Spatial Analysis with Big Data

Join us for a conversation about Dr. Dan O'Brien's new book, The Pointillistic City: How Microspatial Inequalities Affect Well-being in Our Communities, and What We Can Do about it. O'Brien explores the multilayer geography of our daily lives--specifically, how we simultaneously live at the scales of addresses, streets, and neighborhoods and how each can be relevant for our well-being. This work surfaces microspatial inequities, or disparities in experiences between people living in the same neighborhood, even right around the corner from each other. Microspatial inequities have gone largely unnoticed to date, and their recognition offers a new approach to understanding and supporting the diverse population of the city.

About Dr. Dan O'Brien

Dr. Dan O’Brien is Associate Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, and Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University. He is also the Director of the Boston Area Research Initiative (BARI), a premier research center that pioneers the use of digital data to inform urban policy and enhance community well-being.

Dr. O’Brien’s research focuses on leveraging large-scale datasets to address a wide range of urban issues including crime, education, transportation, public health, and climate resilience. His work often emphasizes the intersection of data science and social equity, aiming to improve the quality of life in cities. His book, The Urban Commons (Harvard University Press, 2018), received the American Political Science Association’s Dennis Judd Best Book Award for urban and local politics. Dr. O’Brien’s recent textbook, Urban Informatics (CRC Press, 2022), is freely available online and used in urban informatics programs around the world.

In addition to his academic work, Dr. O’Brien has designed and directed programs that support the application of urban informatics, including BARI’s annual conference, which connects researchers, policymakers, and community organizations.