Tech in the City | Spring 2023

Technology has profoundly impacted cities: they are more dynamic and active than ever before. Can we use these new technology and data to rise to the challenge of an urban planet? This spring, CURA will invite, planners, engineers, and urban scholars to share how they see technologies changing cities and tell us what smart cities are getting right and wrong. We will be focusing on how people move, plan, and work in the new urban technology age.  

Race and Place: Learning from the Past and Looking to the Future | Summer 2023

In recent years, academic researchers and community activists have shined new light on past discriminatory practices such as restrictive covenants, residential displacement, unfair zoning, and biased redistricting, and the ways these practices contribute to present-day urban inequalities. This summer, CURA and the Research Commons will organize a series of presentations and a panel discussion featuring community-engaged scholars who are uncovering the legacies of these discriminatory practices and seeking a more socially just future for the people and places that have been harmed. 

Just Streets: Safe and Equitable Mobility in our Communities | Fall 2023

Every day, Americans are forced to take their lives into their own hands when moving through our communities. Pedestrian, vehicular, and cyclist deaths and injuries are increasing, especially in less affluent neighborhoods and among people of color. While new initiatives locally and across the country have been launched, not enough has been done to change this trajectory. This autumn, CURA will invite transportation scholars, social justice advocates, and community engagement leaders to look at both the safety and social justice impacts of our street design.