This initiative investigates advances in the sciences, engineering, business, architecture, design, and law to ensure smart, equitable, sustainable, and healthy cities. Topics include hard and soft infrastructure; digital technologies; transportation systems; clean, sustainable, and secure energy storage and distribution; climate change resilience; efficient and reliable water systems; landscapes and ecology; urban agriculture; financial systems; and security. The complexity of these issues requires multidisciplinary efforts that address the human factors, social issues, and public policy and management, with the goal of achieving positive social impacts.
Urban Futures
Featured Urban Futures Research
Cutting the Charging Cord
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Lin Cai is exploring environmentally friendly ways to recharge small electronics that would eliminate the need for the traditional charging pad.
Moving Toward a More Sustainable Power Grid
“We can make the future power grid more stable and more sustainable by operating power electronic converters, which interface renewables, storage systems, and flexible loads with the grid as virtual synchronous machines."
How Food Choices Could Impact the Environment
“What this research shows is that we can’t just say that in order to save the planet and reduce our carbon emissions we need to eat less beef. We have to be more nuanced and understand who’s eating more beef and why.”
Collaborative Project to Restore Iconic Cherry Trees
Professor Ron Henderson, director of the Landscape Architecture and Urbanism program, is leading a team of botanical experts in a project to restore some of the oldest cherry trees—estimated at 70 to 80 years in age—at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.
Bridging the Gap Between Safety and Usability
Bridge expert Gongkang Fu, who has contributed to research on the structural analysis, design, and infrastructure management of spans across the globe, has won the 2020 Alfredo Ang Award on Risk Analysis and Management of Civil Infrastructure.
Considering the Use of Water as a Green Solvent
Associate Professor Jean-Luc Ayitou and fourth-year student Will Blodgett are working on an organic water-biphasic project exploring water as a solvent, especially in industrial settings.