How do we ensure viable, scalable, and sustainable solutions to urban heat island effects in informal settlements of the Global South?The ConversationInformal urban settlements have long drawn on community resources to build and refurbish them. With climate change increasing the heat island effect in cities, they are often at the low end of the scale of scientific and policy priorities. Their informality means that these communities are vulnerable to the vagaries of urban policy urging solutions ranging from resettlement to reconstruction. The speakers in this panel approach the problem from different perspectives – sociology, engineering, and public administration, answering the

Join the us for this book talk and conversation on Defying Displacement: Urban Recomposition and Social War, a new book by AK Press.Cities around the world are in the midst of a profound transformation as the wealthy price out the remnants of the urban working class, especially people of color. Displacement is neither accidental or inevitable. It happens because a whole range of people and institutions profit handsomely. Defying Displacement: Urban Recomposition and Social War, focused on the US but informed by global examples, investigates gentrification from the perspective of the people fighting it, members of communities whose survival is

Join us for a special lecture honoring Nowak's legacy and exploring the power of collaboration with Reinvestment Fund.7th Annual Nowak Memorial LectureFounding Visions: A Journey of Collaboration & ImpactHow can mission-driven finance drive social change? The Penn Institute for Urban Research and Reinvestment Fund invite you to the Seventh Annual Jeremy Nowak Memorial Lecture. On this, the 20th anniversary year of Penn IUR and the 40th anniversary of the origination of Reinvestment Fund, we will reflect on the mission and impact of community development financial institutions and the leadership role played by Reinvestment Fund in these efforts. Speakers will examine

Join the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society & Penn IUR to learn of community-driven efforts to make Philadelphia cleaner, greener, and safer.Please join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) and Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) for a discussion of the community-driven efforts to make Philadelphia cleaner, greener, and safer for all.Panelists will address how non-profit leaders, community organizers, and researchers work to improve and maintain Philadelphia’s diverse public and underutilized spaces. PHS’s long running LandCare program has been the subject of interdisciplinary research at Penn for almost 15 years -- looking at its impact on real estate values, crime, safety, health, and

Come celebrate the launch of R-TRIP at Penn with drinks, networking, and leaders from the future of transportation.BackgroundJoin us for a celebratory Networking Happy Hour to kick off the launch of the Richards Transportation Initiative at Penn (R-TRIP)—a new interdisciplinary initiative focused on advancing innovative, real-world transportation solutions.Meet and mingle with faculty, students, transportation professionals, and the founding members of R-TRIP’s Public Sector Advisory Committee, which includes CEOs representing transit, highways, airports, tolling, and city systems from public agencies across the country.The evening will feature brief remarks from faculty and representatives of our founding sponsors. Refreshments will be served.Open to

A day of panels, innovation, and dialogue at the intersection of research and real-world transportation solutions.BackgroundCelebrate the official launch of the Richards Transportation Initiative at Penn (R-TRIP)—a new, university-wide center that connects academic research with the practical challenges facing transportation systems across the country.Hosted in the beautiful Nubian Gallery at the Penn Museum, this event brings together top minds from across disciplines and sectors for an engaging morning of panels, student showcases, and interactive discussions.We’ll explore themes like innovation in transportation culture, the growing role of AI in infrastructure, and public-private partnerships driving change.The event culminates with a fireside chat

Lessons from Philadelphia's pandemic-era streeteriesWhen the pandemic hit, cities around the world turned parking spaces into lively outdoor dining areas known as “streeteries” or “COVID cafés.” For a moment, sidewalks, streets, and parklets became some of the city’s most vibrant spaces. However, the rise and fall of these installations also highlighted a deeper story: how policies, regulations, and local politics determine who is allowed to use the street—and who is not.This panel brings together researchers and local practitioners studying how streeteries spread across cities, with a spotlight on Philadelphia's experience, and why some neighborhoods experienced many while others saw few,