Housing. Heat. Health.
The Initiative's new tripartite research agenda seeks to connect and engage practitioners, policymakers, governments, and communities to pursue evidence-based and practical solutions.
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, and globally. Together, these efforts […]
When: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 4:00 – 5:30 PM Where: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 Join the Boston University Initiative on Cities and City Planning & Urban Affairs Program at Metropolitan College for our annual Careers in Transportation Information Session! This session provides a direct venue for students and aspiring […]
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 City (MIT Press, […]
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 on Africa’s rapid […]
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 designs. The discussion […]
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 is passionate about creating […]
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 complexes – from […]
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 time to join the PAC […]
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