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.

  • Aerial view of neighborhood

    Event Recap: Assessing and Planning for Neighborhood-Based Resiliency

    February 20, 2018
    On February 13th, Cambridge City Councilor Craig Kelley visited the Initiative on Cities to discuss his advice and experience with the Cambridge Mayor’s Special Committee on Neighborhood-Based Resilience. His seminar, moderated by BU City Planning and Urban Affairs Director and Associate Professor of the Practice Dr. Madhu Dutta-Koehler, explored his challenges when organizing within the community and […]

  • Event Recap: Boston & The Making of a Global City

    April 14, 2026
    By Angelina Baicu | Photos by Ting Wei Li On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, the Boston University Initiative on Cities, alongside the City Planning & Urban Affairs Program, welcomed BU Urbanist and Lecturer, Jim O'Connell, for a discussion surrounding his new book “Boston and the Making of a Global City.” In it, he highlights Boston’s historical and contemporary […]

  • Event Recap: Boston University City Hall Day

    December 16, 2025
    By Danielle Mulligan Photos by Ting Wei Li On December 3rd, the Initiative on Cities (IOC) hosted the inaugural BU City Hall Day, building on the success of three cohorts of the IOC’s Public Impact Scholars (PIS) program. The goal of this event was to build relationships between BU faculty and City Hall leaders to […]
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    Event Recap: Boston’s Hidden Histories

    December 13, 2017
    On November 14th, three experts across biology, archaeology, and American studies converged at the Initiative on Cities to present on Boston’s hidden histories, whether physically hidden under the ground or figuratively hidden from documentation. Ian Stevenson, a Ph.D. candidate in American & New England Studies Program at Boston University, presented on the class war behind […]
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    Event Recap: Bruce Katz and “The New Localism”

    March 19, 2018
    On February 28th, Bruce Katz, former Centennial Scholar at the Brookings Institution, visited Boston University to discuss his new book “The New Localism: How Cities Can Thrive in the Age of Populism,” which offers a practical road map for cities to plan and fund the future. As the federal government “leaves the building,” cities are […]

  • Event Recap: Cities in the Federal System

    October 17, 2017
    Jerry Abramson, Michael Nutter, and Katie King (CAS’06, SPH’13) visited the IOC on Thursday, October 5th, 2017, to explore intergovernmental relations in a partisan era. The panel discussed how cities, states, and the federal government collaborate across issues and party lines. Katie King, the Interim Director of Intergovernmental Relations for the City of Boston, noted that the […]

  • Event Recap: Community and Governance in Boston: Understanding the Role of Non-Profits in Politics and Policy

    September 29, 2022
    Held on Thursday, October 6, 2022 Watch a full recording of the event, or scroll down to read a recap and watch event highlights. Recap by Dhruv Kapadia On Thursday, October 6, 2022, the Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC), the BU American Politics Seminar Series, and the Leventhal Map & Education Center hosted a […]

  • Event Recap: Designing and Using Transit Maps

    December 16, 2025
    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, […]

  • Event Recap: Exploring Data & Cities

    April 8, 2024
    Recap by Vijay Fisch The event's takeaways and insights were first published on the Boston University Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences website. Photos taken by Isabella Boncser. On Friday, March 22nd, the Initiative on Cities (IOC) partnered with BU SPARK! an innovation and experiential learning lab, and the Faculty of Computing and Data Sciences […]

  • Event Recap: Gentrification: Ideas to Action

    February 20, 2026
    By Sasa Ramos | Photos by Caitlin Lee and Ting Wei Li 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 […]