alexander huang

Major in Urban Studies

For this semester, my goal for this class have a better understanding of coding in general, its not my profession, but it would a nice skill to display anything I have in my profession. As for studying, I am usually a self-learner.

Schedule

OpenAI chat

• Q: future as a urban studies student
• A: As an urban studies student, your future is broader—and more practical—than people usually assume. If you’re intentional, you can shape it instead of drifting into a generic “policy” track. Here’s the honest landscape. What the field is actually moving toward Urban studies is no longer just about theory, zoning history, or writing reports no one reads. The growth areas are: 1. Cities as data systems Mobility data, housing data, environmental sensors, surveillance infrastructure GIS, spatial analysis, dashboards, and storytelling with maps This aligns well with your past work on mapping, infrastructure, and surveillance critiques 2. Housing + inequality Housing finance, affordability, land use, displacement Public–private partnerships, real estate analytics, tenant protections This is where policy meets money and power 3. Climate + urban resilience Green roofs, stormwater, heat mitigation, infrastructure adaptation Cities are where climate policy becomes real or fails This area has actual funding and long-term demand 4. Tech, governance, and ethics Smart cities, AI in planning, data privacy, surveillance capitalism This is a niche where urbanists with critical thinking are rare—and valuable Realistic career paths (not the brochure version) Policy & public sector City agencies (planning, housing, transportation) Pros: stable, influence over real projects Cons: slow, political, underpaid early on Urban tech / civic tech Startups, consulting firms, think tanks GIS analyst, urban data strategist, research lead Pros: faster pace, better pay Cons: mission drift if you’re not careful Real estate & development (yes, really) Feels “sellout” to some, but this is where cities are physically shaped Roles in research, feasibility, urban strategy If you understand power, you can influence outcomes Design-adjacent paths Urban research in architecture firms, museums, foundations Especially strong if paired with photography, mapping, or narrative work Academia (only if you’re clear-eyed) PhD → research/teaching Meaningful, but competitive and slow Don’t drift into this without a concrete research agenda What will actually differentiate you Urban studies alone is not enough anymore. The students who succeed usually add one strong edge: Technical: GIS, Python, data visualization Critical: political economy, surveillance, housing finance Creative: photography, mapping, storytelling, exhibitions Applied: internships, fieldwork, public-facing projects From your past projects, your strength is critical + technical + visual. That’s a rare combo if you commit to it. Hard truth (but useful) “Urbanist” is not a job title. Cities reward people who can measure, visualize, or decide, not just critique. Your work needs to show what changes when you’re involved. If I had to give you a north star Position yourself as someone who: understands how cities work and can expose, visualize, or redesign the systems that quietly control them. That could lead to: urban data strategist housing researcher civic technologist critical consultant or a hybrid role you invent yourself If you want, I can: help you map this to concrete jobs stress-test grad school vs work or help you turn your past projects into a coherent “urban identity” Just tell me which direction you’re thinking about.
• Q: I was thinking more about planning, but data does sound interesting
• A: That’s a solid instinct—and you’re not choosing between them as much as you think. Good planners today are data-literate. Pure “vision + process” planners are getting sidelined. The ones with leverage can back ideas with numbers, maps, and evidence. Here’s how to think about it without overcomplicating your path. What “planning” actually looks like now Traditional planning skills still matter: zoning & land use community engagement environmental review policy writing But in practice, the planners who advance fastest can also: read housing and demographic data use GIS to justify decisions evaluate scenarios (“if we upzone here, what happens?”) translate data into something politicians and communities understand So the question isn’t planning vs data — it’s what kind of planner you want to be. The sweet spot: Planning + data (high leverage) This hybrid is increasingly in demand: Roles this leads to City planner (transportation, housing, environmental) Planning analyst Urban policy analyst GIS / spatial planning specialist Long-term: planning manager, chief of staff, commissioner-track roles Why this combo works You’re harder to replace You get credibility in meetings You’re not stuck just facilitating or writing memos You can challenge bad assumptions with evidence What data means for planners (not “become a coder”) You do not need to become a full data scientist. Focus on: GIS (QGIS or ArcGIS) Census / ACS data basic Python or R for cleaning + analysis (optional but powerful) dashboards or mapping tools for public-facing work Think: using data to support decisions, not building algorithms. If you want to test this path (low risk) Here’s a practical way to explore without committing fully: Frame your next planning project around a question housing capacity transit access environmental burden displacement risk Answer it with both a planning argument (policy, zoning, equity) a data artifact (map, chart, spatial analysis) Present it like a planning memo, not a tech demo This is exactly how agencies think. Honest advice based on where you are Given your past interests (mapping, infrastructure, surveillance, housing): Planning + data keeps you close to power It avoids the trap of being “only critical” or “only technical” It sets you up for real-world influence, not just commentary If you want, next we can: map out a planner-with-data skill stack semester by semester compare planning school vs urban data programs or identify NYC agencies/roles that fit this hybrid path Tell me which one you want to dig into.