Jun (Jennifer) Luu

Urban Spatial Analytics  ·  Penn Weitzman  ·  2026
jennifer.luu6@gmail.com  ·  Philadelphia, PA
jenniferluu6.github.io/portfolio
Education
University of Pennsylvania
Master of Urban Spatial Analytics
Weitzman School of Design
Expected May 2026  ·  GPA 3.88 / 4.0
Virginia Tech
B.S. in Construction Engineering and Management
May 2022  ·  Dean's List ×4
Technical Skills
Python
pandas, GeoPandas, scikit-learn, SciPy, NumPy, Rasterio, Shapely
R
tidyverse, tidycensus, sf, leaflet, ggplot2
Machine Learning & AI
Self-Organizing Maps, TF-IDF, sentence embeddings, Random Forest, k-means, Anthropic API, synthetic data generation
Spatial Analysis
ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, PostGIS, Google Earth Engine, Mapbox, CARTO, Moran's I / LISA, spatial cross-validation
Data & Visualization
SQL, Jupyter, Quarto, Git / GitHub, Seaborn, Plotly, HTML / CSS / JS, Excel, Looker, Adobe InDesign
Research
Mapping New Vocabularies of Neighborhood Change: An Inductive Text Analysis of Real Estate Listings
Nov 2025 – Present
PIs: Prof. Elizabeth Delmelle (University of Pennsylvania) & Prof. Isabelle Nilsson (UNC Charlotte)  ·  Presented at AAG Annual Meeting, San Francisco, March 2026
  • Developed a generalizable inductive text analysis pipeline applying TF-IDF vectorization to MLS listing remarks across Mecklenburg County, NC to identify latent vocabulary patterns signaling neighborhood change across census tract-periods.
  • Implemented a Self-Organizing Map (SOM) trained on listing language to cluster neighborhoods by linguistic profile, enabling unsupervised detection of gentrification stages without imposing predetermined typologies.
  • Analyzed temporal sequences of SOM cluster membership across tract-periods to construct a transition matrix of neighborhood trajectories, tracing how individual tracts move through discursive market segments over time.
Synthetic MLS Remark Generation via Batch API
2025
Support pipeline for thesis research  ·  Solo
  • Designed and built a batch API pipeline using the Anthropic API to generate synthetic real estate listing remarks conditioned on neighborhood type, price tier, and time period, augmenting sparse tract-period cells in the Mecklenburg County dataset.
  • Generated remarks are flagged with an is_synthetic field for downstream validation and sensitivity analysis, enabling direct comparison of model behavior with and without synthetic augmentation.
  • Pipeline processes tract-period pairs with fewer than a minimum observation threshold, matching the style, vocabulary, and temporal register of real MLS remarks using few-shot prompting from real data samples.
Predicting Eviction Risk in Philadelphia: A Spatiotemporal Modeling Approach
2025
Collaborative with Jed Chew, Mark Deng, and Mohammad AlAbbas  ·  MUSA 5080, University of Pennsylvania
  • Cleaned and joined Eviction Lab filings (2020–2025), Philadelphia crime records, 311 service requests, ACS census variables, and real estate tax delinquency data into a unified monthly panel dataset across all Philadelphia census tracts.
  • Engineered features including a tract vulnerability index, distance-to-hotspot measures, and temporal lag variables (1, 3, 6, and 12 months) to capture spatial and temporal structure in eviction filing patterns.
  • Applied Moran's I and LISA spatial autocorrelation diagnostics to validate spatial structure, then implemented a Poisson regression model with spatial and temporal lags to forecast eviction filings by census tract.
Research Positions
Research Analyst
Feb 2026 – Present
Penn Institute for Urban Research — University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Eugenia Birch
  • Wrote foundational research memo defining scope, analytical framework, and survey strategy for a multi-year study on Penn's role as an anchor institution, informing research on a $37.7B annual regional economic footprint.
  • Developed and mapped a spatial inventory of Penn's full regional footprint using ArcGIS Pro, R, and Adobe InDesign, producing deliverable-quality maps of West Philadelphia and the broader metro region.
  • Designed survey frameworks across major stakeholder populations: university deans, regional business owners, and health system patients and professionals.
Geospatial Research Assistant
Sept 2025 – Present
Center for Air Transportation Resilience (CAtRES) — NASA University Leadership Initiative, Dr. Megan Ryerson (Penn) & Dr. Mark Hansen (UC Berkeley)
  • Constructed an end-to-end data pipeline processing 25.4 million U.S. flight records across 45 months (BTS + FAA) with fully reproducible, modular notebooks tracked in Git.
  • Developed a temporal clustering algorithm isolating 64,815 diversions across 377 airports, distinguishing system-wide cascade events from regionally contained disruptions.
  • Built an interactive Plotly / Panel dashboard and Quarto documentation site translating findings into actionable recommendations for airline operations, airport capacity planning, and FAA policy.
  • Identified that American Airlines diverted 29% more frequently than Delta despite comparable network size, with implications for hub scheduling and operational resilience policy.
Professional Experience
Assistant Project Manager
Aug 2024 – Jul 2025
Fairstead — NYCHA Reid Apartments PACT/RAD Conversion, Brooklyn, NY
  • Coordinated occupied renovation of 16,000+ NYCHA Section 8 housing units under federal housing preservation compliance, managing workflows across relocation coordinators, construction teams, property management, the NYC housing authority, and resident liaisons.
  • Designed and implemented a unit-level progress tracking dashboard monitoring renovation status across all units, enabling real-time decision-making on construction sequencing and tenant relocation to minimize disruptions.
  • Researched Section 8 regulatory compliance and housing preservation frameworks to inform phased construction strategy under the PACT/RAD conversion program.
Field Engineer
Oct 2023 – Jul 2024
Hensel Phelps — Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
  • Developed logistics and scheduling strategies for complex infrastructure systems on a major healthcare campus serving majority low-income and uninsured patients in LA County.
  • Audited cost estimates and identified discrepancies, preventing $250,000 in unaccounted material costs.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to resolve technical and operational challenges across multiple active subcontractors.
Assistant Engineer
May 2021 – Sept 2023
Turner Construction Company — Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, IL
  • Coordinated seven subcontractors managing specialized systems on a major occupied hospital expansion with complex phasing to maintain full operations throughout construction.
  • Analyzed contract documentation and budget data to identify cost and schedule risks, value-engineering over $100,000 in savings on door upgrade specifications.
  • Implemented a resource allocation tracking system monitoring personnel and material staging daily, optimizing site logistics for parking, equipment access, and workflow efficiency.
Presentations
2026
Mapping New Vocabularies of Neighborhood Change: An Inductive Text Analysis of Real Estate Listings
American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting — San Francisco, CA, March 2026
Leadership & Community
Women Build Team Lead
2023
Habitat for Humanity — Chicago, IL
Led a team of 10 women to construct permanent affordable homes. Coordinated logistics, training, and team dynamics to ensure project completion and positive community impact.
Mixed-Use Team Competition Coach
2023 – 2024
USC CMAA — Los Angeles, CA
Created and taught lesson plans on construction project management, cost estimating, scheduling, and superintending. Prepared team for collegiate competition through technical training and mentorship.