Data-Smart City Pod

Latest Episodes:

Rethinking Fines and Fees with Jean-Pierre Dubé, Bryan Glenn, and Shayne Kavanagh Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

In this episode Professor Steve Goldsmith discusses the new report Segmented Pricing for Fines and Fees with co-authors Jean-Pierre Dubé, Bryan Glenn, and Shayne Kavanagh. Part of the broader Rethinking Revenue project, they discuss how cities can actually improve revenue collection, while increasing equity in fines and fees, by identifying right pricing.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

About Data-Smart City Solutions

Data-Smart City Solutions, housed at the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University, is working to catalyze the adoption of data projects on the local government level by serving as a central resource for cities interested in this emerging field. We highlight best practices, top innovators, and promising case studies while also connecting leading industry, academic, and government officials. Our research focus is the intersection of government and data, ranging from open data and predictive analytics to civic engagement technology. We seek to promote the combination of integrated, cross-agency data with community data to better discover and preemptively address civic problems. To learn more visit us online and follow us on Twitter.

Growing Fairly: Author Interview with Stephen Goldsmith and Kate Markin Coleman Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

In this episode Editor Betsy Gardner interviews Professor Steve Goldsmith and Kate Markin Coleman about their newest book, Growing Fairly: How to Build Opportunity and Equity in Workforce Development . They discuss the inspiration for this book, how this moment is ripe for equitable development, and why they're ultimately optimistic about workforce reform.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

About Data-Smart City Solutions

The Intersection of Privacy, Technology, and Bias with Dr. Latanya Sweeney Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

In this episode Professor Goldsmith interviews Dr. Latanya Sweeney, an influential expert in the areas of tech policy, data privacy, bias, and regulation. Previously Chief Technologist at the Federal Trade Commission and a pivotal figure in the formation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Dr. Sweeney discusses how cities can better create inclusive and transparent services, why biased data leads to biased results, and how one simple challenge in grad school changed her whole view on technology and computers.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

About Data-Smart City Solutions

Collaborative Cities: Author Interview with Stephen Goldsmith and Kate Markin Coleman Jan 26, 2022

Show notes

In this episode Senior Editor Betsy Gardner interviews Professor Steve Goldsmith and Kate Markin Coleman about their newest book, Collaborative Cities: Mapping Solutions to Wicked Problems. They discuss how their respective backgrounds in local government and nonprofits inform their ideas about collaboration and how important it is to work across sectors in order to improve services for residents. Coleman and Goldsmith outline how mapping and visualizing data is crucial to these collaborations, particularly around issues of public safety, homelessness, and sustainability.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

About Data-Smart City Solutions

The Highway of the Future is in Georgia Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

In this episode Professor Steve Goldsmith interviews Allie Kelly, the Executive Director of transportation and sustainability nonprofit The Ray and Andrew Heath, Deputy Chief Engineer of Georgia's Department of Transportation about their work incorporating emerging technologies along I-85. The highway of the future will be connected and data-rich, and thanks to this partnership the state can employ important environmental and safety improvements that have been conceptualized, researched, and tested by The Ray.

This partnership highlights the importance of cross-sector collaboration, data-informed transportation decisions, and innovative infrastructure.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

About Data-Smart City Solutions

Data-Smart City Solutions, housed at the Ash Center at Harvard Kennedy School, is working to catalyze the adoption of data projects on the local government level by serving as a central resource for cities interested in this emerging field. We highlight best practices, top innovators, and promising case studies while also connecting leading industry, academic, and government officials. Our research focus is the intersection of government and data, ranging from open data and predictive analytics to civic engagement technology. We seek to promote the combination of integrated, cross-agency data with community data to better discover and preemptively address civic problems. To learn more visit us online and follow us on Twitter.

Trains and the Future of Transit Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

In this episode Professor Steve Goldsmith interviews William J. Flynn, the CEO of Amtrak, about navigating COVID-19, the intersection of trains and climate change, and the future of rail travel. As the CEO of a government-owned corporation and a major infrastructure system, Flynn discusses how Amtrak plans to build back better by engaging a new workforce, increasing digital infrastructure, and improving on "green" travel.

Tune in to learn about the future of train transit in America, and what cities Flynn wants to connect next.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

About Data-Smart City Solutions

Driving Racial Equity through Data and Mapping Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

In the second episode of Data-Smart City Pod, Professor Steve Goldsmith interviews Elana Needle, the director of the Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative at the Latino civil rights organization UnidosUS. The Anchor Collaborative is a collection of national, multi-racial organizations that advances equity by visualizing, tracking, and sharing data on issues like census responses, voter suppression, and police accountability. The Collaborative is intent on identifying and repairing the racist power structures that have disenfranchised millions of Americans of color, while best directing their funding in a data-driven way.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

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Jack Dangermond on Multi-Dimension GIS and Equity Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Professor Steve Goldsmith interviews Jack Dangermond, the founder and president of Esri. They talk about the way cities can utilize multi-dimension GIS, how important mapping is for equity-focused organizations and the interrelatedness of systems and policies.

Listen below, or wherever you get your podcasts, to hear Professor Goldsmith and Jack Dangermond discuss the invention of computer map-making, how the pandemic is shaping innovation, and the new geospatial infrastructure.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

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Mayors Address Vaccine Hesitancy Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

In this special episode, Professor Steve Goldsmith interviews Mayor LaToya Cantrell and Mayor Ras Baraka as part of an event on addressing vaccine hesitancy. Based in a recent research project of 18 American cities using sentiment mining, Professor Goldsmith interviews the Mayors to understand how they’re using data, policy, and influence to understand the concerns of their residents and ensure the public health and safety of their cities.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

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The YMCA and Mission-Driven Data Dec 07, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Professor Steve Goldsmith interviews Maria-Alicia Serrano, Senior Director of Research, Analytics, and Insights at the YMCA of the USA. As an organization operating in over 10,000 neighborhoods across the country, the YMCA relies on geospatial data tools to understand each local community and work with individual Ys to address pressing issues of equity, public health, and mental wellbeing. The Community Insights data tool empowers local Ys with the information they need to provide optimum services for local youth and families, while efficiently allocating budgeting and personnel.

Music credit: Summer-Man by Ketsa

About Data-Smart City Solutions