DataFramed #61 Creating Smart Cities with Data Science
May 3, 2021
Amen Ra Mashariki, principal scientist at Nvidia and former Chief Analytics Officer of New York City, shares his insights on leveraging data science for smarter urban living. He discusses the balance between data utility and privacy, and how cities can adapt proactively to challenges like tenant harassment. He highlights the vital need for data literacy in government and the responsibilities of data leaders to drive innovation. With anecdotes around the use of data during crises like Hurricane Sandy, Amen emphasizes collaboration and ethical standards in urban analytics.
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Tenant Harassment
- NYC landlords harassed tenants to raise rent illegally.
- Data helped inspectors narrow down likely offenders from 400,000 to 843 homes.
Business Atlas
- The Business Atlas combined city data to give free market research to small business owners.
- This helped owners identify optimal locations for their stores using factors like parks, schools, and demographics.
City Data Challenges
- City data is often inaccessible due to legacy systems, degradation, and regulations.
- Data teams must navigate access issues, legal constraints, and build relationships to find substitute data sources.