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, More
The Multilayered Geography of Scale in ‘The Pointillistic City’
When: November 3, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:30 PM ET Where: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 Join the Boston University Department of Sociology and Initiative on Cities for a special session of the Urban Inequalities Workshop featuring Dr. Daniel T. O’Brien’s (Northeastern University) latest book, The Pointillistic... More
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... More
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... More
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... More
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... More
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... More
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... More
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... More
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... More
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... More
The Initiative on Cities Joins Leading Global Institutions in Launching Alliance to Advance Human-Centric Urban Research
By Singapore Management University July 2, 2025 (Vienna, Austria) – Five globally respected academic institutions have come together to launch the Global Alliance on Sustainable Urban Societies – a pioneering initiative that places people at the heart of urban research and policymaking. The partnership was announced today at the Singapore... More
2024–2025 MetroBridge Recap
MetroBridge, the experiential learning program of the Boston University Initiative on Cities, collaborated with 14 municipal and community partners on 17 projects over the 2024-2025 academic year. During the fall and spring semesters, 293 students worked on applied learning projects, gaining real-world experience addressing urban challenges. Municipal and community partners interested... More
Meet Campbell Taylor, 2025 City of Boston Planning Advisory Council Intern
The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) is proud to announce that Campbell Taylor (CAS/Pardee/KHC '28) is the 2025 City of Boston’s Planning Advisory Council (PAC) Intern. Campbell will work under the Executive Director of PAC Katharine Lusk, who is also the former Co-Director of the IOC. This is the first... More
Meet Levi Chen, 2025 City of Boston Office of Climate Resilience Intern
The Boston University Initiative on Cities is happy to announce that Levi Chen (CAS '27) is this year’s City of Boston Office of Climate Resilience Intern. The Office of Climate Resilience is a newly designated office of the Environment, Energy, and Open Space (EEOS) Cabinet. Its work focuses on enhancing the... More
Meet Nayeli Quiles, 2025 City of Boston’s Equity & Inclusion Cabinet Summer Intern
The Boston University Initiative on Cities and the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground are happy to announce that Nayeli Quiles (CAS ’26) has been selected as this year’s summer intern with the City of Boston’s Equity & Inclusion Cabinet. Nayeli will work directly with the Senior Advisor on Racial Justice, Ms. Lori... More
Meet Corryn Barter, 2025 Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics Fellow
The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) is happy to announce Corryn Barter (SPH '25) has been selected as this year’s City of Boston Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM) Fellow. This fellow will have the opportunity to explore an interest in public service and civic innovation while positively impacting... More
Announcing Our 2025 Early Stage Urban Research Award Recipients
The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of our 11th request for proposals for the Early Stage Urban Research Awards. These seed grants support early-stage academic research focused on urban challenges and urban populations across various disciplines and scopes. These projects also serve... More
IOC External Advisory Board Member Dominic Moulden Receives Honorary Degree at Boston University’s 2025 Commencement
The Initiative on Cities proudly celebrates our External Advisory Board member, Dominic Moulden, for receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at Boston University’s 2025 Commencement. IOC Director Loretta Lees speaks of Moulden’s exceptional character and achievements, stating: “Dominic is a thinker, but he is also a doer; he is a... More
Matt Lutkins (CAS ’25) Awarded the 2025 Initiative on Cities Student Prize
The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is elated to announce that Matt Lutkins (CAS ’25) has been awarded the IOC Student Prize for the 2025 school year. The $1,000 prize is presented annually to one BU senior graduating with a minor in Urban Studies. We asked Matt to introduce himself and describe his... More