My current research mainly focuses on pedestrian movement behavior analysis, prediction of pedestrian movement, and pedestrian and vehicle traffic flow dynamics. In particular, I am interested in studying how pedestrians move in different traffic conditions, and how to precisely predict pedestrian movement/traffic. Up to now, I have published approximately 40 peer-reviewed articles in my areas. Besides, my research has been featured in some popular media outlets, including Wired, Physics Magazine, La Vanguardia, and Asia Research News.

Representative research results

1. Ma, Y., Lee, E. W. M., Shi, M., & Yuen, R. K. K. (2021). Spontaneous synchronization of motion in pedestrian crowds of different densities. Nature human behaviour, 5, 447-457. 

2. Ma, Y., Niu, Z., Shi, M., Xie, W., Hu, Z., Wei, Y., Zeng, T., & Lee, E. W. M. (2025). Unraveling human crowd dynamics through the foot tracking of pedestrians. Science Advances, 11, eadw2688. 

3. Ma, Y., Sun, Y. Y., Lee, E. W. M., & Yuen, R. K. K. (2018). Pedestrian stepping dynamics in single-file movement. Physical Review E, 98, 062311. 

4. Ma, Y., Lee, E. W., Hu, Z., Shi, M., & Yuen, R. K. (2019). An intelligence-based approach for prediction of microscopic pedestrian walking behavior. IEEE transactions on intelligent transportation systems, 20, 3964-3980.

5. Ma, Y., Lee, E. W. M., & Yuen, R. K. K. (2016). An artificial intelligence-based approach for simulating pedestrian movement. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 17, 3159-3170.