Data Challenges in Geospatial Measures of Parks and Ways Forward

Speakers: Dr. Katie Burford and Dr. Youngjae Won, Postdoctoral Research Scholars, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University

Hosted by: Dr. Aaron Hipp, Professor and CGA Fellow for Social and Behavioral Science Applications, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University

Summary: In this forum presentation, Katie and Youngjae will discuss their ongoing work into improving geospatial measures of park quantity and quality, and the equity implications.

About the speakers: Katie Burford is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University. She is based in Brooklyn, New York, where she also holds a position as Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Epidemiology Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Katie’s research is motivated by her long-standing commitment to prevent chronic diseases that are related to physical inactivity. In pursuit of this mission, her research agenda has broadly focused on how urban policy and design impact physical activity and injury outcomes related to active transportation (walking and bicycling).

Youngjae Won is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University. He is a computational urban policy researcher with strong expertise in data analytics. His research uses large scale human mobility data, advanced geospatial analysis, and econometric methods to examine access to urban green spaces, patterns of use and visitation, and associated social and environmental benefits. Through this work, Youngjae bridges physical infrastructure and human behavior to understand how access translates into use and broader societal benefits.