Dani Arribas-BelFeb 13

New episode of the one and only #GLaDpodcast. For this one, @rsfrankl, Levi and yours truly dust off our oracles to speculate what 2026 (whatever is left of it anyway) has in store for Geography, Life, Geography Life, and Data! Come for the hot takes, stay for Polymarket-style futures contracts!

https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-8urep-1a45684

Episode 30: Predictions for (the rest of) 2026

Happy new year!!! We know, we know, we’ve been in 2026 for a while already (already too long?). But this is the first episode we recorded this year, the first one with Levi as a dad (yay!), and one where the “year” itself will somewhat feature. So we find it apt to start with a cheerful approach.   The reason behind this episode is that I’m such a sucker for “best of…” and “what’ll happen in…” compilations. Like the best sci-fi, they tell you a lot more about the present, its hopes and anxieties, than about the year they either review or speculate on. And that’s always interesting to me. So Dani spent most of December listening to “hot takes” from all sorts of podcasts… And here at GLaD HQ, we’re all made of the “hot take” stuff. So, possibly several weeks “late” (in time is overrated!), here it is: our hot takes for 2026.

Dani Arribas-BelJan 21

A bit late to post about (though not to publish!), @rsfrankl, Levi and I have a new episode of the #GLaDpodcast out. If nothing else, be enticed by the title (the oldest profession in Geography?!?!?!); if something else, delight in Anthony Robinson’s views on maps, AI, and microwave ovens!

https://gladpodcast.podbean.com/e/episode-29-the/

Episode 29: The oldest profession in geography | The GLaD Podcast

Come for the catchy episode title, stay for the wide-reaching discussion about spatial data, visualization, and cartography. We're joined this time by Anthony Robinson, from Pennsylvania State University, for a conversation about what cartographers do, what cartography looks like in the 21st century, what makes a map, and the challenges of "personal cartography." We've even got some requisite hot takes on spatial analysis and data (...and cartography!).

Dani Arribas-BelDec 16

Just in time for a cozy listen this coming break, a new #GLaDpodcast episode! This time, @rsfrankl, Levi and I welcome the one and only @sergerey to talk all things open, open source, and academia! Come for the code, stay for the stories of lives changed!

https://gladpodcast.podbean.com/e/opening-the-academic-source-with-serge-rey/

“Opening the academic source” with Serge Rey | The GLaD Podcast

Today, we’re joined by a close friend of the podcast (someone some of us personally credit with changing my life forever!), Serge Rey, to talk all things open, open source, and academia. Serge is Professor for Geography at San Diego State University and BDFL for the PySAL project. He’s been one of the most outspoken voices advocating for closer adoption of the open source ethos in academia, so we thought who better to unpack the open conundrum.

Dani Arribas-BelOct 16

🎧New episode of the #GLaDpodcast 🎧 We liked talking to Wenfei Xu so much that we invited her back! Come for the fancy data, stay for engaging conversation about hopping between academia and industry, traversing disciplines, and… an Exhibitions entry in your CV.

https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-cfz7e-1995b5b

@geography #data #podcast #GLaDpodcast

Episode 26: A day in the life of… Wenfei Xu

Today we’re “repeating” special guest. We enjoyed so much talking to Wenfei Xu anbout mobile phone data in our last episode (Episode 25: What we talk about when we talk about mobile phone data), that we decided to bring her on board again. But there’s a twist: this time, we’re returning to our “A day in the life of…” series, where we explore the behind-the-scenes view of what it is like to be a GLaD researcher.    Wenfei i Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of California, Santa Barbara. An urban planner by training, Wenfei has worked a lot with mobile phone data, but also has a super interesting story to how she arrived at that research interest. Come the fancy data, stay for engaging conversation about hopping between academia and industry, traversing disciplines, and… an Exhibitions entry in your CV.

Dani Arribas-BelSep 17, 2025

🎧New episode of the #GLaDpodcast 🎧 Everything you ever wanted to know about mobile phone data in social science and never dared to ask, answered neatly in an entertaining™️ conversation. Check it out here, or wherever you get your podcasts:

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-ufnqe-1962d1d

Episode 25: What we talk about when we talk about mobile phone data

Here's an episode all about data—mobile phone data, to be exact. What are we talking about when we talk about using “mobile phone data” in our research? How are these data generated? Who produces them? What is this data good for…and maybe not so good for? How is it accessed and used? So many questions! To help provide some answers, in this episode Rachel, Levi, and Dani are joined by special guest, Wenfei Xu, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography at UC Santa Barbara.

