This Initiative on Cities (IOC) Fellowship awards one Boston University graduate student* the opportunity to spend the summer working in Boston City Hall, within the Boston Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM). This individual will have the opportunity to explore an interest in public service and civic innovation while making a positive impact on the community.

The BU IOC MONUM fellow will manage individual projects to advance the portfolios of MONUM and the City of Boston’s Analytics teams, which may include conducting action-oriented research, policy analysis, building data products and tools, or implementing creative, thoughtful new prototypes and experiments to benefit Boston’s residents. The Fellow will also participate in professional development opportunities to gain a broad view of careers in city government.

The Office of New Urban Mechanics is Boston’s civic innovation team, responsible for promoting participatory urbanism, more intelligent city infrastructure, and innovative service delivery. They serve as the catalyst and clearinghouse for civic innovation projects involving the City of Boston and its partners, ranging from residents and community groups to universities, companies, and other government agencies.

Learn more about our 2025 Fellow Corryn Barter’s experience here, and read about the experiences of other past summer fellows here. 

We are only able to accept applications from students enrolled in master’s or other professional degree programs, such as JD or MD. If you have any questions as to your eligibility, please get in touch with David Gross at davgross@bu.edu.

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Summer 2026 Fellowship Information

The BU IOC fellow will receive approximately $8,750 for a 10-week summer fellowship, earning $25 per hour and working 35 hours per week.

The fellowship will run from early June through early August. Exact dates have not yet been determined. Please note that this fellowship is based in Boston. 

Since merging with the Analytics team in the Department of Innovation and Technology, this fellowship’s capacity for data-driven innovation has grown. The BU IOC MONUM Fellow may be placed on projects with an Analytics sponsor, working on technical challenges such as software development or analytical modeling. Regardless of their project assignment, the Fellow will still join the larger MONUM fellowship cohort and will participate in all MONUM fellowship activities and professional development.

Optional Open House: The BU IOC MONUM Fellow joins a larger cohort of Fellows hired directly through the City of Boston. On Tuesday, January 6 at 6pm the City of Boston is hosting an optional virtual open house for prospective applications. You can register to attend here.

Qualifications & Eligibility

  • Applicants must be in good standing with Boston University and enrolled as a full or part-time graduate student* at Boston University during the spring 2026 semester. 
  • Graduate students from any academic discipline or background are eligible to apply. There is no specific skill set required, but applicants must have a passion for public service and local government.
  • *We are only able to accept applications for students enrolled in Masters or other professional degree programs (such as JD, MD). Students currently in the final year of an accelerated or combined BA/MA, BA/MS, or other Bachelor’s-to-Master’s programs are eligible to apply.
  • If you have any questions as to your eligibility, please get in touch with David Gross at davgross@bu.edu.

How to Apply & Timeline

Applications are now open and will close on Tuesday, January 20 at 11:59pm ET.

We plan to award the fellowship in mid-March.

Apply Here

Responsibilities/Terms of Award

  • The fellow will work 35 hours per week for ten weeks.
  • The fellow must be responsive to requests from the Initiative on Cities during their fellowship.
  • The fellow must complete a reflection piece within 2-3 weeks of the conclusion of their fellowship, reflecting on the project(s) they worked on throughout the summer.
    • This piece should emphasize the Fellow’s core focus for the summer, the impact of their project, their experience, and any lessons learned.
    • They are encouraged to incorporate interactive elements, including video and photography.
    • This reflection will be shared on the IOC website.
    • An exact due date for the reflection piece will be provided during the fellowship.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact David Gross, MetroBridge Program Manager, at davgross@bu.edu.