#12 Jon Petersen: Solving Urban Mobility Problems with Data

17/09/2025 35 min

Listen "#12 Jon Petersen: Solving Urban Mobility Problems with Data"

Episode Synopsis

In this episode of the Decision Intelligence Lab podcast, hosts Vijay Mehrotra and Michael Watson interview Jon Petersen, Vice President of Data at Archer, an aerospace company specializing in electric vertical takeoff and landing (EVTOL) aircraft. The conversation explores Archer's mission to revolutionize urban mobility, the critical role of data science in aircraft design and operations, and the collaborative efforts between data science and engineering teams. Petersen shares insights on the challenges of data-driven decision-making, the importance of building a diverse and effective team, and strategies for securing support for data science initiatives. Chapters0:00 – Preview0:33 – Meet Jon Petersen1:37 – Revolutionizing Urban Mobility2:38 – Managing Aircraft Noise4:23 – The Role of Data Science at Archer9:38 – Collaborating with Engineering Teams13:50 – Trip Density Distribution & Destination Origins17:53 – Challenges in Data-Driven Decision-Making19:48 – Team Building & Collaboration28:53 – Scaling the Manufacturing Facility30:33 – Funding & Justifying Data Science InitiativesFollow the showApple: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/the-decision-intelligence-lab/id1811085064⁠Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/0lFoAVKqJHTYSZNpeN61ou?si=0ae973aab0174b3b⁠Connect with the guestJon Petersen: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-petersen-ba623950/Connect with hostsProf. Vijay Mehrotra (University of San Francisco): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vijay-mehrotra-ba9498/⁠Prof. Michael Watson (Northwestern University): ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-watson-07600a1⁠Recommendations from Guest: - Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics by Richard H. Thaler- Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel KahnemanAbout the podcastThe Decision Intelligence Lab podcast delivers real-world insights for data professionals, business leaders, and anyone seeking to leverage data & AI for smarter decision-making & successful business outcomes.For business inquiries, email at ⁠[email protected]

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