Joshua H. Davidson ’12

(he/him/his)

  • Assistant Professor of Data Science and Computer Science

Areas of Study

Education

  • BA, Oberlin College, 2012
  • MCP, University of Pennsylvania, 2017
  • PhD, University of Pennsylvania, 2023

Biography

Joshua Davidson is assistant professor of data science and computer science at Oberlin College. Josh teaches on the topics of data science, geographic information systems/spatial analysis, quantitative methods, and transportation justice. His research focuses on three major topic areas: transportation equity, the geography of urban transportation, and the application of advanced spatial/statistical methods. He has recently published papers that look at the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on bikeshare use across diverse populations, the opportunities afforded by new transit service for social interaction, and the use of machine learning approaches to analyze equity issues in existing transportation networks. He is currently conducting a study on the effect of residential displacement on commute patterns for low-income households.  

Fall 2025

Introduction to Data Science — DATA 101

Data Science Research — DATA 501

Spring 2026

Introduction to Statistics — DATA 113

Intermediate Data Science — DATA 201

Data Science Research — DATA 501

  • Data Science
  • Spatial Analysis/GIS
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Transportation Geography
  • Spatial Justice

  • Davidson, J. 2023. “A Socio-Spatial Approach to Define Priority Areas for Bicycle Infrastructure Using Covid-19 Data.” Sustainable Cities and Society 99 (December). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2023.104883.
  • Davidson, J., Nam, S., Karam, S., Karoma, F., Kim, E., and Ryerson, M. (2022). “New Equity Inputs to Prioritize Bikeshare Infrastructure Allocation: Learning from the COVID-19 Period,” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board (June). https://doi.org/10.1177/03611981221098390.
  • Davidson, J., Lee, S., Kim, E., Nam, S., and Ryerson, M. (2022). “New Route, New Faces?: Measuring Changes in the Exposure to Diversity on Transit using Social Interaction Potential,” Journal of Transport & Health 24 (March). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2022.101336.  
  • Davidson, J., Feiglin, I. and Ryerson, M. (2021). “Spatially-Oriented Data, Methods, and Models to Plan Transit for Reverse Commuters.” Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 100 (November). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2021.103051.
  • Davidson, J., and Ryerson, M. (2021). “Modeling Regional Disparity and the Reverse Commute.” Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 150 (August): 124–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2021.06.005.

  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship, Federal Highway Administration
  • University Transportation Center Student of the Year (CM2), U.S. Department of Transportation

Notes

Joshua Davidson Participates in Panels at Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning

Assistant Professor of Data Science and Computer Science Joshua Davidson took part in two panels at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Annual Meeting in October: one on "Navigating the Complex Dynamics of Accessibility, Safety, and Mobility for Vulnerable Road Users" and a second on "Navigating the Academic Job Market."

News

Noah Elazar Wins Oberlin's 2025 Nexial Prize

Noah Elazar ’25, a double major in computer science and politics, is receiving Oberlin’s 2025 Nexial Prize, an honor presented to an outstanding science student with aspirations for interdisciplinary research.

Aahil Singh ’26 Turns Inspiration to Action

After being fascinated with the research of Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science Joshua H. Davidson ’12, Aahil Singh ’26 decided to pursue a similar project. As a double major in mathematics and economics with a statistical modeling minor and data science concentration, Aahil appreciates how concepts can cross disciplines. Through Summer Experience Funding, over the summer, he worked on a research paper with Professor Davidson on the subject of transportation.  

 

College of Arts and Sciences Welcomes New Faculty for 2023-24

Students choose Oberlin—and thrive at Oberlin—because of the nurturing mentorship of the outstanding faculty who guide their learning. We are honored to welcome the newest additions to our faculty across the College of Arts and Sciences for 2023-24.

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