Javier Ricardo Díaz Peñaloza

Javier Ricardo Díaz Peñaloza is a Research Associate at MIT's Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism whose work bridges urban planning, data science, law, policy making and responsible AI to support evidence-based decision-making in cities and regions. Trained as a dual-degree graduate of MIT’s Master in City Planning (MCP) and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (EECS), Javier specializes in building data-driven solutions that help governments, communities, and institutions translate complex urban challenges into actionable insights.

His research at the LCAU focuses on the design of AI-powered analytical tools, spatial data infrastructures, and decision-support systems for public agencies. Javier leads and contributes to projects on metropolitan governance, food and water security, climate-resilient urban systems, and civic AI adoption.

Across his portfolio, Javier combines rigorous quantitative methods—including machine learning, geospatial analytics, and large-scale survey analysis—with a human-centered approach grounded in policy, equity, and institutional capacity-building. His work aims to strengthen the relationship between people, policy, and data by creating transparent, and operational tools that support long-term urban transformation.

Before joining the LCAU, Javier worked in the Government of Colombia as a Public Policy Advisor to the Presidency and Ministries of Transportation and National Treasury. He also served as advisor at Bogotá’s mass transit authority, TransMilenio S.A. His academic background includes research and teaching at MIT on AI strategy, sustainability alternatives, responsible data systems, and civic technology implementation.

Javier’s current projects explore how AI can deepen public participation, enhance planning processes, and expand the analytical capacity of urban institutions—advancing LCAU’s mission to design more resilient, and data-empowered cities.