How is the Initiative on Cities Making a Difference in Urban Scholarship?

We catalyze early-stage research that deepens understanding of cities and urban populations. Today, with over half the world’s population living in urban areas, it is more crucial than ever for scholars and practitioners to address the complex challenges facing 21st-century cities – and to shape the policies and practices that will shape their future. If you are a member of the BU community and interested in submitting a proposal, we encourage you to review our annual requests for proposals, which typically open in December or January.  
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724 result(s) found.

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    Boston Public Schools’ Reassignment Plan

    February 18, 2016
    February 4th’s panel discussion brought together members of the Boston Pubic Schools (BPS) and Boston University communities to discuss the newest BPS Assignment Plan that was rolled out in 2014. This new plan reorganized Boston schools into tiers and normalized the distribution of “quality” schools across all tiers. It is still based on a lottery […]

  • Boston’s Chinatown: Community, Power, and Placemaking

    April 7, 2021
    Held on Thursday, April 15, 2021 Watch a recording or read a recap below. Recap by Claudia Chiappa On April 15, 2021 the Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC), BU Arts Initiative, and BU Diversity & Inclusion hosted a virtual discussion focused on the history and legacy of Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood. The conversation was moderated […]

  • Breast is Best: Increasing Breastfeeding Resources at Boston Medical Center Pediatric Ambulatory Care Clinic to Improve Urban Health Equity

    September 2, 2015
    Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigator Drs. Rachael Bonawitz and Stephanie Klees propose a study to assess the difference in breastfeeding rates through the Nesting Clinic at Boston Medical Center (BMC) beginning pre-2012, when certified lactation counselors were present in clinic, and from 2012 to June 2015, the three years without lactation support services. Drs. Bonawitz and […]
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    Brian Swett Joins BU as Visiting Fellow

    September 3, 2015
    The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is pleased to announce that Brian Swett of Arup Group Limited will join the Boston University community as a Visiting Fellow beginning this fall. As a Visiting Fellow, Swett will lend his expertise to the university as a contributor to programs and research endeavors related to the urban environment and […]

  • Bridging the Research-Policy Divide: Lessons from Cities Tackling Extreme Heat

    March 2, 2022
    Held on Tuesday, April 5, 2022 Watch a full recording of the event, or scroll down to read a recap and watch event highlights. Recap by Diya Ashtakala On Tuesday, April 5th, the Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC), the Boston University School of Public Health Program on Climate and Health and the URBAN Program […]

  • BU Artists Featured in Icons of Franklin Park Poster Competition

    May 29, 2026
    Inspired by classic Works Progress Administration (WPA) poster designs, the Icons of Franklin Park Poster Competition invited artists to submit original works highlighting the park's physical and cultural icons, past and present. The City of Boston, the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, and the Franklin Park Coalition sponsored the competition. Franklin Park, designed by renowned […]

  • BU Giving Day (4/6): Support the IOC!

    April 6, 2022
    BU Giving Day is here! Today is our chance to come together and make a collective impact for BU students. With your help, the Initiative on Cities will continue to empower the next generation of civic leaders at BU by providing forums and professional opportunities that connect undergraduate and graduate students to urban challenges. Your gift to […]
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    BU PhD Student Urbanists Networking Social

    January 4, 2023
    Date: Thursday, February 2, 2023 Time: 6:00-8:00 PM ET Location: Dahod Family Alumni Center (BU Castle), 225 Bay State Road The Initiative on Cities is hosting a networking event for Boston University PhD Student Urbanists on Thursday, February 2nd at 6:00 PM ET at the BU Castle. This is an opportunity to socialize with fellow […]

  • BU Today Feature: “Vanguards in Urban Planning: Transforming Vancouver, Toronto, and Minneapolis”

    August 8, 2019
    "Minneapolis’ requirement that multifamily housing be permitted in all residential areas struck an overdue blow against racism in housing policy—and sets a model for other cities, a Minneapolis planner told Bostonians Monday at a forum at CitySpace, the public affairs venue of WBUR, BU’s National Public Radio station. 'We have a history that is steeped […]
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    BU Today: MetroBridge GRS Course Aims to Help Reshape Community Policing in Lynn

    May 6, 2022
    From BU Today: Spencer Piston’s Race at the Center of U.S. Politics students helped the city work to implement a civilian emergency response team Read the full article on BU Today written by Alene Bouranova Lynn, Mass., made headlines in the summer of 2020 when Thomas McGee, then the city’s mayor, allocated $25,000 to the […]