Seth Spielman

Faculty

“So how does academic stuff actually do anything for community? Does my scholarship translate to policy change? Many academics say they do community-based work when what they really do is describe or observe. But these descriptive exercises can lead to policy change.

As a scientist, I look at people and their spatial relationships. I make maps and look at the background behind the dots. I am interested in understanding how the area around the person comes to bear on behavior and well being. I try to give information meaning and context, find patterns and associations. Done right, data can show disparity, describe correlates and associations, especially when done on a map.

Maps have the potential to be more than simple representations of features on the surface of the earth. In an era where critical problems lie at the intersection of disciplines and systems (both human and ecological), maps-- through their ability to juxtapose and integrate diverse forms of data-- have the potential to provide insight into complex problems. Through my courses at Brown, I try to engage social and policy problems through technical tools of cartography and spatial analysis. While my courses are about maps, my goals are to teach students to think spatially and develop evidence-based approaches to cross-disciplinary policy problems.

Technology is radically altering the discipline of geography. It is becoming increasingly difficult not to include lay people into research. People are like the sensors in satellites, they are using cell phones and video to record events as they happen. The blossoming of spatial data has led to more local input from communities. It’s like having huge numbers of sensors in the community. As an academic and a researcher, it’s assumed you have this credibility, that you are the location of knowledge. But with growing reliance on eyewitness accounts, it is becoming increasingly about place.”