**Isochrone maps** depict the spatial distribution of road networks, paths and trails in such a way that highlights travelling time thresholds from one specific point.

In fact the word **isochrone** comes from the greek terms *ísos*, equal, and *khrónos*, time. Isochrone maps are widely used in urban planning and transportation planning to understand the time topology of a city.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FZS0f6CPn4xYC4g64yRrrH37akhi1%2FZ1riog0fWF6Z83tFENAR%2Fa87e481d-9be8-45b1-8444-39dd82f0cf2d.png?alt=media&token=b9014d99-90e3-4ed6-92b5-9ec42cb4dcf5","id":"a87e481d-9be8-45b1-8444-39dd82f0cf2d","width":460,"height":614,"filename":"isochrone.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

This map represents the isochrone map of Trento (Italy) where the **main train station** (7) has been chosen as the starting point.

Due to the hilly / mountainous orography of the region, altitudes do matter in the computation of travelling times. In order to take account of this important factor, **[Tobler's hiking function](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobler%27s_hiking_function)** has been used in the script.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FZS0f6CPn4xYC4g64yRrrH37akhi1%2FZ1riog0fWF6Z83tFENAR%2Fed6817a1-4dc9-4aee-a5f5-e9d9132b6837.png?alt=media&token=d8c134b9-06ba-4b48-98a9-aa6dd0576079","id":"ed6817a1-4dc9-4aee-a5f5-e9d9132b6837","width":1024,"height":768,"filename":"1024px-Tobler's_hiking_function.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

The network given by the streets, downloaded from **OpenStreetMap** with the OSMnx library, have been doubled, and made directional (one opposite to the other): each edge had then the information about the heights of the starting point and the ending point, which led to the average travel time given by the hiking function.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FZS0f6CPn4xYC4g64yRrrH37akhi1%2FZ1riog0fWF6Z83tFENAR%2Fde5b6fc3-d1b5-40b3-aca9-c37edbdd44ed.png?alt=media&token=215691f3-5eae-463e-8bca-ce0628c4d920","id":"de5b6fc3-d1b5-40b3-aca9-c37edbdd44ed","width":1000,"height":500,"filename":"toner_nn-vVmFHYVE.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Also, by using the informations contained in the [GTFS files](http://dati.mit.gov.it/catalog/dataset/provincia-autonoma-di-trento) from Trentino Trasporti a network was created, and merged with the geographical common points of the street network. The sum of travelling times from the walking network and the transit network have been computed and represented on the map by the means of a color heatmap.

Combined Isochrones in Trento

**JoyWood** was a project that took part to the Greemta Challenge in 2020.

The name comes from the so called **Bosco di Gioia**, a urban park in central Milan that was closed in 2006 and subsequently destroyed in order for the **Palazzo Lombardia**, composed by two skyscrapers, to be built upon.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FZS0f6CPn4xYC4g64yRrrH37akhi1%2FpxMPMGhSafyLjh0wliwE%2Fe8370cb5-d8d6-45da-a02b-a311855f548f.jpg?alt=media&token=f7ceca6d-1d00-47af-8a5d-1e31e7fe62fc","id":"e8370cb5-d8d6-45da-a02b-a311855f548f","width":719,"height":452,"filename":"Boscodigioia.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

This event has caused popular upheaval and also [a song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnUHdlSJe8E) was written about it by italian prog group Elio e le Storie Tese. Lately the importance of urban green hass been reevaluated, and we are convinced that **analytical** and **quantitative tools** may help to understand how to manage urban greenery and study its effects on our **quality of life**.

In fact urban greenery reduces the anthropic impact on the environment from various point of views: not only it **absorbs CO2** and hence reduces carbon emissions, but it also creates **shade** from direct sunlight and **absorbs radiation**.

