Brian W. Conley

Brian supports UBRI projects with a range of skills, including GIS, data analysis, indicator development, writing, community engagement, and project management. By applying prior experience in natural sciences and education, he takes an interdisciplinary approach to his work at UBRI. He leads UBRI’s work on Informing Electric Micromobility Policy, and recently led research for The Riverline Equitable Development Framework and Clean Energy Workforce Assessment. Brian managed UBRI’s production of Moving Forward 2050, database development for Numbers in Need, and the regional policy assessment, Local IMPACT: Strategies to Promote Mobility. Applying his background in teaching, Brian instructs UBRI’s Economic Development Planning class within UB’s School of Architecture and Planning.

Brian’s time at UBRI began in 2012, developing sustainability indicators for the WNY Sustainability Plan and One Region Forward, for which he also managed a regional scenario modeling process and created an online mapping platform. Brian provided data analysis and mapping support for a number of other projects, including the WNY Labor Market Assessment 2017, The Racial Equity Dividend, Rain Check, Niagara Street Now, and the Flood Smart Action Plan—where he co-created a novel methodology for a comprehensive vulnerability assessment.

Brian began cultivating his expertise in GIS, transportation planning, sustainability, economic development, and climate resilience through prior work experience. As a research assistant in UB’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning, he researched climate change policy and co-authored articles on multi-modal transportation planning for evacuations published in the Journal of the Transportation Research Board, the International Journal of Transportation, and a chapter in Taking Chances: The Coast after Hurricane Sandy. Through prior work with Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, he promoted environmental justice and conservation by collecting field data, managing geospatial databases, and creating resources for service learning and public outreach.

Brian holds a bachelor’s degree in science in secondary physics education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo; and master’s degrees in geography and urban planning from the University at Buffalo. In his downtime, Brian enjoys playing guitar, collecting vinyl, sports, and kayaking and camping with his wife Kim.