We seek to understand and address the most pressing challenges facing local leaders in relation to the contemporary state of cities and their future, both nationally and globally. We bring together academics, elected officials, policymakers, practitioners, businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders to learn from one another and co-create solutions.
When: Thursday, March 5, 2026 | 5:00–6:30 PM ET Where: Rajen Kilachand Center Eichenbaum Colloquium Room, 1st Floor, 610 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 The Boston University Initiative on Cities, City Planning & Urban Affairs Program, and the Urban Planning Association are delighted to welcome the General Manager of the MBTA and interim Massachusetts Secretary […]
On Wednesday, February 4, the Initiative on Cities launched the Gentrification & Urban Displacement Lab (GUDL) – a new hub bringing together faculty, students, practitioners, and community partners committed to understanding urban change, culture, and inequality. At the center of this launch was Professor Japonica Brown-Saracino’s new book, The Death and Life of Gentrification. Stephanie […]
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 […]
When: Thursday, March 19, 2026 | 4:00–5:30 PM ET Where: Kenmore Room, 9th Floor, 1 Silber Way, Boston, MA 02215 The Boston University Initiative on Cities, Institute for Global Sustainability, and the Department of Earth & Environment are excited to welcome Dr. Jesse Keenan, Favrot Associate Professor of Sustainable Real Estate and Urban Planning at […]
Calling all Boston University students: IOC's 2026 summer internship applications are now open! This year, the Initiative on Cities is offering four full-time, paid summer internships in the public sector. You can now apply: all information related to the internships is on their respective pages. Please note that, to apply, you must be in good […]
On Wednesday, October 15th, the Initiative on Cities hosted a panel titled “Urban Growth and Citizenship Machines,” at which Boston University Professor of Architecture Daniel Abramson discussed his forthcoming book, Designing Citizens. The conversation focused on the urban renewal project in Boston's Government Center from the 1950s to the 1970s. The panel joining the discussion […]
On November 3, 2025, the Initiative on Cities and the Boston University Department of Sociology hosted a special session of the Urban Inequalities Workshop featuring Dr. Daniel T. O'Brien, Director of the Boston Area Research Initiative (BARI) and Professor at Northeastern University. Dr. Yeşim Sungu-Eryilmaz, Director of City Planning & Urban Affairs at Metropolitan College, […]
On Monday, October 27, 2025, the Initiative on Cities and the Metropolitan College City Planning & Urban Affairs Program co-hosted a discussion exploring the design and implementation of transit maps. This session of Transportation & The City featured Ken Dumas, Manager of the Central Transportation Planning Staff at the Boston MPO, and Mark Ovenden, broadcaster, […]
