COLLOQUIUM: The Promise of Urban Science

For the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas; by mid-century, 70 percent of the world’s more than 9 billion people will live in cities. Enabling those cities to deliver services effectively, efficiently, and sustainably while keeping citizens safe, healthy, prosperous, and well-informed is one of the most important undertakings in this century. Success will require that we understand the physical, environmental, and human dimensions of cities in a synthetic and synoptic manner. I will touch on the rationale, structure, and substance of the new Center’s research and education programs, which focus on bringing informatics to urban systems to improve New York City and contribute to global issues.