The GLaD Podcast

In this episode we talk to Geoff Boeing, streets and urban form expert, mastermind behind OSMnx, and urban planner at USC. We talk (a lot) about disasters and cities, street networks, and open source software. Several callbacks to previous episodes, including our Vibe Check on Cities and Computing Geographically with David O'Sullivan episodes. Also Davis and Weinstein (2002), "Bones, Bombs, and Break Points: The Geography of Econom...

Today, we’re talking about what some would characterize the “topic” of the XXIst Century (others might perhaps not!): Digital Twins. Are we excited about them? Are our eyes so rolled that they’ll never recover? Or is this excited Vs eyeroll dichotomy not very helpful at all? Above all, what even are Digital Twins?

- Here is the Commentary Rachel mentions (free access):

Malleson, N., Franklin, R., Arribas-Bel, D., Ch...

Today, we’re giving you a sneak peek behind the editor’s desk at a peer-reviewed journal. Many academics publish, but organizing reviews, reproduction materials, and making the first (and final) call on a manuscript can be a very unique experience. We hope to answer your questions about life as an editor, and talk a little bit about efforts we’ve seen (or done) to make the process a little bit fairer, faster, and better.

Let us kno...

For this episode, we’re joined by David O’Sullivan to talk about his forthcoming book, Computing Geographically: Bridging GIScience and Geography.

We talk about how the book came together, what's in it, and also how "computing geographically" fits into the bigger picture of geography, (David's) life, and data. There's lots about David's disciplinary origin story, career trajectory, and how geographical analysis and computation ali...

Today, we have a second “a day in the life of…” conversation, where we interview GLaD folks to get the scoop and the behind-the-scenes view on what it is like to live their life.

This time, we’re chatting with Dr Darla Munroe. Darla is director of research at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, leading efforts to support and coordinate the collective body of knowledge produced through the Institute’s work and fostering research ...

In this episode your GLaD team gets into the holiday spirit with an energetic conversation about how we're feeling about cities in 2023—because, let's face it, cities have had a bit of a hard time these past few years. Maybe their purpose is changing? Maybe it's a blip? Or maybe cities are just as awesome as they've always been.

For this extra special holiday episode, Rachel, Dani, and Levi are joined in their virtual studio by thr...

Today, we’re trialing a new episode format: “a day in the life of…”, where we’ll be interviewing GLaD folks to get the scoop and the behind-the-scenes view on what it is like to live their life. As inaugural guest, we have the pleasure of welcoming to the studio a rock star of maps: Professor James Cheshire. Join us for a conversation spanning from James' origins and first steps into mapmaking all the way his current dual life as t...

Today, we're reaching back "into the vault" to our Spatial Analytics and Data (SAD) interview series to bring you one of our past guests: Luc Anselin is the Stein-Freiler Distinguished Service Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago, where he founded and directs the Center for Spatial Data Science. 

In this conversation, we'll talk about his life, times, and career, and also learn a little bit about who he would invite ...

It sure feels like we're living through an academic "quitting" moment, with social media abounding with tales of folks departing universities for greener professional pastures. What's going on?! In this episode Dani, Levi, and Rachel try to find out. Joined by three academic "upgraders", Frances Darlington-Pollock, Carson Farmer, Seth Spielman, who share a bit of their professional journeys and their reasons for shifting out of aca...

Today, we're reaching back "into the vault" to our Spatial Analytics and Data (SAD) interview series to bring you one of our past guests: Danny Dorling, the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford. In this conversation, we'll talk about his life, times, and career, and also learn a little bit about who he would invite to a SAD dinner party! And: if you're curious about the SAD interviews, check out our ...

(15minute) cities are hot again! The idea that you should be able to walk (or bike) to most amenities and services you rely on daily has taken a new life of its own in the last few years. In this episode, we introduce the initial notion of a 15minute city and trace its origins in urban planning and other urban disciplines, at least several decades back. We then open the "hot take" door for Rachel, Levi and Dani to discuss whether t...

To an academic, doing something for “work”  can mean so many different things. Sometimes, it’s our academic hobbies—the passion projects we take on alongside our usual work—that can really shape how we view our selves and how others view us.

In this episode, we discuss the projects, perspectives, and ideas we’re passionate about as academics: not just our work hobbies but our hobby horses. Join us for a wide ranging conversation ab...

When we did our #SAD cocktail party, we were so excited about every bit of our lists that we never made it to one of the final questions we always ask: #SAD books. We more than make up for it in this episode, where we (Rachel, Levi and Dani) discuss our favorite picks for books that discuss Geography (Life) and Data. Along the way, we talk about the role books have, why we think they're (still!) important today, and how their role ...