she enjoys within the academic community.

Impact and Influence

Dr. Henke’s work has influenced both scholarly research and practical transport planning. Through collaborations with public and private organizations, she has contributed to methodologies for traffic forecasting, mobility surveys, and corporate commuting plans. Her involvement in European and Italian projects has helped shape discussions on sustainable mobility, decarbonization strategies, and innovative transport services such as Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). Moreover, her lectures and doctoral supervision have inspired the next generation of researchers, ensuring that her expertise is disseminated across academic and professional spheres.

Legacy and Future Contributions

The breadth of Dr. Henke’s research demonstrates her capacity to bridge theory with practice in transportation science. Her legacy lies in integrating sustainability, resilience, and equity into the core of mobility research. Looking ahead, her leadership roles in national and international projects, combined with her editorial activities, suggest that she will continue to shape the academic discourse on transport engineering. Her focus on technological innovation, digitalization of transport systems, and decarbonization pathways positions her to make enduring contributions to the global pursuit of sustainable mobility.

Publications

Transport quality and user perception: Effect of bus station hedonic quality on student trip behavior
Authors: Armando Cartenì, Ilaria Henke, Antonella Falanga, Mariarosaria Picone
Journal: Journal of Transport Geography
Year: 2025

Vulnerability and resilience analysis of road network: A systematic literature review using Bibliometrix
Authors: Tahseen Bashir, Angela Stefania Bergantino, Gianmarco Troiani, Ilaria Henke, Francesca Pagliara
Journal: Sustainable Futures
Year: 2025

Gender differences in perceived metro station service quality in post-COVID19 pandemic era
Authors: Gabriella Mazzulla, Armando Cartenì, Laura Eboli, Antonella Falanga, Ilaria Henke
Journal: Research in Transportation Economics
Year: 2025

A methodology to estimate the benefits and costs of stakeholder engagement in a transport decision-making process
Authors: Francesca Pagliara, Wael El-Ansari, Ilaria Henke
Journal: Smart and Sustainable Built Environment
Year: 2025

Scenarios of fuel vectors trajectories in the Italian road vehicle fleet to 2030 and their impacts on EU GHG reduction targets
Authors: Davide Di Domenico, Carlo Beatrice, Ilaria Henke, Mariarosaria Picone, Armando Cartenì, Ennio Cascetta
Journal: Frontiers in Future Transportation
Year: 2025

Conclusion

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ilaria Henke emerges as a scholar whose career reflects both academic rigor and societal relevance. From her early studies on transport accessibility to her recent explorations of big data applications and climate-conscious mobility strategies, she has consistently advanced knowledge in the field of transportation planning and sustainability. Her professional endeavors, international collaborations, and recognized achievements underscore her influence as a leading researcher. As mobility systems face pressing challenges in resilience, inclusivity, and environmental responsibility, her work continues to provide a valuable framework for shaping the transport systems of the future.