New York University Center for Urban Science and Progress - CUSP

Join our next Research Seminar on "Development of Sustainable Urban Digital Twin with Computational Urban Management" featuring Professor Yoshihide Sekimoto. Explore how smart cities prioritize technology, but sustainable collaboration with citizens is crucial for inclusive urban development!

Happening on May 7th from 11:00am-12:00pm, ET at 370 Jay St., Room 1325.

Register Now: https://ow.ly/8ykz50RsOCZ

Join us for NYU CUSPxTransitTechies: Investigating NYC’s Privately Owned Public Spaces featuring Urvashi Uberoy, Senior Newsroom Engineer, New York Times.

Discover the untold stories behind privately owned public spaces (POPS) and the trade-offs developers make with the city.

Happening on Friday, May 3rd, 5:30-7:30PM at 370 Jay St!

Register Now: https://ow.ly/ffBF50RntYm

Can't make it in-person? Join us on Zoom and register here: https://ow.ly/Whn050RntYl

For our final Research Seminar of the semester, explore the transformative potential of AI in high-stakes decision-making! Join us for a talk by Professor Maytal Saar-Tsechansky of the University of Texas Austin on producing personalized AI advisors.

Discover a framework reshaping human-AI collaboration on May 3rd, 12-1 PM ET.

Register now: https://ow.ly/HwZu50QiNTp

Join us for our next Research Seminar on "Accelerating the Energy Transition with Industrial Impact" featuring Micah Kotch, Partner at Blackhorn Ventures. Discover the pivotal role of startups that are using AI, robotics, automation, and distributed energy resources to transform sectors like transportation, real estate, supply chain, and energy.

Happening on April 26th, 12 pm-1 pm ET, at 370 Jay Street, Room 1201. Hybrid access is available!

Register now: https://ow.ly/HhY050Qqusa

Join us for our Research Seminar on "Next-Generation Emergency Response Network Design through Drone-Bystander-Ambulance Coordination" featuring Prof. Lavanya Marla, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This talk will propose optimizing drone-bystander-ambulance networks for OHCA response, integrating community response in their modeling framework.

Happening on April 23rd, 10:30 am-11:30 am ET, at 370 Jay Street, Room 1201.

Register now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/880154424577?aff=oddtdtcreator

Join us for an informative talk on April 25th at 11 am ET where we will explore the connection between virtual reality (VR), geography, and the human senses!

🎥 This event will take you on a journey through the use of 360° photography, videography, and digital 3D modeling to create virtual landscapes that immerse you in the experience of the physical world.

🏔️Explore the possibilities of virtual landscapes and discover how VR is more than just entertainment; it's a powerful tool for scientific research and a deeper understanding of human-environment interactions.

Meet our speakers, a team of researchers from the University of Łódź:
-Marta Nalej: Assistant Professor, geographer, and engineer specializing in geodesy, cartography, and Spatial Information Systems
-Katarzyna Leśniewska-Napierała: Assistant Professor and socio-economic geography researcher
-Tomasz Napierała: Assistant Professor and renowned researcher in urban geography and tourism studies, and Secretary General of the Polish Geographical Society

Register now:

Geographical Research of Landscape Perception Explore the connection between virtual reality (VR), geography, and the human senses.

Join us for our next Research Seminar featuring Dr. Eric Corbett of Google’s Responsible AI and Human-Centered Technology organization. Learn about the complexities (and contradictions) of transparency within cities, drawing on insights from a series of public workshops in collaboration with NYC government officials where residents materialized their transparency concerns about several sensors deployed throughout the city.

Happening on April 12th, 12 pm-1 pm ET, at 370 Jay Street, Room 1325. Hybrid access available!

Register Now: https://ow.ly/K7qu50Qqu40

NYU Tandon School of Engineering

Join us for our research seminar series on "Urban High-Technology Zones" with Dr. Zandi of San Jose State University. Gain essential planning insights for our high-tech economy, exploring the built environment, policy factors, and quality-of-life impacts of tech clusters.

Happening on April 5th, 12 pm-1 pm ET, at 370 Jay Street, Room 1325. Hybrid access is available!

Register now: https://ow.ly/CsJw50Qqukt

Why should you submit a CUSP Capstone Proposal?

The CUSP Capstone Program is a great way to gain valuable experience in data-driven problem solving and make a real difference in your community. Tailored for CUSP excellence, this program empowers you to shape the future of urban science.

Turn your visionary ideas into tangible projects, collaborate with CUSP peers, receive faculty mentorship, and showcase your expertise.

Don't miss out on this chance to make a difference! Sponsor Applications are due April 12th.

