Initiative on Cities Releases 2024 Annual Report

The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) is proud to release its 2024 Annual Report — marking 10 years since our founding and commitment to the betterment of cities. 

The achievements over the past year underscore our center’s dedication to serving as an interdisciplinary hub for urbanists, bridging research and practice, and leading place-based experiential learning programs for students. We are continuously strengthening and forging new connections locally, nationally, and globally, all in pursuit of creating more livable, resilient, and just cities. 

2024 Annual Report

Research Highlights:

  • We continued to lead the Menino Survey of Mayors, with the 2023 survey exploring mayoral views on early implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and issues ranging from clean energy and permitting to public messaging and capacity challenges to government accountability and control. We also launched a data portal covering 10 years of survey data.
  • The Initiative catalyzed $13.6 million in total funding since 2015 from Early Stage Urban Research Awards, including $1.8 million reported in 2024. We awarded three $15,000 Early Stage Urban Research Awards to projects working at the intersections of urban heat, health, and housing. 
  • The Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Government contracted us to develop a Displacement Risk Tool, which will support local policy to identify displacement risks due to development.
  • The Initiative co-led an international workshop series on climate displacement with the University of Toronto’s School of Cities, funded by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Connections Grant. Together, we produced a report summarizing the cohort’s discussions and key takeaways for policymakers and practitioners. The team has since been awarded additional funding to continue this work over the next two years and will organize a global research network on Climate-Induced Displacement, Resettlement, Adaptation, and Resilience for Cities (CIDRARC).

Learning Highlights:

  • Through our MetroBridge program, we supported experiential learning with municipal and community partners for 277 BU undergraduate and graduate students in 14 classes. For the first time, the program partnered with classes from the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine (CAMED) and the School of Hospitality (SHA). 
  • Our summer fellowship and internship program continued to be a staple of connecting BU students with local governments. This year, graduate and undergraduate students spent their summer in Boston City Hall, working with the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet, and Climate Ready Boston. For the first time, we provided undergraduate interns with housing support in addition to their internship stipend.
  • We awarded Alana Motley (CAS / GRS ‘24) the Initiative on Cities Student Prize for Urban Studies minor undergraduate students. Eleven students graduated in 2024 with a minor in Urban Studies.

Practice Highlights:

  • Hosted 34 events and critical conversations on campus and beyond, including the International Conference on Gentrification & Displacement – the first of its kind in over 20 years. This three-day interdisciplinary conference brought close to 250 scholars, organizers, and activists from 35 countries to BU and was supported by the National Science Foundation, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and several BU centers and departments.
  • Led the founding of the Boston Urban Salon, a new seminar series to connect urbanists across Boston area institutions.
  • Partnered with the Metropolitan College City Planning & Urban Affairs program to launch a Transportation & the City event series, led by practitioners and adjunct faculty Terry Regan (retired official at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, U.S. DOT) and Rob DiAdamo (former Executive Director of the MBTA Commuter Rail). 

Special Accolades: