Joseph Schofer

Joseph L. Schofer is an American civil engineer specializing in transportation engineering. He has been a professor, consultant and advisor of transportation systems planning, urban planning, urban infrastructure, and related topics.

He taught his last class at Northwestern University (NU) in June 2023, and retired from departmental duties in fall 2021, having begun at NU in autumn of 1970. A symposium was held in his honor on November 17 and 18, 2023, attracting students and colleagues from all his years of teaching to the Allen Center on the campus in Evanston, Illinois.

Early life and education Schofer earned his B.E. from Yale University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

Career Prior to joining the Northwestern faculty, he taught at the new Chicago Circle campus of the University of Illinois from September 1967 to June 1970,

He has been a member of the Northwestern University faculty since 1970, serving as chairman of the department from 1997 to 2002 and as Interim Dean of the McCormick School during 2004–2005. His research and teaching are in transportation policy planning, analysis, evaluation, and behavior.

Schofer co-hosts a podcast called The Infrastructure Show where he interviews infrastructure experts and posts news stories about infrastructure on a monthly basis. The first program was aired on March 25, 2009, and the most recent episode on November 3, 2023; all podcasts are archived on the website.

He is a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers and a life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Publications

Has published 139 articles and book chapters as well as more than 52 technical reports.

Personal life Joe and his wife Nancy have a son and a daughter.