Urbam

Based on the experience of “Medellin and it's metropolitan region,” the Center for Urban and Environmental Studies, Urbam, emerges as an academic space for thinking, critical reflection and action on the city and the environment, where the academy, the public and the private sector get together solving problems and finding answers from an interdisciplinary and integrated perspective. In this sense, urbam aims to consolidate aspace that offers:

• Reflection and critical analysis on physical and environmental issues and the way they impact our society through systematization, research and public debate.
  
• Providing consulting services on urban and territorial issues for the public and the private sector.
  
• Academic formation at postgraduate level (next to come).

Spatial-SEALab

Spatial-SEALab (Spatial-Socioeconomic Analysis Lab) is a research laboratory with an interest in application, development and dissemination of spatial analysis in the social-economic fields.

The research line at Spatial-SEALab utilizes spatial analysis and applies recent research methods to a range of socioeconomic phenomena in which spatial factors are likely to be playing an important role. Their development efforts are directed to create bridges between two fields, socioeconomics and spatial analysis, with the use of intersecting conceptual and theoretical frameworks, and the identification of problem-driven research questions. Their dissemination activities are mainly directed to training graduate students in spatial analytical methods and regional science, and making policy-relevant contributions for regional planning.

AQR

The AQR-IREA research group (Regional Quantitative Analysis) is integrated in the Department of Econometrics, Statistics and Spanish Economy at the University of Barcelona and as a research unit in the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). AQR-IREA is also part of the Research Institute of Applied Economics (IREA). AQR-IREA with more than thirty researchers and twenty years of experience, has been recognized by the Generalitat de Catalunya (the regional government) as a group of quality and excellence in economic research.

Geoda Center

The GeoDa Center for Geospatial Analysis and Computation develops state-of-the-art methods for geospatial analysis, geovisualization, geosimulation, and spatial process modeling, implements them through software tools, applies them to policy-relevant research in the social and environmental sciences, and disseminates them through training and support to a growing worldwide community.

The GeoDa Center succeeds the Spatial Analysis Laboratory (SAL) which was founded by the new School of Geographical Sciences Director Luc Anselin while at the University of Illinois. This laboratory has now ceased to exist. The new GeoDa Center builds upon the considerable international reputation of SAL and serves as a focal point to leverage currently dispersed faculty interest in geospatial analysis present at ASU.