Author: Patricia Cahill

Former Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf Speaks at IOC

On November 27th, former Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf visited the Initiative on Cities to discuss her efforts on sustainability and innovation within London’s electricity industry. From policy interventions to private collaborations, Woolf is motivated to increase energy efficiency and decrease London’s carbon footprint. This event was co-sponsored with the Institute for Sustainable Energy. […]

IOC Co-Hosts UK-International Metro Mayors’ Summit in London

On December 4th through 6th, the Boston University Initiative on Cities co-hosted the first ever UK-International Metro Mayors’ Summit with the Centre for Cities, a UK think tank, and Citi, the global founding partner. Five mayors from the United States and six metro mayors from the UK met in small round-table groups to share practical […]

Event Recap: Boston’s Hidden Histories

On November 14th, three experts across biology, archeology, 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. From underground subways to undocumented artifacts, their work reveals the untold stories of Boston’s unique communities. Click here to read more […]

NLC Menino Fellow Augustine Jimenez Attends the City Summit in Charlotte

Our 2017-2018 National League of Cities Menino Fellow, Augustine Jimenez, recently attended the NLC City Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina. More than 4,000 attendees participated in hands-on workshops, learned from seminars by city leaders, and networked with other delegates in local government. Hear from Augustine about his experience here.

Guest Lecture: Richard Florida and the New Urban Crisis

On November 9th, urban studies professor and theorist Richard Florida visited Boston University to lecture on his recent book, The New Urban Crisis: How Our Cities Are Increasing Inequality, Deepening Segregation, and Failing the Middle Class-and What We Can Do About It. He explained how his personal experiences and travels gave direction to his research on geographic […]

In the News: Professor Rotjan’s Urban Coral Project

Congratulations to Professor Randi Rotjan for receiving media coverage by WPRI 12 and ecoRI News on her urban coral project. Rotjan was received an IOC Urban Research Award in 2017 to support her project, which analyzes the impact of microplastics and microbial films on urban coral. Concerned about the 4.8 to 12.7 million metric tons […]

Executive Director Katharine Lusk Co-Authors Paper On Youth-led Participatory Budgeting

Katharine Lusk, Executive Director of the Initiative on Cities, co-authored a paper published last week by the Journal of Youth Studies. Lusk collaborated with Associate Dean Mary Elizabeth Collins, Professor Astraea Augsberger, and PhD Candidate Whitney Gecker, all from the Boston University School of Social Work, to explore youth-led participatory budgeting. The team worked with […]

Virtual Reality & Urban Ecology Teleport to Experience Urban Infrastructure on Dorchester Ave, Boston

On October 25th, PhD candidates Yaxiong Ma and Jessica Wright demonstrated their virtual reality project on urban underground infrastructure. With the guidance of BU Earth & Environment professors Sucharita Gopal and Nathan Phillips, the two explored how to create a greener and more coordinated infrastructure system. Click here to learn more about their project.

IOC Partners with Questrom and Arup for Executive Program

The Boston University Initiative on Cities partnered with the Questrom School of Business and Arup, an urban consulting firm, to develop and host a six month experiential program for urban executives. Twenty-five students from major global cities convened in Boston from October 30th to November 3rd. The program, titled “Cities: Navigating Urban Power and Influence,” […]