BU URBAN
@buurban.bsky.social
Official account for Boston University's Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience & Environmental Health (URBAN). Check us out: https://sites.bu.edu/urban/
“At this point, we know enough about climate change to know that action must be taken—it’s communicating that urgency and building momentum that’s the more challenging part.”
www.bu.edu/articles/202...
www.bu.edu/articles/202...
Terriers Reflect on Attending This Year’s United Nations Climate Conference
Four BU doctoral students traveled to Brazil for COP30
www.bu.edu
December 2, 2025 at 2:58 PM
“At this point, we know enough about climate change to know that action must be taken—it’s communicating that urgency and building momentum that’s the more challenging part.”
www.bu.edu/articles/202...
www.bu.edu/articles/202...
Reposted by BU URBAN
@marydwillis.bsky.social and I published a paper published today in Environmental Research Letters! iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1... We found that about 46.6 million people in the US, or about 14.1% of the US population, live within a mile of a piece of energy infrastructure. Why do we care? 🛟 |💡🔌
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iopscience.iop.org
November 18, 2025 at 3:24 AM
@marydwillis.bsky.social and I published a paper published today in Environmental Research Letters! iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1... We found that about 46.6 million people in the US, or about 14.1% of the US population, live within a mile of a piece of energy infrastructure. Why do we care? 🛟 |💡🔌
It was such a pleasure to hear from change-makers in climate mitigation and resilience, Lindsey Butler, Stephen Decina, and Conor Gately, each working in different sectors to address urban environmental challenges. They provided practical insights into the evolving nature of the work.
November 14, 2025 at 5:32 PM
It was such a pleasure to hear from change-makers in climate mitigation and resilience, Lindsey Butler, Stephen Decina, and Conor Gately, each working in different sectors to address urban environmental challenges. They provided practical insights into the evolving nature of the work.
Reposted by BU URBAN
The Trump administration wants to rescind a 2009 finding that climate change endangers public health.
Physicians and epidemiologists argue the move ignores mounting evidence linking climate change to heat deaths, epidemics, air pollution and mental health crises.
Physicians and epidemiologists argue the move ignores mounting evidence linking climate change to heat deaths, epidemics, air pollution and mental health crises.
Want to make America healthy again? Stop fueling climate change
From extreme heat to mosquito-borne illnesses, climate change is making people sicker and more vulnerable to disease. Health scientists explain what individuals and governments can do about it.
buff.ly
November 13, 2025 at 3:30 AM
The Trump administration wants to rescind a 2009 finding that climate change endangers public health.
Physicians and epidemiologists argue the move ignores mounting evidence linking climate change to heat deaths, epidemics, air pollution and mental health crises.
Physicians and epidemiologists argue the move ignores mounting evidence linking climate change to heat deaths, epidemics, air pollution and mental health crises.
Reposted by BU URBAN
Half-Day Virtual Event
Wildfires & Health: From Research to Resilience
Explore the latest on wildfire impacts, research, and community resilience. Join us for expert panels, lightning talks, and networking focused on public health.
📅 Nov 19 | 🕐 1:00–5:00 PM ET
🔗 loom.ly/vNHHm_o
Wildfires & Health: From Research to Resilience
Explore the latest on wildfire impacts, research, and community resilience. Join us for expert panels, lightning talks, and networking focused on public health.
📅 Nov 19 | 🕐 1:00–5:00 PM ET
🔗 loom.ly/vNHHm_o
November 5, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Half-Day Virtual Event
Wildfires & Health: From Research to Resilience
Explore the latest on wildfire impacts, research, and community resilience. Join us for expert panels, lightning talks, and networking focused on public health.
📅 Nov 19 | 🕐 1:00–5:00 PM ET
🔗 loom.ly/vNHHm_o
Wildfires & Health: From Research to Resilience
Explore the latest on wildfire impacts, research, and community resilience. Join us for expert panels, lightning talks, and networking focused on public health.
📅 Nov 19 | 🕐 1:00–5:00 PM ET
🔗 loom.ly/vNHHm_o
URBAN Trainee Alejandra Castillo Cieza leveraged an URBAN Travel Award to present her research at the ESA conference this summer. Her research on the effects of urbanization and wildfire on forest health is both timely and relevant.
