Lecturer, Rice University
David B. Abraham, PhD. specializes in sustainable development and the development of performance indicators for urban development. He is a certified and skilled research specialist with experience in community development; master planning, transportation planning, and sustainability planning. As Principal Investigator for the Houston Sustainability Indicators Project (HSI), he developed a procedure and methodology for a robust program to monitor sustainable development in the Houston, Texas area. His team developed a web-based management tool, the Houston Sustainability Indicators Quality of Life Atlas, capable of monitoring key urban performance indicators for Houston, and analyzing trends and correlations between indicators. This tool is capable of supporting the development of short term and long range policy implications. The HSI database serves as a resource for various local government departments, elected officials, and local neighborhood organizations for urban sustainability projects.
Following a model of integrative science for building a comprehensive indicators dataset, the HSI database brought together a robust collection of different datasets including: raster data from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) developed by the U.S. Geological Survey; Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory from the Vulcan Project based at Arizona State University; Continuous cover of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) from the Environmental Protection Agency; Business agglomeration analysis and monitoring growth in primary businesses from InfoUSA; Local and State administrative data on voting performance, waste management, parks development, and capital improvement projects; Decennial Census and American Community Survey socio-economic data is also included.
Dr. Abraham has presented findings from the HSI Project throughout the US and internationally in Ireland, Barbados, Brazil, Canada and Portugal. Under Dr. Abraham's guidance, the research provides hands on learning opportunities for students in various academic units at Rice University, including the Department of Statistics, the Professional Science Masters Program, the Health Sciences Program, the Masters of Global Affairs Program and the Jones School of Business.
Key research Interests: Resilience, Urban Sustainability, Sustainability Reporting, Performance Measurement
