Are you researching climate change, human mobility, and housing? If so, join us in Nola (January) for "Multiplied Displacements: The Climate-Housing Nexus" (free registration & some travel funding available) w/ @uoftcities.bsky.social & @buoncities.bsky.social architecture.tulane.edu/events/multi...

Join the @buoncities.bsky.social and @busph.bsky.social for a virtual discussion of Urban Health in Africa, co-edited by BU Associate Professor Elaine Nsoesie! The event will feature a panel on case studies on Africa’s urbanization, health, and prosperity. Register: www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/10/...

🌳 Big news! My paper “Disruption of the oak tree microbiome with urbanization” is now out in Nature Cities! 🏙️🌿 Cities are full of life we don’t see, including microbes that live in and on trees. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s442...

Great talk @buoncities.bsky.social last night by Danny Abrahamson on the architecture of rebuilt city halls

Contested meaning of symbolic space in East Asian cities sponsored by @buoncities.bsky.social tonight

We’re excited to introduce our new Postdoctoral Research Associate, Josh Lown! Building on his work in East Boston, he aims to develop a green gentrification toolkit for activists and advocates to use in creating more green spaces while minimizing displacement. Q&A🔗 www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/09/...

BU Urbanist POV: Meet Shannon Whittaker, a postdoctoral scholar @buciss.bsky.social and @buoncities.bsky.social affiliate whose research intersects gentrification (and urban renewal), race, and health. 📹 youtube.com/shorts/ND2Px...

Live now in Boston hosted by @buoncities.bsky.social. It was a pleasure to discuss this talk by Dr Youjeong Oh on "Development, Dispossession, and Desires in Jeju" today, 18 Sep. 2025. Link to the event here: www.bu.edu/ioc/events/e...

🔖🥳 We’re excited to share our 2025 Annual Report! We deepened our role as an interdisciplinary hub for urbanists, bridging research and practice and expanding connections with partners locally, nationally, and globally. Read the report: drive.google.com/file/d/1Ok_8...

Paper by Josh Lown @buoncities.bsky.social new post doc in this issue:

Global Alliance signed: @buoncities.bsky.social w/ SMU Urban Institute, School of Cities Toronto, Melbourne Center for Cities & LSE Geography and Environment

We're proud to announce the 2025 recipients of our 11th request for proposals for the Early Stage Urban Research Awards! These seed grants support early-stage academic research focused on urban challenges and urban populations across various disciplines and scopes. 🔗 www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/05/...

@buoncities.bsky.social Exec Director in discussion with State Rep Vargas

A talk not to miss with @lorettaclees.bsky.social (Director of @buoncities.bsky.social and Visiting Professor, LSE Department of Geography and Environment), discussing her latest work on anti-displacement toolkit. On 20-June, 4pm, hybrid. Part of the Urban Salon. Link: www.lse.ac.uk/geography-an...

Day 2 public impact scholars @buoncities.bsky.social

The Initiative on Cities proudly celebrates our External Advisory Board member, Dominic Moulden, for receiving an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Boston University’s 2025 Commencement! 🔗 www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/05/...

We’re thrilled to announce the Initiative on Cities 2025 Public Impact Scholars cohort! This year, 20 BU researchers will take part in a multi-day workshop (happening next week!) to equip them with skills to translate their research into meaningful policy and societal impact. See scholars below ⬇️

@buoncities.bsky.social end of year trip with our student interns to the Aquarium… so fun

BU Spark student Team who made @buoncities.bsky.social Anti-Displacement Tool more user friendly, did a great job 👏

Very good @bariboston.bsky.social conference yesterday, great anti-displacement session including all sorts awesome work, plus my old colleague Katharine presented on the City’s work

To friends, BU alumni, students, and supporters of the IOC, make a gift this Giving Day to make a difference for the next generation of civic leaders! Your gift will help support our summer student interns and fellows' housing up to our goal of $3,200. Give Today: give.bu.edu/schools/Bost...

In our most recent PSL Demo Day, @lorettaclees.bsky.social, @kentoncard.bsky.social , and Andre Comandon talk about their project creating an open source tool to assess housing displacement risk.

Make a gift today for the civic leaders of tomorrow! Chip in today: give.bu.edu/schools/Bost... Your gift will help support our summer student interns and fellows' summer housing up to our goal of $3,200. We're halfway there, and a gift as little as $5 goes a long way in helping students succeed!

Loved to see the interaction with neighbors and the @buoncities.bsky.social Urban Studies Capstone Class MET UA 85 tonight as they work towards developing a vision plan for the redevelopment of the 30 Acre Procter & Gamble Gillette South Boston site.. #FortPoint

An Pham (CAS '24), a recent @bucas.bsky.social econ undergrad, shares his dual experiences with the Initiative as a first-year summer intern at the City of Chelsea working on digital applications in local government and as our 2022-2023 Menino Fellow doing research. www.youtube.com/shorts/KKPjd...

Join the IOC, Children's HealthWatch, and End Poverty in California (EPIC) for a special film screening of Poverty & Power, followed by a panel discussion, Q&A, and a reception. When: April 24, 2025 | 4:30 – 6:30 PM ET Where: 610 Commonwealth Avenue, RKC 101 🔗 www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/03/...

🥕🥣🛒 Andrea Catania (MET '24), a gastronomy student, recounts her experiences and takeaways as a @newurbanmechanics.boston.gov fellow working on food policy and innovations @boston.gov during the summer of 2023. 📹 www.youtube.com/shorts/0W-bP...

