Shirley Shiqin Liu is a researcher at the Accessibility Observatory in the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies. Her research leverages spatial data and analytical methods and tools to address interdisciplinary challenges in transportation accessibility, urban health, sustainability, and regional economics. In her role in the Observatory, Liu's work focuses on measuring and analyzing multimodal accessibility to destinations using open-source data and reproducible data science methods, closely working with state departments of transportation and local transportation agencies.
Liu holds a PhD in public policy from Northeastern University and a master's degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Iowa. She has collaborated with diverse teams of faculty, researchers, and practitioners to design and deliver data-driven projects and research studies across transportation, urban planning and policy initiatives. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Geographical Analysis, Lancet Global Health, Economic Development Quarterly, and Journal of Urban Affairs.