Memorial Service for Hani Mahmassani
The Northwestern University Transportation Center invites you to join in remembering and celebrating the life of Professor Hani Mahmassani, who passed away on July 15, 2025.
Please join us for a memorial service on
Friday, October 10, 2025, 2 p.m.
Alice Millar Chapel, Northwestern University
1870 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL 60208
Parking: City of Evanston Church St. Self Park (Enter from Church or Clark east of Chicago Ave)
Though not required, please considering registering to help us prepare for the service.
About Professor Hani Mahmassani
Professor Hani Mahmassani, born January 6, 1956, was the William A. Patterson Distinguished Chair in Transportation and director of the Northwestern University Transportation Center. A globally recognized leader in transportation science, he specialized in multimodal transportation systems, dynamic network modeling and optimization, transit network planning and design, dynamics of user behavior and telematics, telecommunication-transportation interactions, large-scale human infrastructure systems, and real-time operation of logistics and distribution systems. He earned his BS in civil engineering from the University of Houston (1976), his MS from Purdue University (1978), and his PhD in transportation systems from MIT (1982).
Hani joined Northwestern in 2007 after appointments at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Maryland. A passionate mentor, he advised over 75 doctoral students, many of whom now lead research and education in the field. His honors include election to the National Academy of Engineering (2021), the Robert Herman Lifetime Achievement Award (2023), and becoming an INFORMS Fellow (2024). He was recognized with numerous other awards for his work and was a prolific and frequently cited author. Around the world, government agencies, research institutions, companies, and the media relied on his expertise.
Beyond academia, Hani was a family man. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, he married Millicent "Milli" I. K. Mahmassani in 1980, whom he met during his graduate studies at Purdue. He was preceded in death by Milli and his parents, Sobhi and Ismat. He is survived by his sons, Amine (Kelsey) and Ziad, girlfriend Sandra Rafael, brothers Ghaleb (Jinane), Malek (Nada), Maher (Hania), as well as many nieces and nephews.
Hani’s brilliance, generosity, and warm spirit enriched colleagues, students, and family alike. His legacy endures in transportation research and in people’s hearts.
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