Jose Balsa-Barreiro

Research Associate Affiliation: NYU Abu Dhabi
Education: Leading Enginneer Technical University of Valencia, Spain; PhD University of Coruna, Spain and Politecnico di Torino, Italy

Research Areas: spatial analysis; mapping; urban systems; cities; human dynamics


Jose Balsa-Barreiro is a leading engineer and social scientist. He holds two M.A. from the Technical University of Valencia (Geomatics Engineering and Mechanical Engineering), a BA from the University of Santiago (Geography), and an Intern. Ph.D. from University of A Coruna and Politecnico di Torino (Civil Engineering). His research focuses on the interface between human dynamics and physical environments, with particular attention in cities.

He had been a postdoctoral fellow at MIT Media Lab, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, University of Stuttgart, and visiting scientist at NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (and Caltech) and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development. In the past, he was a teaching assistant at the University of Santiago, where he taught courses on geography and mapping.

He had published in some relevant journals such as Scientific Reports, Nature Humanities and Social Sciences, Nature Behavioural and Social Sciences, and Journal of Cleaner Production. His work has been featured in Harvard International Review [2019], Los Angeles Times [2021] [2020], El País [2021] [2020] [2019], Foreign Affairs Latinoamerica Ed. [2021] [2016] [2013], Foreign Affairs Hellenic Ed. [2021] [2018], Forbes [2021], and Le Monde Diplomatique [2012]. In his free time, he develops and collaborates with some art initiatives.