November 3, 2025 at 7:09 PM
URBAN Trainee Alejandra Castillo Cieza leveraged an URBAN Travel Award to present her research at the ESA conference this summer. Her research on the effects of urbanization and wildfire on forest health is both timely and relevant.
Reposted by BU URBAN
@comatbu.bsky.social launched the Center for Media Innovation & Social Impact (MISI) in spring 2025, aiming to restore trust in science, democracy, and community. “This center aims to help society realize its potential through effective communication,” states COM Dean Mariette DiChristina (COM’86).
Communicating Climate Is the Focus of Inaugural Boston University Center for Media Innovation & Social Impact Summit
COM’s November 7 event will feature policy experts, scholars, communicators—and a circus acrobat
spr.ly
October 30, 2025 at 4:30 PM
@comatbu.bsky.social launched the Center for Media Innovation & Social Impact (MISI) in spring 2025, aiming to restore trust in science, democracy, and community. “This center aims to help society realize its potential through effective communication,” states COM Dean Mariette DiChristina (COM’86).
Reposted by BU URBAN
📣 Interested in #climate and #sustainability #research that makes a real impact at @bostonu.bsky.social & beyond?
BU's Campus Climate Lab offers up to $10,000 for student-mentor teams to use our campuses as a living lab for sustainability research! Apply now: www.bu.edu/igs/research...
BU's Campus Climate Lab offers up to $10,000 for student-mentor teams to use our campuses as a living lab for sustainability research! Apply now: www.bu.edu/igs/research...
October 31, 2025 at 1:52 PM
📣 Interested in #climate and #sustainability #research that makes a real impact at @bostonu.bsky.social & beyond?
BU's Campus Climate Lab offers up to $10,000 for student-mentor teams to use our campuses as a living lab for sustainability research! Apply now: www.bu.edu/igs/research...
BU's Campus Climate Lab offers up to $10,000 for student-mentor teams to use our campuses as a living lab for sustainability research! Apply now: www.bu.edu/igs/research...
Reposted by BU URBAN
BARI Conference 2025 included a panel focused on indoor air quality studies in Greater Boston, so we know it's important! Congrats to our friends at @boston.gov and @patriciafabian.bsky.social for this important work to monitor air quality in every BPS classroom!
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/26/s...
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/26/s...
A tiny device is identifying invisible health hazards in Boston schools - The Boston Globe
Boston Public Schools is using a nation-leading network of air quality sensors to improve classroom air.
www.bostonglobe.com
October 28, 2025 at 2:39 PM
BARI Conference 2025 included a panel focused on indoor air quality studies in Greater Boston, so we know it's important! Congrats to our friends at @boston.gov and @patriciafabian.bsky.social for this important work to monitor air quality in every BPS classroom!
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/26/s...
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/10/26/s...
Another impressive alum sharing their research on our urban environment! Check out @k8eatherton.bsky.social's paper in Nature Cities (www.nature.com/articles/s44...), "Behind the Paper" blog post (communities.springernature.com/posts/the-dy...) , or coverage at WBUR (www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...).
October 20, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Another impressive alum sharing their research on our urban environment! Check out @k8eatherton.bsky.social's paper in Nature Cities (www.nature.com/articles/s44...), "Behind the Paper" blog post (communities.springernature.com/posts/the-dy...) , or coverage at WBUR (www.wbur.org/news/2025/10...).
Reposted by BU URBAN
A new study in Nature Cities delves into what life is like for a Bostonian oak, and how we can help our green neighbors thrive despite the city’s stressors. 🌳https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/10/03/boston-tree-microbes-study
City living isn't good for a tree's microbiome, study shows. Here's what that means
A new study from Boston University researchers found that the city's oak trees have more pathogens and plant decomposers. With fewer "good" microbes, experts worry about how that might impact ecosyste...
