Marisa Auguste is Research Associate at the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC) at the University of Connecticut (UConn). Conducting social science research in transportation, her primary focus is on human behavior in the driving environment. A large part of her work involves analyzing statewide data to identify vulnerable populations and patterns of behavior that are positively correlated with increased motor vehicle crash risk. Her research projects have focused on COVID-19’s impact on crashes, cannabis use and driving, teenage mobility, and the intersection of human trafficking and transportation. Utilizing a background in sociology and criminology, Ms. Auguste relies on theory and behavior modification practices based in these disciplines.

In addition to her research interests, Ms. Auguste continues to be an active member of the social science and transportation communities. She serves as a manuscript reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals and is also an active member of Connecticut’s statewide impaired driving and pedestrian safety task forces. Her research has been published in Transportation Research Record, Accident Analysis & Prevention, Traffic Injury Prevention, and Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives.

Current research projects: Linkage and analysis of motor vehicle crash data with related toxicology, citation, and public health data; cannabis use and driving