Anthony M. Townsend
Encyclopedia
Anthony M. Townsend is an American researcher. Townsend specializes in research on the implications of technology on cities and public institutions. Currently Townsend is the director of research and Director of Technology at the Institute for the Future
, a Palo Alto, California
think tank established in 1968 to help companies plan for the long term future. His interests span numerous topics including; mobility and urbanization, innovation systems and innovation strategy, science and technology parks and economic development, and sustainability and telework.
In 1996 Townsend received his Bachelor's degree
with a major in urban studies and a minor in physics. After attending Rutgers University
, he attended New York University
where he received master's degree
in Urban Planning. Following these academic achievements, Townsend gained his Ph.D.
in Urban and Regional planning at MIT in 2003. While attending NYU, Townsend directed research sponsored by the National Science Foundation
and the Department of Homeland Security. He received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2004 to study the social impacts of broadband
in South Korea
. He is currently a visiting professor NYU in the Rudin Center for transportation and infrastructure.
In 2001, Townsend along with some of his peers pioneered NYCWireless, a non-profit organization that advocates and enables the growth of free, public wireless Internet access in New York City
and surrounding areas. NYCwireless is an all-volunteer organization and serves thousands of individuals throughout the New York City metro area. Its most notable contributions are bringing Wi-Fi
to Bryant Park and Thompson Square Park.
Anthony Townsend has been a technology consultant to major information companies including Nortel Networks, Quova
and Telegeography, Inc. and has conducted cyber district feasibility studies in Jersey City and Newark, New Jersey
in an effort to bring Wi-Fi access to these areas. At his current position at the institute for the future, IFTF, his work focuses on several inter-related topics: pervasive computing, the urban environment, economics and demographics, public and non-profit organizations, and the media industry. He uses his research to help Fortune 500
companies and NGO’s develop collaborative forecasting platforms, futures media and visualization technologies, and web communications tools. By applying emerging practices like agile development, extreme programming and open data infrastructures to the creation of forecasting tools, he seeks to provide platforms to develop rich and wide-reaching forecasting networks.
Anthony believes that prudence can have a major role in shaping public policy, and is involved in policy and planning networks throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. On December 9, 2009 he testified at the United States Senate hearing on “Research Parks and Job Creation.” At the senate hearing, Townsend focused his discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the “science park model.”
Institute for the Future
The Institute for the Future is a Palo Alto, California–based think tank established in 1968, as a spin-off from the RAND Corporation, to help organizations plan for the long-term future....
, a Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
think tank established in 1968 to help companies plan for the long term future. His interests span numerous topics including; mobility and urbanization, innovation systems and innovation strategy, science and technology parks and economic development, and sustainability and telework.
In 1996 Townsend received his Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
with a major in urban studies and a minor in physics. After attending Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
, he attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
where he received master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Urban Planning. Following these academic achievements, Townsend gained his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Urban and Regional planning at MIT in 2003. While attending NYU, Townsend directed research sponsored by the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
and the Department of Homeland Security. He received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2004 to study the social impacts of broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. He is currently a visiting professor NYU in the Rudin Center for transportation and infrastructure.
In 2001, Townsend along with some of his peers pioneered NYCWireless, a non-profit organization that advocates and enables the growth of free, public wireless Internet access in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and surrounding areas. NYCwireless is an all-volunteer organization and serves thousands of individuals throughout the New York City metro area. Its most notable contributions are bringing Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
to Bryant Park and Thompson Square Park.
Anthony Townsend has been a technology consultant to major information companies including Nortel Networks, Quova
Quova
Quova is a U.S. corporation that provides an online service which provides geolocation by IP address. It is used by Major League Baseball's MLB.tv to black out content from being watched in a team's home city...
and Telegeography, Inc. and has conducted cyber district feasibility studies in Jersey City and Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
in an effort to bring Wi-Fi access to these areas. At his current position at the institute for the future, IFTF, his work focuses on several inter-related topics: pervasive computing, the urban environment, economics and demographics, public and non-profit organizations, and the media industry. He uses his research to help Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
companies and NGO’s develop collaborative forecasting platforms, futures media and visualization technologies, and web communications tools. By applying emerging practices like agile development, extreme programming and open data infrastructures to the creation of forecasting tools, he seeks to provide platforms to develop rich and wide-reaching forecasting networks.
Anthony believes that prudence can have a major role in shaping public policy, and is involved in policy and planning networks throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. On December 9, 2009 he testified at the United States Senate hearing on “Research Parks and Job Creation.” At the senate hearing, Townsend focused his discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the “science park model.”