#AAG Award tonight 😊

🥕🥣🛒 Andrea Catania (MET '24), a gastronomy student, recounts her experiences and takeaways as a @newurbanmechanics.boston.gov fellow working on food policy and innovations @boston.gov during the summer of 2023. 📹 www.youtube.com/shorts/0W-bP...

Thanks to Stacy Fox @buoncities.bsky.social and City Councilor Sharon Durkan @councilordurkan.bsky.social for providing insights into the Mayor's State of the City speech for our URBAN community. Thanks also to our URBAN trainees for your thoughtful engagement.

Join us for a special lunch seminar featuring @madalinamez.bsky.social of @liser.lu on Luxembourg's housing crisis, multinational gentrification, and "domino displacement.” When: April 10, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:30 PM ET Where: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 [Open to Public]

🌍 Register now for IGS's free #EarthDay365 event, an April 10 conversation with @keithob.bsky.social, acclaimed author of Paradise Falls—a true story of environmental disaster and a community's fight for justice. Books for sale, plus enjoy refreshments & networking: paradisefalls2025.eventbrite.com

Recently, @buoncities.bsky.social affiliates @mollyrichard.bsky.social (@buciss.bsky.social) and @kentoncard.bsky.social (IOC Visiting Urban Scholar & @curaumn.bsky.social) prominently shared their work on housing and good/just cause eviction protections in the U.S. 🔗 www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/03/...

Discuss Mayor Wu's State of the City speech with City Councilor Sharon Durkan and Stacy Fox from @buoncities.bsky.social What implications will the Mayor's priorities have for the City Council? How do Councilors advance policy? Let's discuss - March 24th at 1pm! RSVP: forms.gle/GcFCJp27XA4Z...

Saying thank-you and advertising the AAG hiking the Grand Canyon

Yesterday I co-published an op-ed advocating for legislatures to pass tenant protections across the country (w/ Edward Goetz, Evan Davis & Jeremy Schwartz) Tenant advocates are pushing to expand tenant rights through #goodcause or #justcause eviction protections. ggwash.org/view/98696/m...

ICYMI: We’re proud to announce that IOC Director @lorettaclees.bsky.social will receive @geographers.bsky.social’s 2025 E. Willard and Ruby S. Miller Award and the 2025 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award from @uaanews.bsky.social! Congratulations, Director Lees!

Our Anti-Displacement Assessment Tool (created w/ @lorettaclees.bsky.social & Andre Comandon) for Louisville Metro was profiled today in @shelterforce.bsky.social & @nextcity.org @buoncities.bsky.social nextcity.org/urbanist-new...

🌱📏 🌡️ In our latest #BUandBoston, we caught up with @jonylee.bsky.social, an Environmental Health and @bu-urban.bsky.social second year Ph.D. candidate interested in urban planning and design impact health. Learn more about Jonathan’s interests and research: www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/03/...

On Wed., Mar. 5, join us + @bupardeeschool.bsky.social for an expert panel on green industrial policy in the Global South ft'ing Marcos Chiliatto, Rob Davies, Elizabeth Thurbon, Julia Tijaja + Fiona Treganna, moderated by @kevinpgallagher.bsky.social:

New report coming March 20: The US remodeling market soared above $600 billion in the wake of the pandemic but the industry is struggling to address labor shortages, and far more investment is needed to improve energy efficiency and disaster resiliency. www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/imp...

We're excited to announce Pinar Çobanyilmaz as the Initiative on Cities Visiting Postdoctoral Scholar! She is currently researching urban and rural climate resiliency measures and management after forest fires. Learn more about Pinar on our website: www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/02/...

Join the IOC and the @bostonu.bsky.social City Planning & Urban Affairs Program on March 6, 2025, from 4-5:30 PM at 75 Bay State Road for a panel discussion on how innovations in infrastructure delivery, AI, electrification, and autonomy impact our built environment. 🔗 www.bu.edu/ioc/2024/11/...

📢 The IOC is looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate! 🔖 Conduct original research on urban studies. Publish and present your research while gaining exposure in the field. Mentorship from renowned urbanist and IOC Director Loretta Lees! ⏰ April 1, 2025, by 11:59 PM ET 🔗 bu.edu/ioc/hiring

📣 🏆 2025 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award Recipient: Loretta Lees urbanaffairsassociation.org/2025/02/18/2... #icua2025 @lorettaclees.bsky.social @bostonu.bsky.social @buoncities.bsky.social

Thank you to Stacy Fox @buoncities.bsky.social and our URBAN trainees for a great discussion on different forms of local government and how budgets and decisions are made. We'll be looking forward to the State of the City address in March to better understand Mayor Wu's priorities for Boston.

📢 The IOC is looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate! 🔖 Conduct original research on urban studies. Publish and present your research while gaining exposure in the field. Mentorship from renowned urbanist and IOC Director Loretta Lees! ⏰ April 1, 2025, by 11:59 PM ET 🔗 bu.edu/ioc/hiring

Our next workshop for URBAN Trainees, cohosted with @buoncities.bsky.social, will focus on Local Governance: Power, Policy, and Communication. RSVP here: bit.ly/3E7aCK0

Calling @bostonu.bsky.social scholars! Applications for the Initiative on Cities Public Impact Scholars program are now open for scholars of all types to leverage their research and expertise for policy impact. Applications close on January 31, 2025. 🔗 www.bu.edu/ioc/resource...