Ellie Nakasone-Amaguin Awarded the 2026 Initiative on Cities Student Prize
The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is excited to announce that Ellie Nakasone-Amaguin (CAS ’26) has been awarded the IOC Student Prize for the 2026 school year. Ellie is an Architectural Studies student and will be pursuing a master’s degree in Urban Planning at Columbia University this fall. The $1,000 prize is presented annually to one […]
IOC Director Loretta Lees Awarded Royal Geographical Society’s 2026 Patron’s Gold Medal
We are delighted to announce that Loretta Lees, Director of the Initiative on Cities and Professor of Sociology at Boston University, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Patron’s Medal by the Royal Geographical Society. Recognition of Groundbreaking Scholarship The Patron’s Medal, one of the Society’s two highest honours and requiring approval by His Majesty, King […]
Event Recap: Boston & The Making of a Global City
By Angelina Baicu | Photos by Ting Wei Li On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the Boston University Initiative on Cities, alongside the City Planning & Urban Affairs Program, welcomed BU Urbanist and Lecturer, Jim O’Connell, for a discussion surrounding his new book “Boston and the Making of a Global City.” In it, he highlights Boston’s historical and contemporary […]
Territories of Southern Urbanism: Race, Displacement, and Edge Populations
When: Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 5:00–6:30 PM ET (reception: 6:30-7:00pm) Where: Boston University Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 Join the Boston University Initiative on Cities, Center on Forced Displacement, and the Boston Urban Salon for a discussion exploring how displacement – both structural and episodic – shapes people’s lives, […]
Apply to be the 2026–2027 IOC Menino Fellow with the National League of Cities!
Applications for the Initiative on Cities (IOC) 2026–2027 Menino Fellowship with the National League of Cities (NLC) are now open for Boston University undergraduate students and due May 31, 2026. The Menino Fellowship provides one Boston University undergraduate student with the opportunity to explore interests in public service, city-level programs and policies, and municipal leadership on […]
North: The Future of Post-Climate America Event Recap
By Angelina Baicu | Photos by Ting Wei Li On Thursday, March 19th, the Boston University Initiative on Cities, alongside the Institute for Global Sustainability and the Department of Earth & Environment, welcomed author, professor, and urban planner Dr. Jesse M. Keenan to a discussion of his recent book “North: The Future of Post Climate […]
Kathya Correa Almanza: Reflecting On My Menino Fellowship
My experience with the Menino Fellowship during my final year at Boston University was incredibly rewarding and meaningful. It not only prepared me for life after graduation but also equipped me with valuable skills in research, writing, collaboration, and interviewing. I first heard about the fellowship through the BU Newbury Center’s newsletter and applied because […]
Event Recap: How Transit Enriches a City with Phil Eng
By Sasa Ramos | Photos by Onjoli Palmer On Thursday, March 5, the Boston University Initiative on Cities, City Planning & Urban Affairs Program, and the Urban Planning Association hosted a student-focused fireside chat featuring Phil Eng, General Manager of the MBTA and interim Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation. A career civil engineer with decades of […]
Boston and the Making of a Global City
When: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 | 12:00 – 1:00 PM ET Where: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 Join the Boston University Initiative on Cities and the City Planning & Urban Affairs Program for a discussion with BU Urbanist and Lecturer at the Boston University City Planning & Urban Affairs Program, […]
2026 Early Stage Urban Research Awards: Request for Proposals
The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) Early Stage Urban Research Awards is accepting project proposals for the 2026 cycle from Boston University faculty members and graduate students. This year, we invite research proposals that explore pressing challenges and solutions facing cities—past, present, and future. Projects may focus on urban places and populations at the […]