Michael Flaxman is an assistant professor in the Urban Information Systems Group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Department of Planning. His primary research interest is in the use of spatial simulation modeling in the planning and design of cities and regions. He is particularly interested in the development of tools for stakeholder-based planning that present evaluative models in context using visual simulation. He has practiced GIS-based planning in 14 countries, including one year as a Fulbright fellow in Canada.

Flaxman previously served as industry manager for design at Esri, the world’s largest developer of GIS technology. Prior to joining Esri, he was a lecturer in landscape planning at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Flaxman received his doctorate in design from Harvard in 2001 and holds a master’s in community and regional planning from the University of Oregon and a bachelor’s in biology from Reed College.