Saikat Dutta

Following my PhD in India, I expanded my research horizons through postdoctoral research positions in South Korea and the United Kingdom. These experiences exposed me to diverse research cultures, industrial ecosystems, and approaches to innovation, further strengthening my interest in how engineering solutions can be adapted to different societal, economic, and geographical contexts.

This perspective led me to the University of Leeds, where I have continued to develop research at the intersection of engineering innovation and sustainable development. My work combines modelling, simulation, sensing, and control approaches with a growing interest in systems-level questions surrounding transport decarbonisation, climate resilience, and future mobility transitions. While my technical expertise lies in vehicle dynamics, intelligent transportation systems, electric and autonomous vehicles, and cyber-physical systems, I am increasingly interested in understanding how mobility technologies and infrastructure transitions can contribute to addressing global challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, and equitable access to transportation. In particular, I am interested in the opportunities and challenges facing the Global South, where rapid urbanisation, infrastructure limitations, and development priorities create unique pathways towards sustainable and resilient mobility systems.

A particular area of interest is the role of transport and mobility in achieving net-zero ambitions while ensuring that sustainability transitions are inclusive and globally equitable. I am interested in the opportunities and challenges faced by countries in the Global South, where rapid urbanisation, infrastructure constraints, resource limitations, and development priorities often shape the adoption of emerging mobility technologies differently from high-income nations.

My work seeks to connect advanced engineering methods with questions of climate resilience, transport decarbonisation, sustainable infrastructure, mobility justice, and technology access. I am particularly interested in interdisciplinary research that combines engineering with environmental science, public policy, economics, social sciences, and development studies to better understand and address complex socio-technical challenges.

Ultimately, I am motivated by the question of how engineering innovation can be designed and deployed not only to improve technical performance but also to support sustainable, resilient, and socially beneficial futures across diverse global contexts.

• Mathematical modelling and simulation
• Control systems engineering
• Vehicle dynamics modelling
• System identification and data analysis
• Digital twin development
• Optimisation techniques
• Computational modelling
• Hardware-in-the-loop and experimental validation
• Sensor integration and embedded systems
• Systems engineering approaches

I am particularly interested in using computational and systems-thinking approaches to study complex socio-technical systems where technical, environmental, economic, and human factors interact.

In particular, I would welcome collaborations with colleagues in:

• Social sciences and behavioural research
• Sustainability and environmental assessment
• Public policy and governance
• Data science and artificial intelligence
• Economics and business
• Transport studies and urban planning
• Climate and environmental sciences
• Human factors and psychology
• Health and wellbeing research

I am especially interested in interdisciplinary projects that combine quantitative modelling with qualitative, societal, or policy perspectives. I also welcome opportunities to develop joint funding applications, co-supervise students, share research infrastructure, and explore new methodologies for studying complex socio-technical systems.