Daniel T. O'Brien

Dr. Daniel T. O’Brien is a Professor at Northeastern University, holding dual appointments in the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. He serves as Director of the Boston Area Research Initiative (BARI) and the PhD in Public Policy Program. His work focuses on urban informatics, leveraging digital data to address equity in urban systems.

Education:

• PhD in 2010, Binghamton University

Research Interests: Dr. O’Brien examines neighborhood dynamics, citywide systems, and equity across domains like crime, education, climate resilience, and public infrastructure. His interdisciplinary approach bridges academia with civic engagement through BARI’s initiatives, including the Boston Data Portal and educational programs for communities and high school students.

Awards:

• Recipient of the Dennis Judd Best Book Award for The Urban Commons (2018)

Grants & Funding: Secured $9M in grants from the National Science Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and others. His work emphasizes data-driven solutions for urban challenges, with media coverage in Wired, Boston Globe, and NPR.

Labs/Teams: Leads BARI, an interuniversity center advancing place-based research and civic engagement. BARI’s annual conference and educational programs foster collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and communities.