Visit our website to learn more: https://ow.ly/ir2i50QzluB

Some of our graduate students are spending spring break on a site visit to Washington, DC for the Special Topics in Urban Science: City Immersion course!

While NYC always serves as our main laboratory, this course helps students discover parallels and differences between cities as an emerging urban data scientist. Students can co-develop their own research questions including:

● The nature of cities, their organization and experience
● Identified areas of need in terms of infrastructure, health, environments
● Proposed solutions in the form of a digital report or policy brief, a dashboard or interactive map

Where will we head to next!?

Join us for a talk on reshaping urban infrastructure for a sustainable future with Dr. Markus Schläpfer, Assistant Professor at Columbia University in the Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics!

Discover how innovative computational methods and urban data are revolutionizing city planning. Learn how we can create more people-centric urban environments that prioritize both socio-economic and environmental well-being. Happening on Tuesday, March 26th from 11am-12pm at CUSP.

Open to NYU students, faculty, and staff only. Register now!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-urban-science-to-sustainable-urban-systems-engineering-tickets-865548688427?aff=oddtdtcreator

From Urban Science to Sustainable Urban Systems Engineering How can people-centric design of urban infrastructures enhance the socioeconomic and environmental performance of cities?

📆 Curious about the time commitment for CUSP Capstone Program?

Dive into applied data science with graduate students exploring urban issues. The Capstone program aligns with Urban Science Intensive I & II courses in fall and spring semesters. If accepted, projects kick off in September and conclude in April at our Applied Urban Science Conference.

Sponsors play a crucial role, meeting regularly with student teams and offering support throughout the duration of the program.

Are you ready to invest in cutting-edge urban solutions? 🏙️

Visit our website to learn more: https://ow.ly/ir2i50QzluB

Join us for the NYU CUSP Urban Science Innovators Series, showcasing the remarkable work of our industry partners! 🚀

🌊 Discover the transformative potential of digital technology in advancing sustainability solutions with Joe Shuttleworth, Digital Water Consultant at Arup. Explore how innovative digital approaches are revolutionizing the water sector and driving sustainability at scale.

Joe Shuttleworth is a trained Water Engineer with a passion for leveraging technology to address pressing environmental challenges. With a digital-first approach, Joe collaborates with water utilities, government agencies, and international organizations to implement digital solutions for resilience, flood risk management, and sustainable water resource management.

📅 March 12th, 12-1 pm ET
📍 370 Jay St, Room 1201
🌐 Can't join us in person? No problem! We're offering hybrid access. Simply check the bottom of your Eventbrite confirmation email for the Zoom link.
🎟️ Reserve your spot now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/urban-science-innovators-series-joe-shuttleworth-of-arup-tickets-824293653507?aff=oddtdtcreator

Our next Research Seminar speakers Véronëque Ignace and Hannah Eisler Burnett are connecting science, policy, and community when it comes to protecting at-risk communities from flooding. Explore the ways in which they leverage a public health lens to ground the FloodNet NYC Community Engagement Strategy in both theory and practice.

Happening on March 8th, 12 pm-1 pm ET, at 370 Jay Street, Room 1325. Hybrid access is available!

Register now: https://ow.ly/PKfC50QqtWs

🌟 Project Highlight! 🌟

One of the teams who participated in our Global Data Dive, Team SmogBusters, presented their project to the NYU CUSP community last Friday. Team members Iman Cumberbatch, Amari Garrett, Emanuel Simmons, Sneha Tirchy Shekar, Yushan Li, Tanisha Dighe, and Connor Xu delivered a pitch to develop an app that uses public data to help citizens avoid overexposure to air pollution on their non-motorized commutes.

By exploring the relationship between local air quality, active transportation, and public health, Team SmogBusters found that the highest concentrations of NO2 (a greenhouse gas) were estimated to be found in areas with a high density of buildings that burn fuel for heating and run water boilers (Restrepo, 2021).

To build out their proof-of-concept, the team used greenhouse gas emissions data, identified the channels of active transport that support pedestrian mobility, and highlighted citizens’ expected exposure to concentrated areas of air pollutants. They then were able to create wireframes for their navigation app for active transport with respect to hyperlocal sources of air pollution.

Congrats to Team SmogBusters for a job well done!

What will the students at CUSP think of next?!

Special thanks to our industry guests for the day, Adrienne Schmoeker of The GovLab, Gayan Seneviratna and Eli Shultz of the MTA, and Arthur Godiva of Triangle Empire.

🌐 Recap of the 2024 Global Data Dive 📊

Last week, the airwaves between NYU CUSP and CUSP London buzzed with the excitement of the Annual Global Data Dive—an immersive four-day hackathon hosted by CUSP London. Students, researchers, and academics from NYU CUSP, King’s College London, and global partners united both in-person and virtually to tackle real-world urban challenges through the lens of data science.

