We grabbed coffee with Gopinath ‘Gopi’ Gnanakumar Malathi. We discussed his career transition from architecture to urban planning, the impact of data-driven approaches to economic development strategy, and his Urban Design Forum fellowship project, which aims to empower youth through participatory urban design. As a Senior Analyst at Karp Strategies, Gopi leverages his experience working with quantitative and geospatial analytics for public, private, and nonprofit organizations to support equitable economic and infrastructure development in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Maine. His journey from an architecture and urban design background to data analysis offers a unique perspective on integrating diverse disciplines to tackle urban challenges effectively.
Gopi began at Karp Strategies as a Graduate Analyst and over his four years at the firm, has had the opportunity to advance his career through promotions and varied experience, as he has been staffed on various projects with a focus on research and analysis. This fall, Gopi will transition into the PhD program at NYU Tandon School of Engineering, where he will investigate the social and ethical implications of urban information science.
How do you like your coffee?
Interestingly, I'm not actually a coffee person. I might be one of the very few who survived architecture school without coffee. I'm a big fan of hot chocolate, though—it's my favorite beverage.
Why did you join Karp Strategies?
During my graduate program at Pratt Institute, I became acquainted with several classmates, including Yuri Chang, who was already working at Karp Strategies. Additionally, Jen Becker, a principal at the firm then, was faculty. I remember hearing wonderful things about the diversity of projects, clients, and geographic contexts in which Karp Strategies was engaged. It felt like the perfect post-graduation opportunity to apply what I had learned at Pratt.
Describe what you do at Karp Strategies.
At Karp Strategies, I have a unique and interesting role. I support project teams in effectively identifying and addressing challenges our clients face using emerging data and advanced analytical methods. As an analytical lead working on economic impact assessments, retail supply/demand analysis, workforce conditions research, and neighborhood-level market studies for cities and towns across New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. I work closely with associates and senior associates to design and implement mixed-methods research. This involves collaborating with analysts and graduate analysts to ensure our approaches are comprehensive and impactful. My goal is to contribute to insightful solutions that meet the needs of our clients and their stakeholders.
Coming from an architecture and urban design background, what inspired your transition into urban data analysis? How do you view data-driven approaches in tackling urban issues?
While urban design and urban information science may seem distinct, I find they both involve elements of design thinking and a systems approach.
In this context, design thinking would mean the iterative and creative process of leveraging urban data analytics to consider context, the client’s needs, and community requirements—akin to how urban designers approach public space design projects.
A systems approach in urban design involves considering factors like climate, regulations, local culture, and/or building materials when developing a vision for a space. At Karp Strategies, I constantly consider the people, the economy, industries, businesses, places, neighborhoods, and demographics because changing any factor will impact all of the above. Therefore, I need to be conscious of the entire system and what is being impacted by the decisions I choose to make.
They're also very different because urban information science requires a scientific approach. It's important to understand the possibilities and the rationale, which, In this case, are grounded in both technical and social sciences. Urban design has a more creative approach.
In the rapidly evolving urban world, how do you effectively adapt and apply your knowledge and transferable skills to address new challenges or industries within this dynamic environment?
Obviously, there is a certain level of nuance and technical expertise in each of these different fields, which is acquired through years of academic training or professional experience. However, the work we do is very interdisciplinary. These different fields, including economic development, workforce development, real estate strategy, land use planning, transportation planning, infrastructure development, housing, or sustainability like renewable energy, are very much connected, intertwined, and interdependent by nature, which makes it very easy to transfer our experience from one of these to the others.
Apart from that, I think addressing new challenges is critical because, as a civilization, we're facing unprecedented crises. They can vary widely, from geopolitical extremities to something as simple as shifts in population demographics, such as the aging of the American population, which is a critical new challenge for us to consider, evaluate, and address. These challenges underscore the importance of being a system thinker who can identify and solve issues within the broader context of various sectors or verticals.
What emerging trends in urban information science are you currently following or excited about?
This is a particularly interesting question—one that I’ve been thinking a lot about, especially given the rapid evolution of urban information science compared to other subfields in urban science. As data analysts, staying relevant is something important to keep in the back of your mind. At the forefront of urban information science lies artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, which can streamline processes that are currently taking us hours in less than a minute. Industries are rapidly integrating AI into various analytical tasks, including descriptive, diagnostic, and predictive analyses. For example, companies like Esri are leveraging AI to help users identify relevant data sources, manage databases, and even analyze data without ever having to clean them up. Qualitative data is becoming much more indexable and analyzable.
