Dr. Khattak is an Assistant Professor who holds joint appointments in the Transportation and Urban Infrastructure Studies and the Center for AI and Machine Learning Systems. Before this, he was a Systems Scientist at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and served as a faculty member at Heinz College. Prior to joining CMU, Dr. Khattak worked as an R&D Staff Scientist focusing on Emerging Mobility Technologies at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

His research interests lie at the intersection of simulation and big data analytics for smart mobility systems. This includes operations and management, safety, energy efficiency, cybersecurity assessment, and the evaluation of connected and automated vehicles, as well as intelligent transportation systems. Other areas of focus include the integration of automation and electrification, shared-use mobility, and human-technology interaction.

Dr. Khattak's research utilizes micro and meso-simulation, control theory, optimization, machine learning, and statistical modeling. His work has received support from various federal and state agencies, including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, and Fujitsu Mobility. He is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).