City-focused scholars convene to discuss new research on addressing urban challenges

Cambridge, Massachusetts (November 12, 2025)—The Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University will host the institution’s first Urban Research Conference: Evidence for Problem Solving on November 13–14, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The inaugural convening welcomes 122 scholars from 93 institutions across 15 countries and six continents to discuss and develop work relevant to addressing the daunting leadership and policy challenges cities face today.

The conference reflects the Bloomberg Center for Cities’ service to a global community committed to solving urban problems and its commitment to rigorous scholarship that is grounded in evidence and focused on real-world application. The Center is designed to have practical impact on the future of cities, where more than half of the world’s people now live, by informing and inspiring local government leaders, scholars, students, and others who work to improve the lives of residents around the world.

“Harvard welcomes scholars across fields and from around the world to this novel convening, where they will engage in multidisciplinary exchanges that turn research into real-world impact,” said Senior Vice Provost for Research John H. Shaw. “The Bloomberg Center for Cities’ urban research conference unites expertise across Harvard schools and programs, creating a global forum for evidence-driven, collaborative scholarship that will advance the capacity of local leaders and cities to tackle complex problems and better serve their communities.”

Faculty from Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the Department of Government in Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences will lead six workshop tracks as part of the convening’s multidisciplinary design. Workshop participants will exchange in-depth feedback on work in progress and build collaboration in sessions exploring:

• Innovation and Leadership in Local Government (Organizers: Jorrit de Jong and Quinton Mayne)

• Organizational Perspectives on Achieving Civic Purpose (Organizer: Matthew Lee)

• Resilience Amid Urban Violence: Citizenship, Agency, and Contestation (Organizer: Yanilda González)

• Technology and the City (Organizer: Rachel Meltzer)

• The Politics of Urban Infrastructure (Organizer: Alisha Holland)

• Urban Health: Shifting the Paradigm for Evidence and Action (Organizers: Gary Adamkiewicz and Katharine Robb)

Over the course of two days, participants will discuss research and join plenary sessions focused on pressing questions and cross-cutting themes. Opportunities for informal networking will foster exchange among colleagues from diverse disciplines and regions. The conference will open up to the broader Harvard community on Thursday evening, November 13, in the JFK Forum at Harvard Kennedy School, for a conversation featuring Mayor Cherelle Parker of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Mayor Daniel Rickenmann of Columbia, South Carolina, who will share leadership insights, reflect on policy and management challenges in cities, and discuss how universities can help local governments develop, test, and implement solutions.

“At its heart, this gathering is about conducting research that will make a difference,” said Jorrit de Jong, Director of the Bloomberg Center for Cities at Harvard University. “I am grateful to my colleagues across Harvard for helping design an effective platform for international and cross-disciplinary exchange of ideas. We intend to offer scholars an opportunity for high-quality feedback on their work as well as with ideas for collaboration across disciplines and with practitioners in cities.”