Jonathan Stiles

Jonathan Stiles is a Visiting Assistant Professor focused on civic applications of digital technologies and promoting safe, sustainable transportation systems. Previously he was a Postdoctoral Researcher in urban planning at Florida Atlantic University and the Collaborative Sciences Center for Road Safety, and in geography at The Ohio State University and its interdisciplinary STEAM Factory. He has collaborated with organizations including Honda on a connected vehicles data platform, the Florida and Ohio Departments of Transportation on pedestrian safety research, and has conducted qualitative research on both the Smart Columbus and New York City Vision Zero initiatives. He received his PhD in Planning and Public Policy from Rutgers University, and has taught courses on planning research methods and science & technology studies as a lecturer at Rutgers and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He has a professional background in software engineering, having worked at Razorfish, Sony, and AOL. He also holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from The New School, and was Director of Technology for the international education nonprofit Pencils of Promise.

As a technologist and mixed methods researcher, Jonathan strives to both develop novel applications of technologies, as well as understand the organizational and individual dynamics that shape the outcomes and equity of applications of technologies and design in real-world planning contexts. His research often applies systems theories, such as sociotechnical systems and safe systems, to planning. For more quantitative and GIS thesis projects he can advise on grounding your applications of innovative techniques in planning theory, and to make your results more practice-ready for organizations. For more qualitative thesis projects he can advise on qualitative validity and is especially a fit for projects critically studying planning organizations, and their use of technologies, data, or design. Finally for capstone projects he can advise on navigating complex organizations and strategically designing and managing your project for success in the face of changing circumstances.