iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 12/05/2025

On May 17th join us for 'Hacking the Racial Wealth Gap,' a fun 8-hour day of information sharing and problem-solving focused on jobs and entrepreneurship, and closing the racial wealth gap at the MIT Media Lab. Register via: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... Learn more: hackingthearchive.mit.edu

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

More than half of Bostonians spend more than 30% of their income just to keep themselves housed. Students in Interactive Data Visualization & Society, a class at MIT, worked in teams to build digital tools to tackle this housing affordability challenge in Boston. More: bit.ly/idvs25

A screenshot of a student project webpage that shows a mobility scale and the cost of living within the area for individual properties

A screenshot of a student project site which shows plots of land on a road with structures loosely outlined

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

Awards and honors for case studies, work, community building and influence in the Boston area; three student-teams recognized for urban design excellence; and more in this month's roundup of DUSP community news: bit.ly/duspItm425

Five individuals stand in a row holding award certificates in front of themselves

An individual sits in front of a pair of open French doors

The cover of Making Home, showing clothes hanging on a line in front of a mobile home

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

How do peacekeeping missions plan for their withdrawal from a conflict zone and why it is so difficult to make peace sustainable? DUSP alumna Silvia Danielak (PhD ‘23) explores in the context of the end of the AU-UN peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID). More: bit.ly/danielakUnamid

Rwandan peacekeepers march at UNAMID’s headquarters in El Fasher during the 2012 commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

Learn how the MIT Renewable Energy Clinic utilizes a nonpartisan approach to work with communities considering offshore wind infrastructure to help uncover and address potential challenges. More: bit.ly/chunOffshore IC: William Jones via Wikimedia Commons

Photo of Barnstable Harbor with piers, buildings, water and boats.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

How might the #policy, #urbanplanning, and #architecture help design interventions for issues surrounding the City of Baltimore's housing vacancy challenge? A joint MIT/MSU class sees students to collaborate to build pathways to a more just and thriving Baltimore. More: bit.ly/mitmsuBaltim...

Students are led on a tour of a vacant row home in Baltimore, old gray plaster can be seen above a fireplace, with four individuals in the frame of the photo.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

Kofi Boone, winner of the 2025 Kevin Lynch Award, centers his work on democratic design principles and empowerment of communities to help realize a vision of responsive and just urban planning. Register to attend the award ceremony: bit.ly/4j3HTp2

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

A new DUSP Open Learning course, Leadership in Planning, offers practical skills and techniques for leading planning initiatives and public organizations. Learn more and enroll for free: bit.ly/leadershipIn...

Picture of townhouses, each painted in a shade from black to white, showing a grayscale effect

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

Next Wednesday (April 16, 2025) join DUSP and HEET for a discussion about an equitable energy transition in Massachusetts centered on harnessing networked geothermal. More info: calendar.mit.edu/event/commun...

Photo of five pairs of muddy boots, shot from above.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

How can we tap into spirituality, reverence, or deeply held values to drive meaningful civic engagement and systemic change? We Who Engage, a podcast led by DUSP's Ceasar McDowell and MIT alumna Ayushi Roy (MCP '19), explores in its third season. More: bit.ly/weWhoEngage3 IC: Casey Murano

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

“The ‘Upanayana Project’ blends ‘that history and my lived experience as a queer child being asked to renounce his femininity, his queerness,’” says Ananth Udupa in Cate McQuaid’s @bostonglobe.com piece. This and more in the monthly roundup of DUSP community news: bit.ly/duspInt325

Protestors demonstrate demanding fair housing

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

Does urban science -- using computational methods & data analysis to address urban planning challenges -- perpetuate historical racial inequities & if so, how could we realize a reparative urban science? Wonyoung So explores in an article for @planningtheory.bsky.social. More: bit.ly/soReparative...

A city skyline image (of London) is shaded blue, with nodes and icons overlaid to represent data extracted from the urban environment

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Many people are living in energy poverty - meaning they spend at least 8% of their annual household income on energy - a new study shows how coaching & data can help reduce their consumption & costs. More: bit.ly/energyPoverty

Row of houses with lights on located on a canal in Amsterdam

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Please join us in congratulating Justin Steil, named a 2025 MacVicar Faculty Fellow, recognizing his exemplary and sustained contributions to undergraduate education at MIT. More via Meghan Burke's MIT News coverage: bit.ly/macvicarSteil

Side-by-side headshots of Paloma Duong, Frank Schilbach, and Justin Steil

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

How might we better understand how we perceive and value nature in our urban environments? A new paper from researchers at MIT's Senseable City Lab and TU Delft, leverages #ai to help generate a model for measuring how we sense nature. More: bit.ly/sensingNature

A map of the globe, with colored dots denoting natural landscape features and helping to outline land mass. 8 cities are highlighted, which are part of the study.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