www.wbur.org
October 15, 2025 at 7:07 PM
A new study in Nature Cities delves into what life is like for a Bostonian oak, and how we can help our green neighbors thrive despite the city’s stressors. 🌳https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/10/03/boston-tree-microbes-study
Reposted by BU URBAN
You can also take a look at my "Behind the Paper" blog for Nature to learn more about how we went from soil to this microbial story!
go.nature.com/4nJcP0j
go.nature.com/4nJcP0j
The dysregulated microbiome of city trees
Cities are investing in planting trees, but we don’t fully understand how city living affects trees and the other organisms it houses. We found that urban oak trees lose their microbial symbionts whil...
go.nature.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM
You can also take a look at my "Behind the Paper" blog for Nature to learn more about how we went from soil to this microbial story!
go.nature.com/4nJcP0j
go.nature.com/4nJcP0j
Reposted by BU URBAN
🌳 Big news! My paper “Disruption of the oak tree microbiome with urbanization” is now out in Nature Cities! 🏙️🌿
Cities are full of life we don’t see, including microbes that live in and on trees.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s442...
Cities are full of life we don’t see, including microbes that live in and on trees.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s442...
Disruption of the oak tree microbiome with urbanization - Nature Cities
Urbanization disrupts oak tree microbiomes by reducing beneficial fungi and increasing plant and human pathogens across leaves, roots and soils, with consequences for tree health, urban climate mitiga...
doi.org
October 14, 2025 at 5:26 PM
🌳 Big news! My paper “Disruption of the oak tree microbiome with urbanization” is now out in Nature Cities! 🏙️🌿
Cities are full of life we don’t see, including microbes that live in and on trees.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s442...
Cities are full of life we don’t see, including microbes that live in and on trees.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s442...
Reposted by BU URBAN
🗓️ SAVE THE DATE! Join us Friday 11/7 as we host our first MISI summit on "Communicating Climate." Leading voices will explore why what we listen to or read about around #climatechange leads to misinformation and disinformation or trust.
Register now > bit.ly/MISISummit2025
@comatbu.bsky.social
Register now > bit.ly/MISISummit2025
@comatbu.bsky.social
October 7, 2025 at 9:52 PM
🗓️ SAVE THE DATE! Join us Friday 11/7 as we host our first MISI summit on "Communicating Climate." Leading voices will explore why what we listen to or read about around #climatechange leads to misinformation and disinformation or trust.
Register now > bit.ly/MISISummit2025
@comatbu.bsky.social
Register now > bit.ly/MISISummit2025
@comatbu.bsky.social
This summer, URBAN Trainee Flannery Black-Ingersoll outlined ways to streamline the process of integrating new climate technologies in the city.
Learn more about Flannery's internship project with the Office of Emerging Technology by visiting our Internship Impacts page sites.bu.edu/urban/black-...
Learn more about Flannery's internship project with the Office of Emerging Technology by visiting our Internship Impacts page sites.bu.edu/urban/black-...
October 6, 2025 at 6:09 PM
This summer, URBAN Trainee Flannery Black-Ingersoll outlined ways to streamline the process of integrating new climate technologies in the city.
Learn more about Flannery's internship project with the Office of Emerging Technology by visiting our Internship Impacts page sites.bu.edu/urban/black-...
Learn more about Flannery's internship project with the Office of Emerging Technology by visiting our Internship Impacts page sites.bu.edu/urban/black-...
URBAN Trainee Zhenpeng Zuo used his GIS skills to develop a mapping protocol that can aid municipalities as they transition to cleaner energy.
Check out the Internship Impacts page of our website (sites.bu.edu/urban/intern...) to see the impactful projects trainees undertook this spring and summer!
Check out the Internship Impacts page of our website (sites.bu.edu/urban/intern...) to see the impactful projects trainees undertook this spring and summer!
September 22, 2025 at 9:09 PM
URBAN Trainee Zhenpeng Zuo used his GIS skills to develop a mapping protocol that can aid municipalities as they transition to cleaner energy.
Check out the Internship Impacts page of our website (sites.bu.edu/urban/intern...) to see the impactful projects trainees undertook this spring and summer!
Check out the Internship Impacts page of our website (sites.bu.edu/urban/intern...) to see the impactful projects trainees undertook this spring and summer!
