Global Urban Futures Project Hosts Interdisciplinary Workshop on Urban Policy Implications of International Conferences

The following article was written by Crista Carter (Masters in Urban Policy Analysis & Management 2016) and José Gálvez Contreras (Ph.D. in Public and Urban Policy 2019)On Tuesday, May 3, 2016 the Global Urban Futures Project at the Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy hosted an interdisciplinary urban policy workshop that brought together faculty, staff, and students from Milano, NSSR, and Parsons. The purpose of the workshop was to discuss the policy implications of international conferences and agreements such as the Sustainable Development Goals, COP21, and Habitat III. The agenda included introductory presentations by Milano School Dean Michelle DePass, Milano Professor Michael Cohen, and Parsons Professor William Morrish. Attendees were then randomly sorted into groups to discuss three questions:

1. How do international conference translate to actions and policies in cities?
2. What role does governance and civil society play in framing these conferences?
3. How can academia contribute to the discussion and help link global to local action?

During this time the group was also asked to develop recommendation for actions that could be taken to improve the outcomes of these international conference and agreements. As the groups reconvene, Tishman Environment and Design Center Associate Director and Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at the Milano School Ana Baptista brought the discussion together through a participatory process and gave her closing remarks.Ultimately, the workshop was a great success. The almost 30 participants shared many ideas amongst each other, developed new relationships, and identify innovative ways on how to collaborate moving forward. Together the group identified several ways we wish to engage as academics and activists to make these processes more inclusive and their goals more tangible. The workshop was student developed and student run by the Global Urban Futures Project fellows Crista Carter ‘16 (Masters in Urban Policy Analysis & Management) and José Gálvez Contreras ‘19 (Ph.D. Student in Public and Urban Policy at Milano). It was a great honor to bring talented minds from across the schools together. Brian McGrath, Dean of the School of Constructed Environments at Parsons,  Assistant Professor of Urban Ecology Timon McPhearson, Associate Professor of Urban Studies & International Affairs at the Milano School Margarita Gutman, Assistant Professor of Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management at Milano School Shagun Mehrotra, Tishman Environment and Design Center Sustainability Associate Molly Craft Johnson, and Associate Director of Equity for Children Beatrice Mauger were among the attendees.