{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Spatial Stack with Matt Forrest","title":"Mastering Spatial Data in R: TidyCensus, PMTiles, & AI with Kyle Walker","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/b203ce68\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":3031,"description":"In this episode of the Spatial Stack, Matt sits down with Kyle Walker, Professor of Geography at TCU and the creator of popular R packages like tigris and tidycensus.\nKyle dives into why he views US Census data as critical infrastructure and how open data is fundamentally transforming decision-making across industries like real estate and energy. He shares the origin story of his open-source work, explaining why he champions the R programming language for full-stack geospatial analysis. The conversation also covers the evolution of web mapping, from the laborious process of rendering dot-density maps to the blazing-fast performance of modern tools like PMTiles.\nFinally, Kyle reveals how generative AI specifically Claude Code and the Zed editor is serving as his ultimate coding assistant, allowing him to rapidly build complex projects like the mapgl package and turn his ideas into reality faster than ever.\nConnect with Kyle:\nX/Twitter: https://x.com/kyle_e_walker\nLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/walkerke/\nBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kylewalker.bsky.social\n00:01:00 – Welcome and Kyle Walker’s Background at TCU\n00:06:18 – Why US Open Data is Critical Infrastructure\n00:09:20 – Demystifying Census Data with tigris and tidycensus\n00:15:48 – Applied Spatial Data: Real Estate and Forecasting Models\n00:18:28 – The Evolution of High-Resolution Dot Density Maps\n00:23:48 – The Human Element: How People React to Seeing Data Maps\n00:29:14 – R vs. Python: Why R is a Geospatial Powerhouse\n00:37:44 – Accelerating Development: Using Claude and AI for Coding\n00:43:40 – The Future of Mapping: PMTiles, Segment Anything, and LLMs\n00:48:18 – Where to Find Kyle’s Book, Tools, and Workshops\n---\n🚀 Join The Spatial Lab:\nStop guessing at your career path. Get direct mentorship, advanced training, and a roadmap to these high-value roles inside The Spatial Lab.\n👉 https://forrest.nyc/spatial-lab/\n📰 Daily modern GIS insights: https://forrest.nyc\nCONNECT WITH ME\n📸 Instagram: ...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/eQgCuZrC7zp58BwqV7sl3SCjjIPfOYXp-k4ce29LXQY/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80ZjU3/N2JlMDJiYTFjOWY5/OWQ5NWQxYmZjMjMw/Yzg1ZC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}