CITY AS LAB
A Research Coordination Network for the Study of the Food, Energy, and Water Nexus for Sustainable and Resilient Urban Development
Worked On By: RCN
This project, in addition to establishing a Research Coordinated Network (RCN) explores the relationships between food, energy, and water systems at different scales in an urban environment. The project team is generating machine learning models to study the interaction of inter-connected systems, developing visualization tools to help stakeholders in decision-making process and using case studies to examine best practices for sustainable urban development.
Our Mission
The City-as-Lab Research Coordination Network (RCN) is dedicated to building a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable urban future by advancing integrated research on the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus. Through a diverse, multidisciplinary network of academic institutions, government agencies, industry leaders, and community partners, the RCN fosters innovation in infrastructure modeling, data-driven decision-making, and inclusive education. Our mission is to bridge science and practice, empower future sustainability leaders, and create actionable knowledge that supports cities in meeting the complex challenges of climate change, urbanization, and resource management.
Project Objectives
The City-as-Lab RCN will carry out the following:
- Develop research directions for the areas where current knowledge gaps exist
- Develop consensus on a framework for integrated urban FEW infrastructure research
- Create a networking consortium to deepen existing early-stage collaborations
- Develop a dynamic education program for students with diverse backgrounds
- Expand the network and evaluate the success of the network activities