For 10 years, MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Water & Food Systems Lab (J-WAFS) has supported food & water research across the Institute, including work by DUSP community members Yasmin Zaerpoor (PhD '19), Jonars Spielberg (PhD '25), Andrea Beck (PhD '20), Bish Sanyal, & Larry Susskind. More: bit.ly/jwafs

5 by 4 photo grid featuring researcher headshots; pics of researchers giving presentations or lab tours, working with students, and working with people in the field; along with other water and food images like water in jars, crop plants in a lab, and a hand holding a shrimp

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 07/03/2025

A virtual Community Recovery Academy that leans on MIT’s expertise, offers online trainings and digital spaces for co-learning with Ukrainian city officials and DUSP faculty members, with the aim of planning for recovery after the war. More via MIT News: bit.ly/ukraineRecov...

Screenshot of two pages from Serhiy Rodionov’s team’s presentation “Re: Maripol.” the left page features examples of redevelopment sketched over an existing screen, shown at scale and from an isometric point of view. The right page shows an example, from Switzerland, of multi-use, human-scale and dense housing development.

A rendering of the unnamed peninsula in Maripol, envisioning how the space could be transformed to be part of green space, a transportation network, and space for the public use.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

How will the United States incorporate advanced manufacturing into its industrial base? And why is it critical for policymakers to consider advanced manufacturing for the future of US production systems? Elisabeth Reynolds offers expert testimony for Congress: bit.ly/reynoldsCong...

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

Drawing attention to the public health concerns of transportation in American cities, the challenges facing reconstruction efforts in Gaza, urging us to “rethink how we design for a world altered by climate impacts,” and more in this month's roundup of DUSP community news: bit.ly/225inTheMedia

Carlo Ratti stands in front of water with arms outstretched

A bus, in a designated bus lane, is stopped because an illegally parked delivery vehicle

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

entwined, the second volume of the student publication, Silt, explores our relationship with land and space. "Our second volume establishes Silt as a home for creative work that swirls across physical and digital space,” write co-editors Lucy Corlett and Olivia Fiol. More: bit.ly/siltVolume2

Individuals gather in a gallery space at MIT to celebrate the launch of the second volume of Silt

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

The Equitably Resilient City, named the 2025 Best Book in Urban Affairs Award, explores "how people look at problems more holistically — to show how environmental impacts are integrated with their livelihoods." Learn more via Peter Dizikes ' MIT news coverage: bit.ly/valeEquitabl...

On left, the green cover to the book says, “Solidarities and Struggles in the Face of Climate Crisis; The Equitably Resilient City; Zachary B. Lamb and Lawrence J. Vale.” On right is a portrait of Vale.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

"... we call on principles of participatory action research and participatory design, to help make voices of those who are most impacted by gender-based violence also the most prominent in the design of interventions.” Learn more about 'A woman’s place is in a safe city': bit.ly/dignazioSafe...

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

How do individuals navigate complex decisions when they must do so collectively and while weighing cost benefits such as long-term social benefits versus the ability to accrue wealth in the short-term? Jonathan Tarleton (MCP ‘18), explores in his new book, Homes for Living: bit.ly/tarletonHome...

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

In an opinion piece for the @bostonglobe.com, Karilyn Crockett explores the history of the Home for Aged Colored Women + the role of collective research projects, like her seminar (Un)Dead Geographies, play in uncovering histories & honoring often overlooked memories. More: bit.ly/crockettUnde...

An old portrait, in a vertical oval frame, is superimposed on census data records

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Highlighting the need for humanitarian shelter to support the world’s most vulnerable people, efforts to to make the crowded areas a city safer & more accessible for all, hacking urban planning, understanding mobility gaps, + more from the DUSP community this month: bit.ly/dusp125

A hero style photo of Karilyn Crockett, standing in a glass wall hallway on MIT's campus (building 9, floor 5)

A series of images, on the far left is a map in gray scale, in the middle are satellite images of locations and the far left is a rendering, in isometric view, of a building

A collage of seven headshots transposed over teal and two shades of orange background

Collage of images of Andres Sevtsuk and Sally Kornbulth with a teal background

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

"I ultimately chose urban planning as my major because of the human aspect—everyone has experienced urban planning issues," says Kaleigh Spears '25 in a spotlight piece on her time at MIT for MIT Spectrum. More: bit.ly/spearsSpectrum

Kaleigh Spears standing in a narrow alley way, with old, beige and tan brick homes on either side and stone pavers

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

How might connectivity & automation technologies enhance mobility services, making them more sustainable, equitable, & adaptable? A new grant will fund MITCEE & DUSP research & development of a Multi-level Connected and Automated Transit System (M-CATS). More: bit.ly/ceeZhao

Rush University is visible at the intersection of several roads and freeway. A city skyline is visible in the background.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

"Housing should be designed and run 'as if human beings matter,' Justice Mya Castañeda (MCP ’13) says, with light and space and beauty—which too often are not given due consideration in low-income housing," writes Kathryn O'Neill for MIT Alumni Association. Learn more: bit.ly/casta%C3%B1e...

