Improving Cities' Liveability with Urban Analytics

Cities around the world are undergoing a digital transformation and using ever-increasing ways to capture data - from connected streetlights to CCTVs to traffic flow and collision information transmitted from smart roads - to achieve urban environments that are safer, better connected and more liveable.

Urban analytics and smart cities expert Dr Amen Ra Mashariki said local and regional authorities are increasingly focused on ‘smart city’ thinking and grappling with how best to capitalise on technological advancements and the massive increase in the availability of data.

Dr Mashariki, the global Head of Urban Analytics at Esri and former Chief Analytics Officer for the City of New York, will be in Australia in November to share his world-renowned perspective and insights into how Australia can use urban analytics and state-of-the-art technology to make its cities smarter, safer and more liveable.

In Dr Mashariki’s role as Chief Analytics Officer at New York City, he ran the civic intelligence centre that allowed one of the largest cities in the world to aggregate and analyse data from across agencies to achieve a host of strong open data tools connecting New Yorkers and NYC government in many ways and on many different platforms.

“The challenge for cities is how to achieve their digital potential and become a truly smart city, by going beyond collecting and using data in narrow and traditional ways, to analysing data to improve both the quality of life for citizens and the climate for business,” Dr Mashariki said.

“Cities must learn to use their data as an asset. This requires implementation and execution of operational analytics work. It also requires thoughtful data management best practices and tactics.

“There is a strong need for decision makers to consider how they can more effectively combine data and urban analytics with smart city thinking, and how embracing data as a key asset in urban planning can add a valuable edge to a smart city’s toolbox,” he said.

More information is in the attached media release.

INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY

Dr Mashariki will be available for interview in Sydney on Monday 12, Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 November, in Brisbane on Thursday 15 and Friday 16 November, and in Melbourne on Wednesday 21 November, or we can make arrangements for an interview at another suitable time. Please contact me on the details below if you would like to organise an interview.