Urban Studies and Planning

Access to irrigation is crucial for food security, especially in arid climates like sub-Saharan Africa. Two MIT research teams working on irrigation in this region were brought together by J-WAFS to share their knowledge.

Collaborating for irrigation access solutions: Where policy and engineering meet

A J-WAFS connection brings together two MIT research teams helping to advance irrigation in sub-Saharan Africa.

December 12, 2019

Seoul Architecture and Urbanism Biennale attendees interact with the "Sit(e)lines of a Garden City" installation on the port city of Haifa, Israel.

MIT researchers examine cities worldwide for 2019 Seoul Architecture and Urbanism Biennale

Transportation, communication, development, and social interaction are explored through the lens of the urban.

December 11, 2019

A new study co-authored by MIT researchers, looking at the spread of dengue fever in Singapore, shows how commuting affects the spread of illness in urban settings.

Tracking contagion in cities, using mobile phone data

Study shows how commuting and other forms of everyday travel help spread mosquito-borne disease in urban settings.

November 20, 2019

NEXUS program participants pose with the MIT seal in Lobby 7. The NEXUS program provides college-bound students with the tools needed to thrive on campus, focusing on academic and career development, and offers opportunities to build confidence and self-sufficiency away from home.

High school students learn about commercial real estate through the Center for Real Estate

Residential course provides immersive experience for 28 juniors and seniors from around the United States.

November 19, 2019

Left to right: MIT professors Gabriella Carolini, Paula Hammond, and David Trumper

Strong mentorship through great decision-making

Gabriella Carolini, Paula Hammond, and David Trumper honored as Committed to Caring graduate student mentors.

October 3, 2019

The Malden Works team gathered in the Malden, Massachusetts, Department of Public Works garage during a recent site tour: (left to right) Marcia Manong, Karen Buck, Evan Spetrini, Gary Christenson, Amber Christoffersen, Kathleen Vandiver, and Marie Law Adams.

Malden Works for Waterfront Equity and Resilience awarded Norman B. Leventhal City Prize

Prize supports powerful collaboration among diverse constituencies in Malden, Massachusetts.

September 24, 2019

Bridging the information gap in solar energy

PhD student Elise Harrington studies the ways rural communities in Kenya and India learn about solar energy products and their options as consumers.

September 19, 2019

PJ Hernandez (left) and Jackson Gray (right) build circuits in the lab of Professor James Kirtley (background) as part of their summer energy UROP. One of the problems they worked on together was how to develop an improved cell voltage balancer, a device used to extend the life of batteries by working to ensure that cells remain evenly charged as the battery cycles.

Collaboration adds an extra dimension to undergraduate research

Students on UROP teams agree that teamwork speeds up the research.

September 18, 2019

MIT’s Task Force on the Work of the Future has released a report that punctures some conventional wisdom and builds a nuanced picture of the evolution of technology and jobs.

MIT report examines how to make technology work for society

Task force calls for bold public and private action to harness technology for shared prosperity.

September 4, 2019

MIT’s fleet of robotic boats has been updated with new capabilities to “shapeshift,” by autonomously disconnecting and reassembling into different configurations to form various floating platforms in the canals of Amsterdam. In experiments in a pool, the boats rearranged themselves from a connected straight line into an “L” (shown here) and other shapes.

MIT’s fleet of autonomous boats can now shapeshift

New capabilities allow “roboats” to change configurations to form pop-up bridges, stages, and other structures.

August 29, 2019

“The human body is so sensitive to environmental and social conditions,” says Mariana Arcaya. “We should be aiming for cities that are supportive of human health for everyone.”

Health, wealth, and cities

MIT associate professor of urban studies Mariana Arcaya examines health disparities within metro areas.

August 27, 2019

Superpedestrian says its vehicle intelligence system makes its scooters safer, more durable, and easier to maintain.

A more intelligent system for the scooter wars

MIT spinout Superpedestrian has developed a smart electric scooter to improve urban mobility.

August 22, 2019

Optimus Ride has already deployed its autonomous transportation systems in the Seaport area of Boston, in a mixed-use development in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, and in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre industrial park.

Optimus Ride’s autonomous system makes self-driving vehicles a reality

MIT startup’s unique approach to improving human mobility is helping it gain traction in a competitive landscape.

August 9, 2019

Mangroves will protect the shoreline from waves, retain soil, support biodiversity, and help clean the water.

Tekuma Frenchman designs new marine city in China

School of Architecture and Planning alumni and faculty team up to create an ecologically restorative urban waterfront.

July 24, 2019

When religion meets secularism in urban planning

“I’m interested in the peaceful coexistence of communities,” says PhD student Babak Manouchehrifar, who left his home country of Iran to study at MIT.