Trivik Verma

Trivik Verma is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management in Delft University of Technology. He is the director of Centre for Urban Science and Policy. His research focuses on understanding the fundamental processes that drive, shape and sustain cities. Trivik also leads remote expeditions for National Geographic where high school students have the opportunity to learn about conservation, anthropology, engineering and policy.

Talk: The Self-fulfilling Prophecy of Smart Cities

Cities are faced with challenges of poverty and segregation, pollution and heat, depleting agricultural utility and in extreme cases, submergence of land. The appeal of using technology as an answer to all our problems has transformed our policies to make cities “smarter”, “resilient”, and “sustainable” for a better, more liveable future. But who are we improving cities for? Who gets to be served and who is left behind? While such invigorating policies foster development and provide opportunities in cities, they naturally galvanise socioeconomic disparities among its citizenry. In this talk, we will explore the condition of our cities and evaluate who receives the benefits of digital transformations. Building more inclusive cities will require us to challenge our perspectives on technology driven by artificial intelligence. What is more, we will have to shift our mindset from relying on machines that have adverse consequences for certain communities, to listening to communities themselves.