The GLaD Podcast

The GLaD Podcast

From the creators of the Spatial Analytics + Data interview and seminar series, we bring you the GLaD Podcast—Geography, Life + Data. A little geography, a little (academic) life, a little ”geography life”, and LOTS about data, mostly spatial. Join your hosts, Dani Arribas-Bel, Rachel Franklin, and Levi Wolf for conversations, interviews, and even a few hot takes.

Episodes

September 12, 2025 45 mins

Here's an episode all about data—mobile phone data, to be exact. What are we talking about when we talk about using “mobile phone data” in our research? How are these data generated? Who produces them? What is this data good for…and maybe not so good for? How is it accessed and used? So many questions! To help provide some answers, in this episode Rachel, Levi, and Dani are joined by special guest, Wenfei Xu, Assistant Professor in...

Mark as Played

AI is now definitely changing how we live our (geography) lives. Join Rachel, Dani, and Levi for a chat about how Artificial Intelligence is emerging in our GLAD lives. How is it being used "in the wilds" of teaching, research, coding, publishing, and beyond. Should you be farming out your peer reviews to a computer? Vibe coding with your friend Claude? Setting out on AI-generated running routes? And, as always, do we really need m...

Mark as Played

Join us for the second part of our conversation about the academic job market! This half, we'll talk a bit about the nuts and bolts of putting together your application and the process from applying to interviewing for (and maybe even getting) the job! Caveat: we're mostly familiar with the US and UK academic job markets and we stick to what we know best in this episode!

Let us know what you think by sending us an email at thegladp...

Mark as Played

Everything you (n)ever wanted to know about getting an academic job in geography or geography-adjacent fields. In this episode your friendly—and pretty experienced at applying for academic jobs—co-hosts talk through the academic job market. Where to look for jobs, timing, what to expect, and how to apply. Caveat: we're mostly familiar with the US and UK academic job markets and we stick to what we know best in this episode!

Mark as Played
March 30, 2025 47 mins

Today, we’re talking about time management. Or, rather, the lack thereof (both time, and management). It feels like we’re always over-committed. Always running behind. 24h a day sounds like so much and feels like so little. Why? Fasten your seatbelts, let’s find out!

Mark as Played

In this episode we talk to Geoff Boeing, streets and urban form expert, mastermind behind OSMnx, and urban planner at USC. We talk (a lot) about disasters and cities, street networks, and open source software. Several callbacks to previous episodes, including our Vibe Check on Cities and Computing Geographically with David O'Sullivan episodes. Also Davis and Weinstein (2002), "Bones, Bombs, and Break Points: The Geography of Econom...

Mark as Played

This week, join us for our own retrospective on the year, and a look forward to next. We'll talk a bit about all the data in a year of GLaD, the highs and lows of Work/Life Balance in a year of "too much yes", the NYT Spelling Bee, and all the new and awesome Geography and Data that came with the year.

 

As always, let us know how your year in GLaD went by emailing us at thegladpodcast@gmail.com

 

Until next year!

Mark as Played
October 25, 2024 51 mins

Today, we’re talking about what some would characterize the “topic” of the XXIst Century (others might perhaps not!): Digital Twins. Are we excited about them? Are our eyes so rolled that they’ll never recover? Or is this excited Vs eyeroll dichotomy not very helpful at all? Above all, what even are Digital Twins?

 

Episode notes

- Here is the Commentary Rachel mentions (free access):

Malleson, N., Franklin, R., Arribas-Bel, D., Ch...

Mark as Played
September 23, 2024 47 mins

In this episode your fearless co-hosts, Dani, Levi, and Rachel, talk about visibility and making a place for oneself in the worlds of research and academia. We chat about brands (do you need one?), clout (is it a thing?), and whether there's agreement about what it means to be an academic duck (maybe?). We've also got advice and lots of GLaD banter.  

Mark as Played
September 5, 2024 61 mins

Today, we’re tightening our laces, checking our syllabi, and coming to terms with the coming term. Do you plan ahead? Or let the waves of work wash over you? Join Dani, Rachel, and Levi to chat about what it's like going back to school. 

