UCLA urban planning professor Brian Taylor has been named National Associate of the National Research Council, the operating arm of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, for his longtime service to the organization’s Transportation Research Board.

Taylor, who also serves as the director of both the Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and the Institute of Transportation Studies at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, was one of nine individuals recognized nationwide for his pro bono publico, or voluntary service, “with distinction” to the board.

“This service is valued, honored and appreciated by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, as well as by the government and the public at large,” said Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academies and chair of NRC. “Our work in advising government and the public on matters of science, engineering and health would not be possible without these contributions.”

“The Luskin School of Public Affairs is extremely proud of this recognition of professor Brian Taylor,” said Lois Takahashi, interim dean of the UCLA School of Public Affairs. “In addition to his stellar research, teaching and mentoring, we all know Brian as a tireless advocate for better and more accessible transportation options for all.”

Taylor, whose research is focused on transportation and planning, said as an example of this work for the board, he most recently served as the committee chair for a report, “Between Public and Private Mobility: Examining the Rise of Technology-Enabled Transportation Services.”

The report contains policy recommendations related to today’s “sharing economy” and the rapidly emerging technology-enabled transportation services sector, which enables people to access transportation via their smartphones. These include on-demand services such as bike-sharing, car-sharing and transportation network companies, including Uber and Lyft, Taylor said.

Taylor, who received his Ph.D. in urban planning at UCLA in 1992 and joined the UCLA Luskin School in 1994, has been a program reviewer for the Planning Accreditation Board and is a Fellow in the American Institute of Certified Planners.

To read the complete story, go to the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs website.