Data + Disasters
My Master’s Thesis explored how the Metro Boston region can be better prepared for a climate-related disaster using technology and data. I proposed recommendations for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency for Metro Boston to play a larger role in disaster management. I received the Priscilla King Gray Public Service Fellowship to continue my research and curated a design research project for the agency.
Cover image by Iwan Baan
Cover image by Iwan Baan
Abstract: Recent U.S. hurricanes such as Hurricane Harvey in 2017 have raised urgent questions about the role of data providers in disaster response and recovery. Digital tools such as maps that display emergency shelter locations or levels of E.Coli contamination in floodwaters are typically created and managed by a local
data intermediary. A data intermediary is defined by the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership as a mediator between data and local stakeholders such as community groups and residents who use data from advocacy to program planning and policymaking. Currently, the Data Services department at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the regional planning agency for Metro Boston, serves as a data intermediary for the region.
