IOC Affiliates Published and Presented Research on Housing and Eviction Protections

Recently, Boston University Initiative on Cities affiliates Dr. Molly Richard, a Postdoctoral Scholar at Boston University’s Center for Innovation in Social Science (CISS), and Dr. Kenton Card, an IOC Visiting Urban Scholar and current Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) at the University of Minnesota, prominently shared their insights […]

#BUandBoston: Planning Healthy Cities

This post is part of our #BUandBoston series, highlighting the work and research of BU students, faculty, and staff throughout the City of Boston and the Greater Boston region. Interested in having your Boston-related work featured? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter (@BUonCities) using the #BUandBoston or email us at ioc@bu.edu. By: Sean Waddington March 10, 2025 – […]

Mar 6, 2025

Estimating air exchange rates in thousands of elementary school classrooms using commercial CO2 sensors and machine learning

In the post-COVID-19 pandemic era, maintaining clean air in school classrooms has become critical for ensuring student health and safety. Installing comprehensive carbon dioxide (CO2) monitoring in schools has expanded opportunities for automating AER estimation, but most schools have limited computational resources and analytical capacity. To address this, we developed a cost-effective and scalable method to estimate AER by leveraging end-of-school day carbon dioxide concentrations recorded with thousands of commercial sensors in classrooms.

Feb 27, 2025

Maternal adverse childhood experiences and lifetime experiences of racial discrimination: Associations with current household hardships and intergenerational health

Growing evidence shows parents’ exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and lifetime experiences of racial discrimination (EOD) negatively impacts not only their own health, but also their children’s health. ACEs and EOD can be conceptualized as a reflection of shared underlying adversities and structural injustices that manifest in inequitable educational and employment opportunities and differential treatment by public policies and programs that impede parents’ capacity to support their families.

Meet Our New Visiting Scholar: Pinar Çobanyilmaz

We’re excited to announce Pinar Çobanyilmaz as the Initiative on Cities Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar. She is a Turkish urban scholar who is currently researching urban and rural climate resiliency measures and management after forest fires. Her academic research areas include climate change and urban resilience, the right to the city, urban conflicts, the politics of […]

IOC Director Loretta Lees to Receive 2025 Urban Affairs Association “Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award”

The Boston University Initiative on Cities is excited to announce that Director Loretta Lees will receive the 2025 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award from the Urban Affairs Association (UAA). Director Lees will formally accept this award at the upcoming International Conference on Urban Affairs in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In addition to her […]

We’re Hiring: Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position starting September 1, 2025. This is a two-year appointment. The IOC PDRA will have expertise in urban studies and undertake a research project designed by themselves in relation to an urban issue or challenge in the U.S. and/or abroad. […]

2025 Initiative on Cities City of Boston Summer Internship Applications Now Open

The IOC is excited to offer three paid undergraduate internship opportunities this summer. Interns will work 35 hours weekly in Boston’s City Hall in one of the three roles listed below. Equity & Inclusion Cabinet [Free housing in partnership with the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground]: The intern will advance Boston’s racial equity policy priorities, foster community engagement […]

#BUandBoston: Unpacking our “Atmosphere of Soup” — Arden Radford

This post is part of our #BUandBoston series, highlighting the work and research of BU students, faculty, and staff throughout the City of Boston and the Greater Boston region. Interested in having your Boston-related work featured? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter (@BUonCities) using the #BUandBoston or send us an email at ioc@bu.edu. By Jaclyn […]