Urban Health in Africa
When: Thursday, November 6, 10:00 – 11:30 AM ET (Boston) Where: Virtual via Zoom Join us for a virtual discussion of Urban Health in Africa, co-edited by Boston University Associate Professor of Global Health, Elaine Nsoesie. The event will feature contributing authors highlighting case studies from the volume and a panel conversation on Africa’s rapid […]
Designing and Using Transit Maps
When: Monday, October 27, 2025, 12:00 – 1:30 PM Where: Metropolitan College, 1010 Commonwealth Ave., 1st floor, Room 122 Join the Boston University Metropolitan College City Planning & Urban Affairs Program and Initiative on Cities for a noontime Transportation & the City discussion on how people use and navigate with transit map designs. The discussion […]
Introducing the 2025–2026 Initiative on Cities Menino Fellow: Isabella Alvarado
We are excited to announce Isabella Alvarado (CAS’27) as the 2025–2026 Boston University Initiative on Cities Menino Fellow in partnership with the National League of Cities (NLC). Isabella is a junior at Boston University studying Political Science with minors in Public Policy Analysis and Urban Studies. Originally from San Antonio, Texas, she is passionate about creating […]
Urban Growth and Citizenship Machines
Where: Boston University Initiative on Cities | 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 When: Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 4:00 – 5:30 PM ET Join the Initiative on Cities for a conversation with Boston University Professor Daniel Abramson, who will share insights from his forthcoming book, Designing Citizens. Abramson’s work explores postwar federal government complexes – from […]
Campbell Taylor: My Summer with the City of Boston Planning Advisory Council
Working with the City of Boston Planning Advisory Council (PAC) team this past summer was an incredible and transformative experience. I thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with the Planners and experts across other departments at City Hall, learning from their expertise on Boston’s neighborhoods and needs. This summer was a particularly exciting time to join the PAC […]
Levi Chen: My Summer with the City of Boston Office of Climate Resilience
To me, communication is one of those things that’s so prevalent in our day-to-day lives that we forget just how important it is. We want to know what’s going on in the world around us, but there can often be a disconnect between those who have that information and those who want it. When we’re […]
Nayeli Quiles: My Summer with the City of Boston Equity & Inclusion Cabinet
This past summer, I had the privilege of serving as a Racial Justice fellow with the City of Boston’s Equity and Inclusion Cabinet. My interest in this internship stemmed from some of my past experiences working in City Hall and with a variety of elected officials in Massachusetts, as my most interesting and fulfilling work […]
Corryn Barter: My Summer with the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM)
When looking for summer internships to complete my practicum, I was drawn to opportunities that focused on improving community health. The recent changes to public health funding greatly impacted the ability of many organizations to offer internships, especially those that provide public services. When I found the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM) summer […]
Meet Josh Lown, Postdoctoral Research Associate
We’re excited to introduce and welcome our new Postdoctoral Research Associate, Josh Lown! Josh was born and raised in Michigan and received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Michigan State University. Soon after finishing his master’s program in social work, he moved to the Boston area to begin his PhD in social work, where his […]
IOC Releases 2025 Annual Report
The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) is proud to share our 2025 Annual Report, marking 11 years of impact. This past year, we deepened our role as an interdisciplinary hub for urbanists — bridging research and practice, leading place-based experiential learning programs, and expanding connections with partners locally, nationally, and globally. Together, these efforts […]