Chicago’s ‘Data-Driven City’ Topic at Bay Path Oct. 17

LONGMEADOW — Brenna Berman, Chicago Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) commissioner and chief information officer, will present on the “Data-Driven City” at Bay Path University’s Innovative Thinking & Entrepreneurship Lecture on Friday, Oct. 17 in the Blake Student Commons. A networking continental breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m., followed by the lecture at 8:15 a.m.

The lecture is the 11th in a series that addresses the concepts of innovation and creativity, with specific emphasis on leadership and results. In this lecture, titled “The Data-Driven City: How Urban Analytics Is Shaping the Way We Understand Cities Today and Design Cities Tomorrow,” Berman will focus on her leadership in Chicago’s SmartData project, which is putting the city at the forefront of government innovation.

Berman will provide examples from both a global and local perspective of how data provides a precise lens to make cities more responsive to the changing needs of residents, businesses, and visitors. She will also discuss the emerging trends that are driving academics, researchers, and city leaders to focus on solving intractable urban challenges, and the role data analytics plays in defining, and ultimately solving, those problems.

Over the past year at DoIT, Berman has focused on transforming the DoIT team to align with the mayor’s commitment to an open and data-driven government, building Chicago’s open-data program into one of the largest in the country, as well as implementing the WindyGrid spatial analytics platform into every level of government. Berman built a career promoting government innovation during her 10 years at IBM, where she worked closely with government agencies and countries across the world to leverage technology and analytics to improve the services they provide to their residents.

Those interested in attending the lecture can register at www.baypath.edu/ceo. There is no cost to attend, and live streaming will be available. The event is sponsored by the Bay Path University Advisory Council, the MS in Communications and Information Management, and the MBA in Entrepreneurial Thinking and Innovative Practices.

Past speakers of the Innovative Thinking and Entrepreneurship Lecture series have included Tom Stemberg, Founder of Staples Inc.; Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots; and Sue Morelli, CEO and president of Au Bon Pain.