Reposted by BU URBAN
Mayors have arrived at Climate Week NYC to showcase how cities are stepping up on climate.
From cutting fossil fuels and scaling up clean energy to creating good green jobs and protecting communities, local leaders are proving what’s possible when action meets ambition.
From cutting fossil fuels and scaling up clean energy to creating good green jobs and protecting communities, local leaders are proving what’s possible when action meets ambition.
September 22, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Mayors have arrived at Climate Week NYC to showcase how cities are stepping up on climate.
From cutting fossil fuels and scaling up clean energy to creating good green jobs and protecting communities, local leaders are proving what’s possible when action meets ambition.
From cutting fossil fuels and scaling up clean energy to creating good green jobs and protecting communities, local leaders are proving what’s possible when action meets ambition.
Congratulations, Dr. Fleming Ianniello!
September 19, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Congratulations, Dr. Fleming Ianniello!
Reposted by BU URBAN
👨👩👦👦🧑🎓 The CELT Initiative puts #communities and students at the center of Massachusetts’ #CleanEnergy future. In a new article, current @bostonu.bsky.social CELT fellows share what they've learned. Read more — and apply to join the second fellow class:
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/09/...
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/09/...
September 16, 2025 at 4:00 PM
👨👩👦👦🧑🎓 The CELT Initiative puts #communities and students at the center of Massachusetts’ #CleanEnergy future. In a new article, current @bostonu.bsky.social CELT fellows share what they've learned. Read more — and apply to join the second fellow class:
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/09/...
www.bu.edu/igs/2025/09/...
Congratulations to Dr. Atherton!
September 11, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Congratulations to Dr. Atherton!
Reposted by BU URBAN
Young adults in Boston! We want to hear your ideas, experiences and priorities. Join our first Climate Action Plan session on Monday, 9/15 at Dorchester Brewing! This session is intended for ages 21 - 35. Food will be provided.
Register: buff.ly/T0Sl2kR
Register: buff.ly/T0Sl2kR
September 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Young adults in Boston! We want to hear your ideas, experiences and priorities. Join our first Climate Action Plan session on Monday, 9/15 at Dorchester Brewing! This session is intended for ages 21 - 35. Food will be provided.
Register: buff.ly/T0Sl2kR
Register: buff.ly/T0Sl2kR
Excited to welcome our newest cohort of URBAN trainees!
Thank you to Luofan Dong, Shalom Entner, and Niouma Semega for sharing their internship experiences with the incoming trainees at our Intro Workshop yesterday.
Thank you to Luofan Dong, Shalom Entner, and Niouma Semega for sharing their internship experiences with the incoming trainees at our Intro Workshop yesterday.
September 4, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Excited to welcome our newest cohort of URBAN trainees!
Thank you to Luofan Dong, Shalom Entner, and Niouma Semega for sharing their internship experiences with the incoming trainees at our Intro Workshop yesterday.
Thank you to Luofan Dong, Shalom Entner, and Niouma Semega for sharing their internship experiences with the incoming trainees at our Intro Workshop yesterday.
Reposted by BU URBAN
Stories have the power to inform, connect, and inspire. CAFE’s Public Narrative Workshop will teach climate and health researchers techniques to expand the reach and impact of their work.
Applications due September 12.
https://loom.ly/YmZNw4E
Applications due September 12.
https://loom.ly/YmZNw4E
August 14, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Stories have the power to inform, connect, and inspire. CAFE’s Public Narrative Workshop will teach climate and health researchers techniques to expand the reach and impact of their work.
Applications due September 12.
https://loom.ly/YmZNw4E
Applications due September 12.
https://loom.ly/YmZNw4E
URBAN Trainee Ally Swank took full advantage of the URBAN non-service stipend this spring, traveling to Panama to further their research on coral species, specifically cryptic lineages within a coral species complex. Awesome to see URBAN trainees doing great things!
August 1, 2025 at 2:08 PM
URBAN Trainee Ally Swank took full advantage of the URBAN non-service stipend this spring, traveling to Panama to further their research on coral species, specifically cryptic lineages within a coral species complex. Awesome to see URBAN trainees doing great things!