About
The Urban Systems Symposium offers the opportunity for academic scholars, planners, policymakers, and innovators to explore the multifaceted nature of the urban environment. It is a venue where we will examine the intricate web of relationships, challenges, and opportunities that are shaping our cities.
Cities are ecosystems shaped by layers of infrastructure, social networks, economic forces, and ecological environments. In this context, urban systems are best understood as interconnected and evolving networks that require integrated solutions across disciplines.
What distinguishes cities from the non-urban world is the tractable role of governance. In that sense, cities are shaped by a diverse but perhaps easier to track array of factors: political agendas, historical legacies, technological advancements, and the challenges of an ever-growing population. This makes urban systems unique from the point of view of decision implementation, but also in their potential to create profound impact—both positive and negative—on the lives of billions of people.
At this symposium, we will delve into how cities operate as complex systems, exploring the intersections between people, technology, and the environment. We’ll explore questions such as: How can we design urban spaces that are livable and resilient? What role do information and technology play in optimizing city services? How well can we model the interaction of physical, natural, and human systems? How can cities offer the opportunity to design for equity?
Please see the details below on abstract submission and oral presentations.
Venue
Venue: New York University Campus (40 Washington Square S, New York, NY 10012, USA)
Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Sessions
A. Climate Resilience Cities
Moderator: George Thurston, Professor, NYU School of Medicine
B. Health & Urban Wellbeing
Moderator: Jo Ivey Boufford, Professor, NYU School of Global Public Health
C. Law, Governance, & Policy for Urban Sustainability
Moderator: Katrina Wyman, Professor, NYU Law School
D. Designing the Future City
Moderator: Mitchell Joachim, Professor, NYU Gallatin
E. Housing
Moderator: Jenna Dyer, Analyst, NYC Office of Management and Budget
F. Place-Based Innovation
Moderator: Simon Sylvester-Chaudhuri, Executive Director, CIV:LAB
Confirmed Speakers
The detailed schedule will be posted on September 4th.
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Jo Ivey Boufford
Clinical Professor of Global Health · New York University, School of Global Public Health
New York University
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Katrina Wyman
Professor of Property Law · New York University, School of Law
New York University
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Masoud Ghandehari
Professor · New York University, Tandon School of Engineering
New York University
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Mitchell Joachim
Professor of Practice · New York University, School of Individualized Study
New York University
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Jenna Dyer
Analyst · New York City, Mayor's Office of Management and Budget
New York City
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Simon Sylvester-Chaudhuri
Founder & Executive Director · CIV:LAB
CIV:LAB
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George Thurston
Professor of Medicine and Population Health · New York University, School of Medicine
New York University
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Alex Azan
Assistant Professor · New York University, School of Medicine
New York University
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Ana Baptista
Associate Professor of Environmental and Climate Justice · The New School, Parsons School of Design
The New School
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Christine Billy
Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law · New York University, School of Law
New York University
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Kiera Bloch
Program Manager · New York University, School of Global Public Health
New York University
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Michael Bobker
City College of New York, Grove School of Engineering
City College of New York
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Ryan Brenner
New York University, Tandon School of Engineering
New York University
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Michelle Chan
Co-Executive Director · Asian Pacific Environmental Network
Asian Pacific Environmental Network
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Amy Chen
Harvard University, Graduate School of Design
Harvard University
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Chin-Wei Chen
Rutgers University, Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC), Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
Rutgers University
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Eran Chen
Founder & Executive Director · ODA Architecture
ODA Architecture
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Simon De Boeck
New York University / Univ of Antwerp
New York University / Univ of Antwerp
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Ingrid Gould Ellen
Professor of Urban Policy and Planning · New York University, Graduate School of Public Service
New York University
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Melanie Fessel
Principal · TerreformX
TerreformX
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María Ángeles Huete García
Associate Professor · Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Sociology
Universidad Pablo de Olavide
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Snigdha Garg
Head of Adaptation Research and Performance · C40
C40
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Moses Gates
Vice President · Regional Plan Association, Housing and Neighborhood Planning
Regional Plan Association
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Oriol Gavaldà
Manager · Concordia University, Decarbonization Initiatives
Concordia University
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Lydia Kallipoliti
Associate Professor · Columbia University, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
Columbia University
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Emma Lecavalier
Postdoctoral Researcher · University of Oxford, School of Government
University of Oxford
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Isaiah Little
Airport City Newark Coalition
Airport City Newark Coalition
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Mokena Makeka
Founder · F.L.O.W.
F.L.O.W.
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Nathaniel Mattison
Senior Fellow · New York University, School of Law, Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy & Land Use Law
New York University
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Maya Moussallieh
Researcher · University of Pavia, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture
University of Pavia
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Marcel Negret
Director · Regional Plan Association, Land Use
Regional Plan Association
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Yoko Nogami
Graduate Student · New York University, School of Global Public Health
New York University
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Kaan Ozbay
Professor · New York University, Department of Civil, Urban, and Environmental Engineering
New York University
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Vera Parlac
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Jersey Institute of Technology
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Marcelo Pinto
Alliance Architects, Brazil
Alliance Architects, Brazil
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Lidia Ratoi
Assistant Professor · University of Hong Kong
University of Hong Kong
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Samuel Robinson
Field Form / Flood Form
Field Form / Flood Form
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Jose Siri
HCx Global
HCx Global
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Brian A. Smith
Associate Professor of Computer Science · Columbia University
Columbia University
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Sherry Aine Te
Project Manager · New York City, Economic Development Corporation
New York City
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James Tiburcio
Research Fellow · University of São Paulo, Institute of Advanced Studies
University of São Paulo
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Anthony Townsend
Senior Research Associate · Cornell Tech, Urban Tech Hub
Cornell Tech
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Alaina Turnquist
Data and GIS Manager · Pratt Institute, Center for Community Development
Pratt Institute
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Pia Wackler
Research Assistant · Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden, Department of Electrical Engineering, Media and Computer Science
Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Amberg-Weiden
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Jason Whittet
Director of Business Development · KPMG
KPMG
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Mark Yarish
Adjunct Instructor · New York University, Center for Global Affairs
New York University
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Wuyue Yu
Postdoctoral Researcher · New York University, School of Global Public Health
New York University
Registration
Registration fees
General Admission: $95.00
Student Admission: $65.00
Registration will be processed until capacity is reached.
Submit Abstract
Submit a 150-word abstract using the link above (one submission per corresponding author).
The submission will be reviewed for its level of fit with the symposium’s emphasis. You will then receive the template for submission of a 3-page manuscript. The manuscript will be incorporated in the symposium booklet.
Submissions will be processed on a rolling basis until capacity is reached. Please note that September 1st will be the deadline for final manuscript submission.
The corresponding author will present the work at the symposium at one of the above sessions. Each presentation will be 5 minutes, followed by QA, then a moderated discussion at the end of each session.
Organization
Symposium Chair
Masoud Ghandehari, Professor, NYU School of Engineering
Steering Committee
Jo Ivey Boufford, Professor, NYU School of Global Public Health
Katrina Wyman, Professor, NYU Law School
Mitchell Joachim, Professor, NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Allison Taylor, Associate Professor, NYU Stern School of Business
George Thurston, Professor, NYU School of Medicine
Contact
Sohei Yamada, Symposium Secretary, admin@urbansystems.org