A0987
Title: A topological approach to analyzing access to resources with heterogeneous quality
Authors: Sarah Tymochko - University of California, Los Angeles (United States) [presenting]
Abstract: Ideally, all public resources (e.g. parks, grocery stores, hospitals, etc.) should be distributed in a way that is fair and equitable to everyone. However, this is not always the case. Quantifying how much (or little) access individuals have to certain resources is a complex problem. Previous work has shown that tools from topological data analysis (TDA) can be useful in determining "holes" in the locations of resource locations based on geographical locations and travel times. Some resources may necessitate the incorporation of a notion of quality. As a case study, public parks are observed, which are heterogeneous in many ways. Having access to a park that is hundreds of acres with basketball courts, baseball diamonds, and an aquarium is inherently different than having access to a small patch of grass with an overgrown tennis court. An exploration of the access to public parks in Chicago is presented using persistent homology, a tool from TDA.
