In Memoriam: Matthew G. Karlaftis

It is with great sorrow that we report the loss of an eminent scholar, a widely respected educator, and an associate editor of the Journal of Transportation Engineering, Dr. Matthew G. Karlaftis of the School of Civil Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece. Professor Karlaftis passed away unexpectedly in June 2014 at an age that was simply far too young. He was born in 1969 in Athens, Greece, and earned his B.S.C.E. and M.S.C.E. degrees from the University of Miami and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Purdue University. He also received an M.Sc. in mathematics from the University of Miami.

Professor Karlaftis did extensive work in the areas of urban transportation, transportation planning and operations, and emergency response. He had an affinity for statistics and optimization, so most of his work was quantitatively driven. He was a coauthor of an international bestselling book on transportation econometrics and statistics, two textbooks on transportation planning and public transportation, many book chapters, more than 100 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and many publications in conference proceedings, all highly cited worldwide. He participated in more than 45 national and European research projects as the principal or coprincipal investigator. He was deeply involved in editorial activities. He served as the editor in chief for Transportation Research Part C, European editor of ASCE’s Journal of Transportation Engineering, associate editor of ASCE’s Journal of Infrastructure Systems, and an editorial board member for eight other journals. He was the recipient of the Fulbright Scholar Grant (2006–2007), the ASCE Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize (2005), the TRB ABJ80 Best Paper Award (2009), and the ASCE State-of-the-Art Paper Award (2011). He served on many technical committees and was a member of a variety of professional organizations and honor societies in Greece and the United States. He had a long association with the Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers where he served as vice president (2010–2012) and president (2012–2014).

Professor Karlaftis loved teaching. At NTUA, he taught transportation planning, public transportation operations, transportation statistics, and introduction to optimization. He was also a mentor to a large number of undergraduate and graduate students who received his unconditional support and encouragement. Several of his former students are now serving on the faculty of several universities in the United States and Europe.

Professor Karlaftis was an accomplished athlete; he was a walk on for the University of Miami track and field team and held its fifth highest record in javelin. In recent years, he was the curator of the water polo teams for adults as well as for children at the Pan-Athenian Athletic Club (Panathinaikos). He was also very active in his community; he served as vice president of the Philodassiki Enosi Athinon (which has a mission to reforest derelict land, encourage forest stewardship, and protect the natural environment in Athens, Greece).

Professor Karlaftis is remembered by his colleagues and friends in the transportation community in Greece and worldwide as an innovative and creative thinker, an optimistic and energetic researcher, and an educator leader with much warmth and humility. Professor Karlaftis will always remain a source of inspiration and pride for NTUA, Purdue, his associates in ASCE, and all those whose lives were touched by him.

Apart from being an accomplished scholar and an educator, Professor Karlaftis was devoted to his family and friends. He is survived by his father George, brother Aris, and his wife Amy and their four children, George, John, Annie, and Nicolas.