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

What are the likely economic shocks of a rapid and widespread adoption of LLMs? How might policymakers proactively aid communities most affected by likely economic disruptions? Frank Levy and Scott Abrahams explore: bit.ly/levyLlms IC: Whitten Sabbatini for Steve Lohr's @nytimes.com coverage

The Tennessee River passing through Chattanooga

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

To offer a more nuanced understanding of mobility within the Boston Metropolitan Area, a joint study by researchers at MIT and Morgan State University examines gender differences in nighttime transit travel use for leisure activities. More: bit.ly/dyNewmarkMob...

Two individuals, Dy and Newmark, stand in front of a poster at a conference

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

A new MIT case study, produced by a team of researchers including DUSP's Sungmoon Lim, examines e-waste through the lens of climate & environmental justice. Learn more and access the full case study via Danna Lorch's MIT News coverage: bit.ly/limEwasteLif...

A tangle of multicolored wires and connection cables, representing some of the challenges of e-waste.

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

The first organized MIT delegation to the UN Biodiversity Convention, COP16 showcased research from across the Institute on biodiversity conservation, harnessing AI, & the power of local communities. More via MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative's coverage: bit.ly/esiCop16

Kevin Lin Yang, MIT Technology and Policy Program student; Marcela Angel, Research Program Director at the MIT ESI; Hannah Leung, MIT Master in City Planning and Master of Science in Real Estate student; and Silvia Duque, MIT Master in City Planning student

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

What are some of the challenges for the implementation of renewable energy & what steps can drivers of the energy transition take to enhance outcomes for affected communities while also accelerating adoption of new technologies? Larry Susskind discusses on What if it Works?: bit.ly/miteiSusskind

Illustration of a building with solar panels, an atom, an energy network, carbon capture technology, as well as multiple renewable energy generation technologies

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 06/01/2025

In 2018 alone, over 3 billion tons of construction & demolition waste was produced by the US, the EU & China. Despite an awareness & need, circular practices have yet to be implemented at scale. What barriers across industry stakeholders can be addressed to encourage adoption? bit.ly/mitBuiltEnvi...

A crane arm hovers over large hills of construction debris on a sunny day

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Learn how DUSP's Andres Sevtsuk applies new sources of data to creating more sustainable, walkable, as well as more economically and socially thriving city spaces via Peter Dizikes' MIT News piece: bit.ly/sevtsukWalka... IC: Adam Glanzman

Andres Sevtsuk walks across a crosswalk in Kendall Square

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

How can we achieve a durable energy transition during times of increasing demand and unpredictable obstacles? Researchers, government officials, and business leaders convened at MIT this fall to envision pathways forward. Learn more via Leda Zimmerman's MIT News coverage: bit.ly/miteiEnergyT...

Image of five panelist at the event with a blue curtain behind them

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

The MIT Mobility Initiative (MMI) is seeking individuals committed to promoting safe, clean and inclusive mobility systems - interested individuals should apply by 17 January 2025 via: www.mmi.mit.edu/seniorfellows Learn more about MMI, led by DUSP's Jinhua Zhao, here: www.mmi.mit.edu

A screenshot of the MMI website, includes details about the MMI Senior Fellows, Research, Entrepreneurship, and Engagement

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

“If we want an educated citizenry to participate in our democracy with data & data-driven arguments, we should think about how we design our data infrastructures to support that,” says @kanarinka.bsky.social in a MIT News piece on her work & her new, award winning book. More: bit.ly/dignazioData...

Portrait of Catherine D'Ignazio with a blue light background

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

What framework helps us to understand the reality of today’s geopolitical competition over control of the development of infrastructure, digital spaces, production of goods, & global finance? A new paper by DUSP's Andrew Stokols (PhD ‘24) & Justin Kollar explores: bit.ly/kollarStokols

A map of the Eastern Economic Corridor in Thailand

Map of Taiwan S corridor, highlighting various innovation districts

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MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning @mitdusp.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Congrats to MIT alumnae Aarthi Janakiraman (MCP '19, PhD '24) & Mariama N'Diaye (MBA ‘24, MCP ‘24), whose extraordinary dissertation & thesis work was recognized at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning's 2024 annual conference!! More & access their work: bit.ly/acspAwards24

Three individuals pose in front of two oversized checks

Larry Vale and Aarthi Janakiraman posing with the check for her Gill-Chin Lim Award for the Best Dissertation on International Planning

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