🚀 Event Highlights:

🌍 The Interconnection of Urban Elements:
This year's theme explored the dynamic interplay between transportation, safety, air quality, and health. By understanding these links, participants aimed to contribute valuable insights to foster discussions on creating healthier and more sustainable urban environments.

👥 Diverse Participation:
An event of global proportions, the Data Dive brought together bright minds to apply data science skills to pressing urban issues facing London.

🧩 Interdisciplinary Approach:
Teams delved into the intricate interconnection of transportation, safety, air quality, and health—a theme for the 2024 Data Dive. These factors play a vital role in shaping the well-being of city dwellers globally.

👊 Action and Solutions Focused:
The week-long event culminated in final presentations where teams showcased their findings and proposed solutions. Special recognition and certificates of participation were awarded, celebrating the exceptional efforts of participants.

🌟 Making a Difference:
The Data Dive not only provided a platform for honing data science skills but also contributed to meaningful discussions on urban challenges. The event underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in creating a positive impact on our cities.

Thank you to all participants, partners, and supporters! Your commitment to data-driven solutions is shaping the future of urban environments. 🏙️

How are datasets secured and accessed for NYU CUSP's Capstone Program? Our Research Computing Facility (RCF) ensures safe data access with stringent protocols. Here's how:

👥 Safe People: We equip users with online training on responsible data use and privacy.

📊 Safe Projects: Every project follows strict standards for dataset access and management. Your data integrity is our priority.

🔐 Safe Settings: Our secure data environment restricts unauthorized data movement.

📈 Safe Outputs: Before any data export, we apply statistical disclosure limitation to protect privacy. Your insights remain confidential.

How does this apply to Capstone projects? CUSP encourages all research within the Data Facility, providing secure workspaces for project-specific datasets. Your data's safety is our priority! 💻

Proposals are due April 12th. Learn more at: https://ow.ly/luNh50QzlmU

CUSP's own Faculty Fellow, Marcel Moran, was featured in a Streetfilms video about the Paris School Streets initiative. The program aims to restructure the streets around nursery and elementary schools in Paris to restrict motorized traffic and create safer, more walkable community spaces for children and pedestrians. So far, 180 streets have been transformed!

According to Moran, "What they found in every single case is that community members, once they see these [streets]... they see how the students benefit, they see how parents love it, they see how it creates a new community amenity. That then gives Paris the go ahead to create more permanent solutions."

Watch the full video here!

Paris School Streets: Safe for Children, Safe for Everyone For many years now advocates and communities around the world have been focussed on Paris School Streets not only because they make streets safer on those bl...

Join us for our next "How Did I Get Here?" talk featuring Pupul Bhoumick, a remarkable CUSP alum and a GeoAnalyst at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Boston.

Pupul is currently working with the Geo Analytics team within BCG as a GeoAnalyst. She focuses on geospatial and location-based analytical problems for various public and private clients. She graduated from CUSP in the summer of 2022 and before CUSP, she worked as a Consultant with Deloitte, India, focusing on Smart City Development and Urban Policies.

📆 Save the Date: February 29th, 2024
🕐 Time: 11:30 AM-12:15 PM
📍 Location: Virtual

What makes a good CUSP capstone project?

Explore urban challenges through the CUSP Capstone Program! 🌐 We pair sponsors with graduate students and faculty advisors to tackle complex urban issues using applied data science methods. Here's what makes an effective capstone project:

✅ Tied to sponsor needs and CUSP’s mission
✅ Identifies a tangible and deliverable end product
✅ Quantitative with various data science methodologies
✅ Requires available data at the project start
✅ Supportive sponsor engagement

Project categories include Urban Environment, Urban Health, and Urban Infrastructure.

Ready to make an impact? Submit your proposal today!

Visit our website to learn more : https://ow.ly/FeKh50Qynj7

📢EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT 🤔 How does society shape individual actions in times of uncertainty? What are good guardrails in today’s world of overwhelming information flows and powerful technologies? 🤖

📅 On 8 March 2024 at 4:00 PM ET Urs Gasser, Professor of Public Policy, Governance, and Innovative Technology at the Technical University of Munich, will discuss his new book “Guardrails: Guiding Human Decisions in the Age of AI” (https://guardrails.design/).

📖 Drawing from a deep foundation in cognitive science, economics, and public policy, "Guardrails" presents an innovative approach for enhancing decision-making by acknowledging human agency within its societal context.

➡️ Urs will present “Guardrails” and its major implications and then join the Center for Responsible AI's Julia Stoyanovich and Stefaan Verhulst for a brief panel conversation. We will close with Q&A and a brief mingling and networking session.

