Anthony M. Townsend

Townsend teaches and conducts research on the role of information and communications technology in urban development and planning. He has authored over 15 scholarly articles and book chapters on telecommunications infrastructure, digital media and urban design, and mobile and wireless communications in urban life.

In 2001, Anthony founded the pioneering wireless free-net NYCwireless with Terry Schmidt. While building NYCwireless in a large volunteer-run non-profit organization, the two were instrumental in establishing dozens of free Wi-Fi hotspots in public parks and plazas throughout New York City.

Most recently, Anthony completed a Fulbright Scholar residency at the Seoul Development Institute in South Korea, where his work focused on geographic and cultural factors in that nation's rapid deployment of broadband networks.

Anthony holds a Ph.D. in urban and regional planning from MIT.