UCSD UP-Hub 2024 Update

Building upon the current joint classroom collaboration between Technion and UC San Diego, led and directed by Professor Mor Shilon, the Urban Planning Research and Teaching Hub had a robust year with the following efforts:

International Collaborations

  1. The establishment of an international research group. The research group’s first international workshop included researchers from UC San Diego, the Technion, and Royal Holloway University of London. Between April 8-12, 2024, we met every day on campus, discussing the theme of “Navigating Urban Uncertainties and Futures”. We focused on past events to explore the future of cities and urban planning, and on questions of inequity, inclusion, and what urban planning can do to promote hope, change, and flexibility in present-day and future cities drawing on international examples. We concluded the workshop with a Special
    Issue proposal (see below in the Data Dissemination section), and will continue to work as a research group next year as well.

Additional Funding

  1. The Department of Urban Studies and Planning continuously supports the work in Logan Heights and funded a video that demonstrates our collaboration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk8ILfZ6Kdw&ab_channel=MorShilonLoganHeights
  2. In collaboration with scholars from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, Mor Shilon submitted a proposal for a research grant that combines the UP-Hub with student exchange and community engagement with underprivileged communities in Tijuana, Mexico. The grant was submitted to UC Alianza and was accepted about a month ago.

Data Dissemination
Digital Outputs:

  1. The UP-Hub has its own official UC San Diego website: https://uphub.ucsd.edu/.

Academic Conferences and Gatherings:

  1. Round table event: on April 12, we held a Round Table event at the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, hosting interdisciplinary faculty to discuss our finding from the international workshop.
  2. UAA Annual Conference: 2024, Towards Affective Urban Policies of Air Pollution: Mitigating Environmental Policy Challenges, 52nd Urban Affairs Association Conference, New York City, New York

Community Engagement

Informed and inspired by the collaboration between Technion and Jisr Azzarqa, led by Dr. Shilon, we conduct a Community Engaged Learning class in Logan Heights, San Diego.

  1. We held a community event in Logan Heights to which more than a hundred people arrived. In the event we screened a documentary film about the connection of underprivileged communities and arts: https://www.liveloganheights.com/copy-of-sample-project-page-template-1. See invitation for the event here: https://lu.ma/iy9nsblz
  2. We established a website to Logan Heights, which showcases our collaboration and the deliverable throughout the years: https://www.liveloganheights.com/