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.

  • Dr. David Carballo: Social Inequality and Community Archaeology at America’s First Metropolis: Teotihuacan, Mexico

    November 26, 2018
    By Carly Berke The Initiative on Cities has hosted the Urban Inequalities Workshop for the past three years. Faculty and PhD students are invited to lead open discussions on their current research in this space. The Urban Inequalities Workshop approaches the topic of urban inequality from different disciplinary, methodological, and theoretical angles. Presentations are led by […]

  • Effects of Greenspace Structure on Urban Tree Health and Human Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter: A Biogeochemical Analysis and Exposure Assessment

    May 31, 2020
    Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigators: Air pollution in urban areas, such as particulate matter emitted from vehicular and industrial activity, has negative effects on vegetation and human health. To encourage reductions in air pollution in urban areas, many cities have increased vegetation through tree planting campaigns, which has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease prevalence and […]
  • Elizabeth Jones at the IOC

    Elizabeth Jones Awarded Inaugural Initiative on Cities Student Prize

    May 20, 2022
    By Amelia Murray-Cooper The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is proud to announce that Elizabeth Jones has been awarded the IOC Student Prize. The $1,000 prize is presented annually to one BU senior who is graduating with a minor in Urban Studies. Elizabeth (CAS '22) double majored in Architectural Studies and American & New England Studies with […]

  • Ellie Nakasone-Amaguin Awarded the 2026 Initiative on Cities Student Prize

    May 15, 2026
    The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is excited to announce that Ellie Nakasone-Amaguin (CAS ’26) has been awarded the IOC Student Prize for the 2026 school year. Ellie is an Architectural Studies student and will be pursuing a master's degree in Urban Planning at Columbia University this fall. The $1,000 prize is presented annually to one […]

  • Emily Robbins, Founding & Inaugural MetroBridge Program Manager, Stepping Down After Three Years

    February 27, 2021
    After three years as MetroBridge Program Manager at the Initiative on Cities (IOC), Emily Robbins is stepping down from her role at Boston University. “It has been incredibly rewarding to build a program that engages students in local government and reveals how decisions made by city leaders shape our lives and communities,” reflected Emily. “I’m […]

  • Encouraging and Implementing Transit-Oriented Development

    February 7, 2024
    Where: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road When: Tuesday, February 20, 2024, 4:00 - 5:30 PM ET Development connected to smart transportation options is key to meeting many of our most critical urban goals, such as reduced car dependency, better public health, more efficient land use, and reduced congestion. While there are successful projects, […]

  • Engineering Main Street: The Spatial Dimension of Organizations and Revitalization in Boston

    September 2, 2015
    Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigator Ph.D. candidate Taylor Cain, under the advisement of Professor Japonica Brown-Saracino, seeks to identify how place attributes (including income, racial/ethnic composition, and residential and commercial property values) influence the strategies for and consequences of revitalization in two geographically proximate Main Streets business districts in Boston. Presentations "Competitive Streets: Do Market Driven […]

  • Enhancing Energy Efficiency for Urban Housing: Madison Park Energy Efficiency Project, Phase II

    September 2, 2015
    Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigator In Phase II of an ongoing collaboration with Wells Fargo to reduce energy costs and energy use in urban housing, Professors Robert Kaufmann, Nalin Kulatilaka, and Associate Professor Michael Gevelber seek to build on their preliminary research results. Phase II will develop further tools and models to analyze efficient technology investment […]

  • Establishment of New Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring Network in the City of Boston

    September 2, 2015
    Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigator Associate Professors Pamela Templer and Lucy Hutyra seek to collect data on the nitrogen deposition levels both within and surrounding city limits by creating the first National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) monitoring system in a city to establish a mechanistic understanding of sources and transformation of emissions and deposition of nitrogen […]

  • Event Recap – David Lammy

    April 2, 2018
    On March 20th, David Lammy, the Labour Member of Parliament for Tottenham in London, England, visited the Initiative on Cities to discuss issues within his constituency, the impact of Brexit, and the goals of the Labour Party. Amongst the Brexit debates, Lammy tweeted out a short but powerful quote from Shakespeare’s Richard II: “That England […]