Furhtermore, it helps to mitigate climate changes not only in hot seasons but also in winter: in particular urban bushes can block cold winds and **improve thermal retention of buildings**.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FZS0f6CPn4xYC4g64yRrrH37akhi1%2FpxMPMGhSafyLjh0wliwE%2Fd54f1f92-b760-4ea9-aeb2-cc45a41b3fe2.jpg?alt=media&token=abfd6f36-7963-467b-8198-e232da4670cf","id":"d54f1f92-b760-4ea9-aeb2-cc45a41b3fe2","width":509,"height":339,"filename":"gettyimages-1192942295-170667a.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

Our work has been focused on datasets on [trees](https://datos.madrid.es/sites/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=0101507f09436610VgnVCM2000001f4a900aRCRD&vgnextchannel=374512b9ace9f310VgnVCM100000171f5a0aRCRD) and [meteorological](https://datos.madrid.es/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=374512b9ace9f310VgnVCM100000171f5a0aRCRD&buscar=true&Texto=aire&Sector=medio-ambiente&Formato=&Periodicidad=&orderByCombo=CONTENT_INSTANCE_NAME_DECODE) informations gathered by the **Ayuntamiento de Madrid**. In particular, our aim was to visually represent different dimensions of human wellbeing, in order to understand the positive effect of urban green on our health and psyche.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FZS0f6CPn4xYC4g64yRrrH37akhi1%2FpxMPMGhSafyLjh0wliwE%2F1e920a55-364e-4583-b99e-95b5e3c32ade.png?alt=media&token=ea6a5aa9-fa11-43ee-b68e-15a7decfbb76","id":"1e920a55-364e-4583-b99e-95b5e3c32ade","width":684,"height":396,"filename":"2021-06-26-190916_684x396_scrot.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

# **Urban Heat Islands**

An **Urban Heat Island** (UHI) is an urban area significantly warmer than its rural surroundings due to human activities, it is a common phenomenon especially among big cities. Building materials are generally insulants, so the absence of green areas can aggravate the situation. People need energy to live and they disperse a lot of it in the form of heat, that is why densely populated areas tend to be generally hotter. Other than the temperature itself UHIs have bad repercussions on air and water quality.

High temperature are linked to a number of diseases and are responsible for the death of many people every year. Furthermore, to defend themselves from heat people use air conditioners and other types of electrical machines to cool the rooms , but this ends up in heating even more the area. To fight this vicious circle cities need green areas.

## Thermal comfort indices

Air temperature isn't the only important index of UHIs, there are several indexes developed to determine the perceived temperature, holding in account for many factors. We chose to focus on two of these indices PET and UTCI. Monitoring thermal comfort indices is key to a better management of urban green. For example there is evidence of bigger impact on the temperature by trees west and east of buildings.

* PET ( stands for 'Physiological Equivalent temperature') based on the heat balance equation for the human body, it is a representative index of perceived temperature. The PET depends on air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, human metabolism, clothing and other factors .

* UTCI ( stands for 'Universal Thermal Climate Index') is a useful index to estimate how people perceive temperature. This index is designed to describe outdoor environments.

In UHIs this indices are significantly higher than air temperature measured, meaning that other than being hotter than the near zones UHIs make humans feel even more hot!

We show how green areas affect this two indices, linking the presence of vegetation to a more liveable urban environment. Not only the presence of grass and trees makes perceived temperature go down, they also absorb many polluting substances. Moreover green spaces, especially trees are linked to a lower level of psychological stress, suggesting that citizen would benefit a lot from a greener setting. A smart way to reduce the urban heat is the construction of plantable roofs, in one move we achieve both a lower temperature and absorbtion of greenhouse and polluting gases.

## Tools

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FZS0f6CPn4xYC4g64yRrrH37akhi1%2FpxMPMGhSafyLjh0wliwE%2F4f5879cb-743c-4660-9151-756074415cfd.png?alt=media&token=2e88fc4a-bb47-4b89-a529-5b51c442107a","id":"4f5879cb-743c-4660-9151-756074415cfd","width":873,"height":413,"filename":"2021-06-26-184901_873x413_scrot.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

**Python** has been used to develop the script. The dashboard was made with use of **Streamlit**, hosted on Heroku. **Pandas** and **Scipy** libraries have been used for computations, whereas **Deck.gl** by Uber has been used for the visualization.