On the other hand, they also pose challenges, particularly regarding accuracy, representation, and inclusivity. It's crucial to engage in ongoing discussions and reflections that not only focus on emerging technologies but also on emerging trends and theories. Take an example of counter-data and counter-mapping, which have been discussed for years, but are resurfacing as counter-algorithms. They are produced with a bottom-up approach to counter the status quo against the interests of grassroots communities and disadvantaged populations.
Can you tell us more about your experience as a Forefront Fellow at the Urban Design Forum? What are you particularly excited about?
This year's fellowship theme focuses on the youth in the city. Over the first six months, my colleagues and I conducted research and engagement to understand the unique opportunities and challenges that young people across different age groups, from school-age youth to young adults, face as they try to grow into becoming equal participants in shaping the future of New York City. Over the first six months, we conducted research and engagement to understand the unique opportunities and challenges the youth have to be equal participants in city spaces, city decision-making, and city processes.
Currently, we've formed smaller groups to design and implement projects to address the needs of young New Yorkers. To address the need for more engagement tools, my smaller group is developing a prototype for an urban design-based board game that will guide a group of youth to envision an imaginary public space, design it, and get it funded in a fun and engaging way. We hope to empower youth to play an active role in transforming and advocating for their neighborhood spaces. Our goal for this board game is to be scalable and accessible to youth not only in New York City but across the country.
The game itself will combine physical and digital elements, allowing youth to experiment with urban space when playing the board game and translate this into digital elements that they can further explore in augmented or virtual reality. By integrating digital technology into the gaming experience, we wanted to extend the impact beyond the game itself. We are experimenting with using LiDARscanners available on iPhones to capture the participant’s physical design and convert it into a 3D model, which they can use to advocate for and shape the spaces that hold meaning and matter to them.
What do you love about cities? What about urban planning do you enjoy the most?
I find cities fascinating because, in many cases, they epitomize democratic coexistence. They compel individuals from diverse backgrounds, speaking different languages, or holding different beliefs to share spaces and power. You don't necessarily have to engage with them, but it allows you to coexist with them and make them a part of your life. I see that as my main motivation to continue thinking about cities, which leads me to my interest in disciplines like urban design and urban planning, as they serve as tools to preserve and augment the diverse fabric of cities, towns, or other scales and settlements.
What has been your favorite highlight of working at Karp Strategies?
If you were to ask me a thousand times, it would always be the people that I have had the pleasure to know and the opportunity to work with. It’s been a nourishing experience to collaborate with people who are not just smart and talented but also incredibly passionate.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Hint hint: I guess you might say spending time with your dog?
Lately, I have loved spending time hanging out with my 11-month-old golden retriever, Poori. Besides that, I enjoy staying active and being outdoors. Whether it’s hitting skate parks, going on hikes, or simply relaxing at the beach, I'm always up for it.
Lastly, how has Karp Strategies supported your transition back into academia?
From the onset, my colleagues, managers, and the leadership team at Karp Strategies have been aware of my aspirations to pursue a PhD and have shown unwavering support to help me achieve it. They facilitated connections with professors at institutions I was interested in, encouraged me to apply for fellowship and funding to secure external research opportunities, and promoted me to roles within the firm that emphasized research and analysis. Their commitment extended to directly supporting my applications and writing recommendation letters, highlighting their investment in my personal and professional goals.
The firm has provided me with an environment that fosters continuous learning and development. This experience has not only prepared me for the rigors of a PhD program but has also enriched my understanding of the practical applications of academic research in real-world scenarios. The experiences I've gained at Karp Strategies have been invaluable, shaping me into a more capable and confident individual ready to embark on this new academic journey.
Fast Facts:
Last TV show I binge-watched: The Mare of Easttown
Restaurant (delivery) I’d recommend to close friends: Kanyakumari (One of the best biryanis I’ve had in New York)
Book that changed me: How to Lie with Maps
Movie I’d pay to see again and again: Avengers: Endgame
My heroes are: Anyone committed to taking time between their day jobs, parenting, and everything else to advocate for civil liberties and human rights.
