We would like to invite you to attend a special seminar of the Institute of Political Science and International Relations (INPiSM) of Collegium Civitas with Prof. Rybarczyk. During the seminar, we will listen to the lecture of Prof. Rybarczyk in English entitled “Exploring Commute Stress and Pleasure: Insights From User-Created Content in Two U.S. Cities”.

The seminar will be held on April 20, 2023 (Thursday) from 1:15 pm to 2:45 pm in a hybrid format, in room 1222 and MS Teams.

Even if you are not a member of INPiSM, you are welcome to attend the seminar.

Abstract:
This study investigated the use of geo-social media data to understand how different travel modes affect feelings of pleasure or displeasure during commutes in Chicago and Washington D.C. A sentiment analysis approach was used to derive a pleasure index for each travel-related tweet, and GIS was used to merge neighborhood factors to the tweets. The study found that mass transit was associated with reduced pleasure, while biking was linked to positive sentiments, especially in Chicago. The study’s results could be useful for promoting active transportation and improving commuter sentiment.

Bio:
Greg Rybarczyk is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Michigan-Flint. He holds an Affiliated Faculty appointment with the Michigan Institute for Data Science (MIDAS) and is a Fellow at The Center for Urban Design and Mental Health (UK). He is also an Editorial Advisor for the journal Cities & Health (Taylor and Francis). He received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and has published extensively on topics related to Geographic Information Systems (GIS), active transportation, travel behavior, urban design, intermodal transportation, public health, spatial modeling, geosocial-media analysis, and food insecurity. He is an active member of the Association of American Geographers, Michigan League of Bicyclists, Citizen Action Committee for the Detroit Regional Transit Authority, Transportation Research Board-Transport & Health Study Group, and Association of Bicycle and Pedestrian Professionals-Education Sub-committee.