🚨 SPOTS FOR THE EVENT ARE LIMITED! If you are interested in attending, please complete the form here: https://forms.gle/XzLaVmo2qSnDacvP6
We’ll send you a confirmation when your submission has been received and processed.

➡️ More information about Prof. Dr. Gasser and the event can be found here: https://blog.thegovlab.org/event-announcement-guardrails-guiding-human-decisions-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence.

🤝 The event is hosted by by The GovLab, The Center for Urban Science + Progress, at Tandon School of Engineering, The Center for Responsible AI and the NYU Center for Bioethics at NYU Global Public Health School

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Guardrails: Guiding Human Decisions in the Age of Artificial Intelligence | THE GOVLAB BLOG Join us for a book talk with Urs Gasser as he delves into his latest work, "Guardrails." In this talk, Gasser will explore the ways in which societal norms shape our decision-making processes in an era saturated with data and dominated by rapidly advancing technologies like artificial intelligence.....

Join us for the NYU CUSP Urban Science Innovators Series, showcasing the remarkable work of our industry partners! 🚀

Explore the intersection of urban development and augmented reality with Dana Chermesh-Reshef, Founder & CEO of inCitu. Discover how she's revolutionizing community engagement and inclusivity in urban planning using AR.

🌆 Dana is an Architect, Urban Data Scientist (NYU CUSP 2018), and former F-15 and F-15I flight simulator trainer from the Israeli Air Force. With extensive experience at NYC Department of City Planning and as an Entrepreneur In Residence at Schmidt Futures, Dana brings a unique perspective to the conversation about AR-powered civic engagement.

📅 February 20th, 12-1 pm ET
📍 370 Jay St, Room 1201
🌐 Can't join us in person? No problem! We're offering hybrid access. Simply check the bottom of your Eventbrite confirmation email for the Zoom link.
🎟️ Reserve your spot now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/urban-science-innovators-series-dana-chermesh-reshef-of-incitu-tickets-824016504547?aff=oddtdtcreator

Unlock the secrets of successful innovation! Leaders of today’s top companies often talk about the importance of innovation, but don't talk about how to go about innovating. Join us for our next Research Seminar with Mark Wegman of IBM and Daniel Sabbah of DSabbah LLC as they delve into their recently published book, "The Heart of Innovation" and the lessons we can learn from various case studies.

Learn how to revolutionize lives, not just inventions, on Feb 16th, 12-1 PM ET. Hybrid access is now available for our Research Seminars! See the registration page for more details.

Register now: https://ow.ly/FhJa50QiNCn

"The 'Navigating Big Data Challenge' workshop, co-hosted by CUSP and Transit Techies, was a HIT! We thoroughly explored the MTA's approach to handling 'Big Data' by analyzing GPS data from over 5,000 buses. 🚍

The workshop featured insightful discussions on geospatial algorithms, public data feeds, and MLOps. Your thoughtful questions and active engagement significantly contributed to the workshop's success!

We express our gratitude for the community's enthusiasm and active participation. Let's continue to innovate together!

Join us for our Research Seminar Series with Associate Professor Sharon Di of Columbia University, diving into "AI for Urban Transportation Digital Twins." Uncover the "brain" of AI-driven transportation using machine learning and game theory for optimal control. 🧠🚦

Happening in-person on Feb 2nd, 12 pm-1 pm ET, at 370 Jay Street, Room 1201.

We are also offering hybrid access this semester 🖥️ If you'd like to join virtually, register online and check the bottom of your confirmation email. We'll see you there!

Register Now: https://ow.ly/ujGp50QqtHZ

Want to know how Geospatial Data Science can uncover human experiences and safety perceptions in neighborhoods?

Join us for our next Research Seminar Series featuring Yuhao Kang, discussing " Measuring Safety Perceptions of Neighborhoods with Human-centered Geospatial Data Science" and delve into innovative techniques using AI, street view images, and more!

Happening in-person on December 1st from 12pm - 1pm ET at 370 Jay Street Room 1201.

Register to attend: https://ow.ly/E2WJ50PNZYV

Join us for CUSP's Innovators Series with Terri Matthews, Director of Town+Gown:NYC. This talk will highlight Terri's impact on built environment research and public policy development. Happening on November 27th from 6 pm - 7 pm ET!

RSVP: https://ow.ly/ZIMf50PQ9BE

Join us for CUSP's Innovators Series with Federico Messa, Senior Transport Consultant at Systematica. This talk will highlight Federico's work in the field of architecture and urban mobility. Happening on November 20th from 6 pm - 7 pm ET!

RSVP:https://ow.ly/4ZQ650PQ9q6