CSDS Impacts

Since 2016, we've employed over 90 research assistants and staff - and hosted over 70 visitors and interns - who engage in spatial computational research and tool building.

Building on a long track record, our aim is to go beyond academic prototypes and create software that is widely used by researchers and educators. In 2023, Luc Anselin's recorded lectures have been viewed over 3/4 million times and our GeoDa software and the PySAL spreg package have each been downloaded over 600,000 times. 

To make spatial data science useful beyond the university, we're engaged in several efforts to create spatial data science opportunities for underrepresented youth from Chicago's Southside and Chicago Public Schools, and apply it for improved urban planning as well as for greater fairness in public services.