JoyWood

Physics BSc

UniTrento e la Mobilità post-Covid

Enrolled and prospective students have faced great uncertainty during the period following the first Covid-19 pandemic wave. In this document I make an estimate of how many people will be able to reach their studying/working place. As an example, I take into account the specificities of the Science Campus located in Povo, Trento. An example of a userful survey is also attached to this document.

Ci vuole molto coraggio

The perspective of an expat student about the willingness of local institutions and communities to innovate and make a step ahead on urban mobility. I have written this piece during local elections for the mayor of Trento in 2019.

B2 First - Score 182

Machine Learning Techniques are being appplied in order to predict electricity consumption in the Trentino region from other temporal datasets, such as Twitter data, weather reports and demographic data.

Machine Learning Techniques for Electricity Consumption Data Analysis

Different algorithms (single-spin flip MCMC, Wolff, ML) are implemented in order to tackle the longstanding issue of Critical Slowing Down during Phase Transition.

Tackling Critical Slowing Down in the two-dimensional Ising Model

M as in Mobility is the document that I’m preparing with my fellow colleagues in order to provide the University of Trento with a serious long-term strategy on Urban Mobility for its students, researchers, professors and administrative personnel. We would ambitiously replicate the experience of Mobility Management already implemented in many other european universities.

M come Mobilità

During this XYZ event I took part to the Digital environments, Interactions and Self Construction lab. With a heterogeneous team of colleagues I have developed an ecosystem of digital tools that can be used by members of associations and cultural spaces.

XYZ Orbite (Ancona)

I have developed a script that makes use of informations from OpenStreetMap and the local transit company (Trentino Trasporti) in order to find the combined isochrone map of walking paths and public transit paths.

We have spent one week in the olive orchards in the countryside of Apulia. Our goal was to develop tools and methods in order to help farmers to manage their crops and animals with the use of real-time sensor detection, data analysis and data visualization. We tackled mainly two problems: the improvement of soil quality and the fight against Xylella Fastidiosa, which is killing a lot of secular olive plants in Southern Apulia.

Y³ Manifesto Supercamp (San Vito dei Normanni)

The aim of this project is to visualize in a clear fashion the impact of Urban Heat Island on the local population of Madrid, Spain. We have combined the visualization of Physiological Equivalent Temperature in the urban area of the city and the density of trees, making it possible to evaluate the impact of urban green on the wellbeing of citizens.

Poplar Festival has been the first festival entirely organized by students and young people in Trento. Started in 2017 and located in Le Albere Park, it has gained a lot of attention from the community and the citizens for its innovative musical and cultural offer. The festival has never really stopped also in face of the COVID-19 pandemic, managing to plan four special dates in four special spots of the Trentino region.

Volunteer

Rural Commons Festival - Da Ovest a Est has been a transvallive festival that combined elements of research with creative actions on site. I have assisted the four organizers—Cristina dalla Torre (eurac research), Bianca Elzenbaumer (eurac research), Sara Favargiotti (UniTrento) and Maddalena Ferretti (PoliMarche)—in various tasks related to social media and the organization of events, also serving as runner.

I have coordinated the communication and the representatives, dealing with a wide variety of interesting problems and challenges that go from designing the brand and its appeal, managing the social media team, keeping track of metrics and ads, to keeping in touch with other associations, creating and promoting a valid political proposal for the students' elections.

Coordinator

I am taking care of the data retrieval, cleaning and preparation process for a research concerning the relationship between human mobility and the COVID-19 pandemic, by studying and developing physical and information theoretical tools and concepts.

Research Assistant

I'm an administrative and technical collaborator of the Joint Initiative UniCittà between the University of Trento and the Municipality of Trento. I mainly manage the website of the project and support the development of various projects of the initative.

Administrative Assistant

I'm working as an intern in the Data Innovation Unit. My team is mainly working on the cutting-edge technologies for analysis and prediction of trends in Credit Risk, Real Estate and Marketing. We deal with big amounts of cadastral and commercial data.

Shoichi Yip

2021