Initiative on Cities Holds Inaugural Public Impact Scholars Program
The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) held its inaugural Public Impact Scholars training program on January 19–21, 2021. The program, held virtually after a Spring 2020 postponement due to COVID-19, was developed by the IOC to support faculty interested in pursuing state and local policy impact. It provides foundational knowledge of state and urban governance and power structures, helps foster a peer community for networking and shared experiences, and introduces participants to various BU colleagues and resources to support their efforts.
“The Public Impact Scholars program was a unique opportunity for me to familiarize myself with the complexities related to public impacts at the state and local level,” noted Assistant Professor of Earth and Environment Jeffrey Geddes, a member of the initial cohort. “It was terrific to hear from faculty colleagues who have successfully influenced policy, with sometimes surprising results, and our lively discussions gave me a tremendous amount of food for thought.”
The inaugural Public Impact Scholars cohort includes 16 faculty members from seven schools and colleges—and 12 different departments—across Boston University, which provided a unique opportunity to connect faculty peers with differing training and disciplinary perspectives. The program featured several expert speakers who provided insight on topics such urbanization, global comparative municipal finance, and local and state governance and policymaking. Additional modules focused on effective ways to influence policy and how to work with BU resources such as BU’s Federal Relations and Government & Community Affairs teams.
“I see this program as a “jumping off point” for further reflection,” said Geddes. “It feels like I know the right questions to ask now, and have been given some of the important tools, to start thinking more about my own research program and interests in community engagement. Hopefully, this is just the beginning.”
Katharine Lusk, IOC Co-Director who led creation of the program, said it was created in response to faculty demand: “Increasingly, BU faculty want to use their skills and expertise to more directly influence policy and programs. We wanted to create a community of like-minded faculty, while supporting them in these efforts.” She noted it is an iterative program, so those involved can shape the program. To that end, the IOC is planning additional training modules for this year’s group based on their input.
The Initiative on Cities will invite new applications for its next Public Impact Scholars cohort in the coming months, and hopes to be able to host the next group in-person in January, 2022. The Public Impact Scholars program is open to any tenured, tenure-track, research or clinical faculty, as well as full-time lecturers at Boston University. Those interested are encouraged to subscribe to the IOC newsletter, follow the IOC on Twitter, or regularly check bu.edu/ioc/