TRACING THE CITY
Data Science for Social Good is an interdisciplinary Cooper Union course that pairs engineering, art, and architecture students with NYC nonprofits to tackle real-world challenges through data. This show, presented in conjunction with New York City's Open Data Week 2026, showcases that work — taught by Sam Keene and Tandis Shoushtary.
Using datasets from NYC Open Data and beyond, students analyze, interpret, and translate complex information into visual and interactive forms that make key issues more accessible and actionable.
The projects featured in this exhibition emerge from collaborations with Bee U, Civic Health Alliance, Housing Rights Initiative, and Justicia Lab. Together, these partnerships explore issues including environmental stewardship, civic participation, tenant protections, and labor conditions. Each project demonstrates how data, when combined with design and community engagement, can support more informed and equitable approaches to city life.