Dani Arribas-BelAug 13, 2025

We gave in to the hype and did one #GLaDpodcast episode on how we use AI, for Geography, Life, Geography Life, and data…

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-hva24-193194d

Episode 24: AI & GLaD in Practice: a field report

AI is now definitely changing how we live our (geography) lives. Join Rachel, Dani, and Levi for a chat about how Artificial Intelligence is emerging in our GLAD lives. How is it being used "in the wilds" of teaching, research, coding, publishing, and beyond. Should you be farming out your peer reviews to a computer? Vibe coding with your friend Claude? Setting out on AI-generated running routes? And, as always, do we really need more papers faster than ever before? We chat through this, with some advice and reflections on where AI might change our own practice and how it's certainly changing the way academia (writ large) works.  Let us know what you think at [email protected]. Did we miss something about AI that you now can't live without? Have we missed your favorite anecdote about a deluge of digital dreck? Send us an email!  Resources we discussed:  Nature's recent editorial on peer review and AIhttps://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00894-7 Harper Reed's post on how to code well with LLMshttps://harper.blog/2025/04/17/an-llm-codegen-heros-journey/ Ethan Mollick's "reasoned optimism" about thinking with AIhttps://www.oneusefulthing.org/ Simon Willison's blog tracking the frontier of LLMs https://simonwillison.org      

Dani Arribas-BelJun 11, 2025

🎧 Part II of the #GLaDpodcast on Navigating the Academic Job Market is out! Here we go all the way from application stage to (ideally) getting the job. Grab it wherever you get your podcasts!

https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-j4g23-18cf658

Episode 23: Navigating the Academic Job Market (Part 2)

Join us for the second part of our conversation about the academic job market! This half, we'll talk a bit about the nuts and bolts of putting together your application and the process from applying to interviewing for (and maybe even getting) the job! Caveat: we're mostly familiar with the US and UK academic job markets and we stick to what we know best in this episode! Let us know what you think by sending us an email at [email protected] or leaving us a review on whatever podcasting app you use! it really helps us out.   

Dani Arribas-BelSep 24, 2024

@rsfrankl, Levi Wolf and yours truly have a new #GLaDpodcast episode out on d*cks, d*ckish behaviour, what gets you visible out there, and what does make you more visible but perhaps you wouldn't want it to. All that and more 👇

https://gladpodcast.podbean.com/e/dobt-be-a-duck/

Episode 17: Don't Be a Duck | The GLaD Podcast

In this episode your fearless co-hosts, Dani, Levi, and Rachel, talk about visibility and making a place for oneself in the worlds of research and academia. We chat about brands (do you need one?), clout (is it a thing?), and whether there's agreement about what it means to be an academic duck (maybe?). We've also got advice and lots of GLaD banter.  

Dani Arribas-BelDec 18, 2023

🎧🎧🎧 New #GLaDpodcast episode!!! 🎧🎧🎧

Just in time to cozy up by 🎄and/or a blanket with a warm beverage of choice and enjoy the incredible Elizabeth Delmell, Ozge Oner and Jon Reades give you their takes on cities in 2023 and beyond:

https://gladpodcast.podbean.com/e/holiday-special-2023-vibe-check-on-cities/

Episode 11: Holiday Special 2023 — A Vibe Check on Cities | The GLaD Podcast

In this episode your GLaD team gets into the holiday spirit with an energetic conversation about how we're feeling about cities in 2023—because, let's face it, cities have had a bit of a hard time these past few years. Maybe their purpose is changing? Maybe it's a blip? Or maybe cities are just as awesome as they've always been. For this extra special holiday episode, Rachel, Dani, and Levi are joined in their virtual studio by three fantastic guests: Elizabeth Delmelle from City and Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania, Özge Öner from Land Economy at the University of Cambridge, and Jon Reades from the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) at UCL. Listen to find out who is Team City and who is more...Team Cities Kind of Suck Right Now...

Rachel Franklin 🦚Dec 14, 2023

🎙️ Only 2 more sleeps to the event of the season: the #GLaDpodcast Holiday Special! ☃️✨🎅

This year @darribas.mapstodon.space, @levijohnwolf, and I are joined by VERY special guests Jon Reades, Özge Öner, and Elizabeth Delmelle for

...🥁🥁...

A Vibe Check on Cities 🧨🔥🎇