BU Giving Day (4/6): Support the IOC!
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... More
Just Released: Workforce Development for Vulnerable Youth: Lessons from Two National Studies
In a new white paper published by the BU Initiative on Cities (IOC), Mary Collins, Professor at the BU School of Social Work (BU SSW), and Adrianna Spindle-Jackson, PhD Student at the BU SSW, summarize key results of two studies, conducted by a team at the BU SSW between April... More
#BUandBoston: Beth Haley Develops Public Health Model for Predicting Water Quality in the Merrimack River
This post is part of our #BUandBoston series, highlighting the work and research of BU students, faculty, and staff throughout the City of Boston and the Greater Boston region. Interested in having your Boston-related work featured? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter (@BUonCities) using the #BUandBoston or send us an email at ioc@bu.edu. By Amelia... More
#BUandBoston: Ian Smith Develops Tool to Assess Heat Impacts from Proposed Development Projects in the City of Boston
This post is part of our #BUandBoston series, highlighting the work and research of BU students, faculty, and staff throughout the City of Boston. Interested in having your Boston-related work featured? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter (@BUonCities) using the #BUandBoston or send us an email at ioc@bu.edu. By Amelia Murray-Cooper Ian Smith, a PhD student in... More
Faculty Friday: Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes
Faculty Friday is a series highlighting members of the Initiative on Cities (IOC) Faculty Advisory Board, by exploring their work on campus and in the city. This week, we are highlighting Sarah R. Sherman-Stokes, Clinical Associate Professor of Law and the Associate Director of the Immigrant’s Rights and Human Trafficking... More
2022-2023 NLC Menino Fellowship Applications Due April 24
The Initiative on Cities (IOC) is now accepting applications for the 2022-2023 National League of Cities (NLC) Menino Fellowship. This two semester fellowship provides one Boston University undergraduate student with the opportunity to explore an interest in public service, city-level programs and policies, and municipal leadership on behalf of children, More
2021 Menino Survey: Closing the Racial Wealth Gap
America’s Mayors Recognize Sizable Racial Wealth Gaps in Their Cities, According to Survey of US Mayors Mayors Overwhelmingly Believe that Access to Capital Disproportionately Burdens Small Business Owners of Color At Least Half of Mayors Believe that Housing Programs Should Emphasize Homeownership Over Renting A strong majority (67%) of mayors are worried... More
Faculty Friday: Mary Churchill
Faculty Friday is a series highlighting members of the Initiative on Cities (IOC) Faculty Advisory Board, by exploring their work on campus and in the city. This week, we are highlighting Mary Churchill, Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Community Engagement at Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human... More
Looking back on ARPA and America’s Cities: A Menino Survey Reflection
By Katherine Levine Einstein, David Glick, and Maxwell Palmer On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan was signed into law. It stands as one of the largest federal spending stimulus bills ever passed, with $350 billion in total funds directed to help transform American states, cities, and towns[1]. A look... More
Proposing Solutions to Homelessness in Downtown Framingham
By Amelia Murray-Cooper Boston University students supported the City of Framingham in determining how to best assist individuals who are chronically homeless in the City’s downtown area. During the fall 2021 semester, Lecturer Kaytlin Eldred taught an undergraduate course on Cultural Humility, Racial Justice, and Health in the Sargent College of... More
Bridging the Research-Policy Divide: Lessons from Cities Tackling Extreme Heat
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... More
Understanding Curb Usage in Boston’s West Broadway Corridor Through Observational Research
By Amelia Murray-Cooper Through the MetroBridge Program, graduate students at Boston University researched curb space use in the West Broadway corridor in South Boston to better understand unmet demand. In fall 2021, Yesim Sungu-Eryilmaz, Assistant Professor and Interim Director of City Planning and Urban Affairs, taught a course on Urban Research... More
2022 Summer Fellowships
The IOC is accepting applications for Summer 2022 Fellowships with the cities of Boston, MA; Chelsea, MA; and Providence, MA. The deadline to apply for undergraduate fellowships is Tuesday, February 22 at 11:59pm. Graduate fellowship applications are due by Sunday, February 27 at 11:59pm. Students interested in racial equity, local government, environmental... More
URBAN Trainee Ian Smith Studies Urban Tree Water Sources
Watch Video: URBAN Trainee Ian Smith Studies Urban Tree Water Sources Ian Smith is a PhD student in the Department of Earth and Environment in the BU Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and the BU URBAN Program. He received a 2021 Early Stage Urban Research Award from the Initiative on... More
URBAN Trainee Caroline Fleming Studies Urban Corals Under Stressors
Watch Video: URBAN Trainee Caroline Fleming Studies Urban Corals Under Stressors Caroline Fleming is a PhD Student in the Department of Biology in the BU Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and the BU URBAN Program. She received a 2021 Early Stage Urban Research Award from the Initiative on Cities (IOC)... More
URBAN Trainee Kathryn Atherton Researches Urban Soil Microbiomes
Watch Video: URBAN Trainee Kathryn Atherton Researches Urban Soil Microbiomes Kathryn Atherton is a PhD Student studying Bioinformatics in the BU URBAN Program. She received a 2021 Early Stage Urban Research Award from the Initiative on Cities (IOC) for her project, “The Impact of Racism on Urban Belowground Biodiversity.” Read the Q&A... More
How Culture and Creativity Build Power in Communities of Color
Held on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 Watch a full recording of the event, or scroll down to read a recap and watch event highlights. Recap by Amelia Murray-Cooper The Boston University Initiative on Cities, the BU Arts Initiative, and the BU City Planning & Urban Affairs Program held a discussion with Boston’s community... More
MetroBridge Fall 2021 Recap: Students Support Local Government and Community Partner Needs
By Amelia Murray-Cooper During the fall 2021 semester, students at Boston University partnered with local governments and community-based organizations through the MetroBridge Program to address real-world urban challenges. MetroBridge is the Initiative on Cities’ experiential learning program that enables students to meet the distinct needs of local partners through research on... More
Place Names, Boundaries, and Real-World Impacts: The Story of Upper Roxbury
Held on Wednesday, March 2, 2022 Watch a full recording of the event, or scroll down to read a recap and watch event highlights. Recap by Amelia Murray-Cooper The Boston University Initiative on Cities and the Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library co-hosted a panel discussion, “Place... More
“I Miss the Sound of Our Bells:” Massachusetts High School Students Reflect on Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Held on February 17, 2022. Watch a full recording of the event, or scroll down to read a recap and watch event highlights. Recap by Diya Ashtakala On Thursday, February 17, 2022, the Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) and the CERES Institute for Children & Youth at BU Wheelock College hosted a... More