 

As always, let us know what you think by emailing us at thegladpodcast@gmail.com. We read every email, and if there's anything you're keen to hear us discuss, we'd love to hear it!

Mark as Played

If the academic life course were a sport, what would it be? Marathon? Hurdles? Bobsled? Find out how your GLaD co-hosts answer that question in this episode, as we discuss academic life course events, the various burdens that assail us at every stage, and how we manage (or don't).

Mark as Played
March 27, 2024 58 mins

Today, we’re giving you a sneak peek behind the editor’s desk at a peer-reviewed journal. Many academics publish, but organizing reviews, reproduction materials, and making the first (and final) call on a manuscript can be a very unique experience. We hope to answer your questions about life as an editor, and talk a little bit about efforts we’ve seen (or done) to make the process a little bit fairer, faster, and better.

Let us kno...

Mark as Played

For this episode, we’re joined by David O’Sullivan to talk about his forthcoming book, Computing Geographically: Bridging GIScience and Geography.

We talk about how the book came together, what's in it, and also how "computing geographically" fits into the bigger picture of geography, (David's) life, and data. There's lots about David's disciplinary origin story, career trajectory, and how geographical analysis and computation ali...

Mark as Played

Today, we have a second “a day in the life of…” conversation, where we interview GLaD folks to get the scoop and the behind-the-scenes view on what it is like to live their life.

This time, we’re chatting with Dr Darla Munroe. Darla is director of research at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, leading efforts to support and coordinate the collective body of knowledge produced through the Institute’s work and fostering research ...

Mark as Played

In this episode your GLaD team gets into the holiday spirit with an energetic conversation about how we're feeling about cities in 2023—because, let's face it, cities have had a bit of a hard time these past few years. Maybe their purpose is changing? Maybe it's a blip? Or maybe cities are just as awesome as they've always been.

For this extra special holiday episode, Rachel, Dani, and Levi are joined in their virtual studio by thr...

Mark as Played

Today, we’re trialing a new episode format: “a day in the life of…”, where we’ll be interviewing GLaD folks to get the scoop and the behind-the-scenes view on what it is like to live their life. As inaugural guest, we have the pleasure of welcoming to the studio a rock star of maps: Professor James Cheshire. Join us for a conversation spanning from James' origins and first steps into mapmaking all the way his current dual life as t...

Mark as Played
November 13, 2023 64 mins

Today, we're reaching back "into the vault" to our Spatial Analytics and Data (SAD) interview series to bring you one of our past guests: Luc Anselin is the Stein-Freiler Distinguished Service Professor of Sociology at the University of Chicago, where he founded and directs the Center for Spatial Data Science. 

In this conversation, we'll talk about his life, times, and career, and also learn a little bit about who he would invite ...

Mark as Played
September 20, 2023 79 mins

It sure feels like we're living through an academic "quitting" moment, with social media abounding with tales of folks departing universities for greener professional pastures. What's going on?! In this episode Dani, Levi, and Rachel try to find out. Joined by three academic "upgraders", Frances Darlington-Pollock, Carson Farmer, Seth Spielman, who share a bit of their professional journeys and their reasons for shifting out of aca...

Mark as Played

Today, we're reaching back "into the vault" to our Spatial Analytics and Data (SAD) interview series to bring you one of our past guests: Danny Dorling, the Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford. In this conversation, we'll talk about his life, times, and career, and also learn a little bit about who he would invite to a SAD dinner party! And: if you're curious about the SAD interviews, check out our ...

Mark as Played
July 20, 2023 45 mins

(15minute) cities are hot again! The idea that you should be able to walk (or bike) to most amenities and services you rely on daily has taken a new life of its own in the last few years. In this episode, we introduce the initial notion of a 15minute city and trace its origins in urban planning and other urban disciplines, at least several decades back. We then open the "hot take" door for Rachel, Levi and Dani to discuss whether t...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.

    24/7 News: The Latest

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Bobby Bones Show

    Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.