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Metro21: Smart Cities Institute
Metro21: Smart Cities Institute
› resources1 › Equitable Economic Prosperity
Building Trust in "Smart Cities"
Metro21 Executive Director Karen Lightman recently wrote for Postindustrial to discuss "Building trust in 'smart cities.'"
Internet for All: Connecting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
On July 13, 2023, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) hosted the Internet for All: Connecting the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania workshop.
Equitable Broadband
With the announcement of the recent Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding, Metro21 is taking an active role in ensuring that residents across Pennsylvania have access to affordable, high-speed internet.
Broadband Advocacy Strategies for PA Communities
On June 27, 2023, Next Century Cities hosted the Broadband Advocacy Strategies for PA Communities webinar.
Metro21 Announces Results of NSF Project
Metro21 is excited to announce the results of its National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project, ”Enabling and Sustaining Connected Communities Rooted in Solving Societal Challenges."
Policies Can Help Limit Eviction Filings
Metro21 Executive Director Karen Lightman discussed the increase in evictions after the 2021 national moratorium ended with Smart Cities Dive, and highlighted policies that cities can use to limit the number of eviction filings.
Sustainable Cities Innovation: Balancing Financial Priorities and Well-Being
The modern future city should take sustainability and wellbeing into consideration when planning systems for mobility; water and waste management; energy; and smart infrastructure. With the digitisation of these services - AI, Blockchain and the roll out of 5G and the proliferation of connected devices and the IoT, there is a wealth of insightful data that can be harnessed to enable more intuitive and tailored services. But how can the evolution to smart cities be achieved when economies around the world face the very real prospect of recession in the short term? Now is certainly the time to focus on sustainability and wellbeing, but with the current economic climate, how can governments, individuals and companies prioritise these goals and not compromise on recovery and growth.
ARENI Webinar: Building Resilience in Small University Towns
Metro21 attended the ARENI webinar, "Building Resilience in Small University Towns" on June 1, 2022 to learn how universities can help build resilience in topics including long lasting infrastructure, connecting to broader economic opportunities and more.
Smart Cities World Hosts Data Proliferation & Enhanced Connectivity for More Livable Cities Panel Discussion
On May 26, 2022, Metro21 attended the Smart Cities World panel discussion, "Data Proliferation and Enhanced Connectivity for More Livable Cities" to hear about public safety and data proliferation, data transparency and citizen engagement.
G2U Network: Strategies to Improve Workforce Diversity in the Public Sector
On April 28, 2022, the Government-to-University Network hosted "Strategies to Improve Workforce Diversity in the Public Sector," a webinar aimed to provide guidance to government agencies in expanding their workforce.
Yale Economic Development Symposium
On February 11, 2022, Metro21 attended the Yale Economic Development Symposium: From Legislation to Laying Foundations: How the Infrastructure Act Can Connect 21st Century America.
Redefining the "Smart" in Smart Cities
Metro21 Executive Director Karen Lightman's recent blog for Pittsburgh Region defines smart cities of the past, and provides a thoughtful path forward for more connected, equitable and sustainable cities of the future.
CMU Hosts Inaugural Flagship Sustainability Talks
Metro21 Executive Director, Karen Lightman, will share her expertise on Sustainable Cities and Communities at CMU’s flagship 17 Rooms event – a series of deep dive discussions based off of the U.N. General Assembly’s 17 Global Goals adapted to the university context.
A Way Forward for Sustainable and Resilient Cities During COVID-19 and Beyond
Karen Lightman of Metro21 recently provided her insights on the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals in a recent blog, "A Way Forward for Sustainable and Resilient Cities During COVID-19 and Beyond."
Metro21 Work in The Global Impact Exchange
The Global Impact Exchange, a quarterly publication of Diversity Abroad, took note of the civic engagement that Metro21 is involved with in their summer 2021 edition.
Route Fifty Future Cities 2021
Metro21 attended the editorial session "Rebuilding Main Street: The American Rescue Plan in Action" at the Route Fifty Future Cities 2021 digital event on July 29, 2021. Find out what you may have missed.
SPC Releases Broadband Access Dashboards
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, in collaboration with Allies for Children and Carnegie Mellon University (Metro21 and Traffic21) and a broad, regional coalition of stakeholders proposes to develop a regional Connectivity Improvement Plan to deploy high-speed connectivity programs and projects to enable the areas of the southwestern Pennsylvania region lacking adequate high-speed internet access and equipment to better connect to jobs, education, health care and to attract new business to all corners of the region.
Regional Approach Being Taken to Broadband Improvements
Metro21, in coordination with Southwestern PA Commission, Traffic21, Allies for Children and Michael Baker Corporation will take a regional approach to improve broadband service over a 10-county area with the newly passed infrastructure bill.
Policy Summit 2021: Pathways to Economic Resilience in Our Communities
Metro21 attended Policy Summit 2021: Pathways to Economic Resilience on June 23-25, 2021. The Summit focused on economic resilience and equity and how they play out in communities of all sizes and compositions. The event highlighted the policies and practices that support or hinder people in our most vulnerable communities from being able to prepare for, adapt to, and respond to economic shocks, such as coronavirus-related closures, and underlying stresses, such as poverty and inequality. The effects of COVID-19 and racial injustice were at front and center, across a range of topic areas, including but not limited to, small business, workforce and economic development, and housing.
The Vibrant Index Provides Regional Report for 2020
On Wednesday, August 11, members from Vibrant Pittsburgh and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development provided the 2020 Vibrant Index, which identifies areas of success as well as what critical actions are needed to improve the practices, policies, and cultures of organizations in the Pittsburgh region.
Metro21 Presents Feeding Families Project to NOPREN
Metro21 Executive Director Karen Lightman and Researcher Steve Smith presented their project, "Feeding Families in Need: Optimizing School Bus Routes for Pandemic Meal Support" to HER NOPREN on Friday, February 12, 2021.
CTIA Town Square Speaks with Karen Lightman
CTIA Smart Cities Task Force features "How Metro21’s Karen Lightman Connects People and Technologies" in their most recent Town Square blog.
COVID-19 is Creating the Largest Telecommunity – but not for Everyone
Due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, we are experiencing the largest telecommunity of all time.
Creating Opportunities to Address the Rural-Urban Gap
Partnerships matter. When projects move forward without community input, they can raise concerns about surveillance and data collection, which happened with Sidewalk Labs’ originally proposed smart city in Toronto’s downtown waterfront.
How is artificial intelligence affecting the rural-urban divide?
Advances in AI, broadband and other tech are providing new opportunities. But is everyone seeing the benefits?
Blog: Stone Soup and Smart Cities
Creating a viable smart city is a lot like the old folk tale of stone soup. Everyone needs to bring something to the community pot in order for everyone to benefit.
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