Olivia Lewis joined the M.S. in Spatial Economics and Data Analysis (SEDA) degree program as a Progressive Degree student while finishing her undergraduate degree in Economics in Spring 2021.
She became interested in the spatial applications of economics during her junior year when she worked with a Civil Engineering Ph.D. candidate studying the disruptions to transportation systems caused by natural disasters. This experience led Olivia to realize that she is interested in a career in infrastructure development and planning. She applied to the SEDA program to gain experience in geographic information systems and develop her understanding of spatial and urban economics.
Olivia is very interested in making transportation infrastructure sustainable, accessible, and equitable and has an interest in responsible development. She sees responsible development as a means to accommodate a growing population’s needs while keeping in mind existing neighborhood structure and cultural significance.
She believes her SEDA coursework will help her attain the skills to research and articulate the economic framework for planning developments in Los Angeles.
