I am still traveling through NYC following PostGIS Day and Geography2050 but wanted to share the talk from Crunchy Data.
Cities are intricate systems hosting diverse elements—people, infrastructure, natural resource capital, and sustainability—interacting in complex ways. This talk explores the intersection of systems thinking, SQL, and geospatial analysis as powerful tools for understanding and managing urban environments. Systems thinking provides a holistic approach to analyzing cities, recognizing patterns and interdependencies between various components and the feedback loops that drive urban dynamics.
SQL, with its robust capabilities for organizing, querying, and managing data, serves as a critical framework for processing the vast amounts of information-- not unlike a social metabolism generated by cities. When combined with geospatial analysis adding spatial dimension to data, SQL becomes even more powerful. By the end of the talk, attendees will have a deeper understanding of how to leverage systems thinking and data-driven methodologies to envision smarter, more resilient cities.