What does it really mean for a city to be “smart”? For Professor Davarian Baldwin, it is not about technology, it is about equity and shared opportunity. Professor Baldwin, a leading urbanist, historian and cultural critic, explores how universities shape urban life and how they can become partners in building fairer, more inclusive communities.
In this inspiring LunchTalk with Professor Davarian Baldwin, a visiting professor at Erasmus University, we will explore a bold reimagining of what it means to be a 'smart city' centred on social equity and inclusion. As the Paul E. Raether Distinguished Professor of American Studies at Trinity College (Hartford, CT) and Director of the Smart Cities Research Lab, he focuses on best practices for building equitable urban communities, particularly through university-driven development. He is the author of the influential book In the Shadow of the Ivory Tower: How Universities are Plundering Our Cities, which has sparked international debate on the relationship between higher education and urban inequality.
Professor Baldwin views his work as a way to ensure that colleges, universities and other institutions genuinely serve the greater good. Through he Smart City Research Lab, he works to align the missions and values of these institutions with their everyday actions, emphasising the importance of moving from 'just' research to meaningful actions and impact, by collaborating with community organisations, local officials, students and other urban stakeholders to shape more inclusive urban futures.
His vision of smart cities emphasises structural justice, public accountability and the direct involvement of local communities. During his time at Erasmus University, he is exploring similar initiatives in Rotterdam, with a particular focus on the Cultuur & Campus development in Rotterdam Zuid and on building a collaboration between the Smart Cities Research Lab and the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus Centre for BOLD Cities to develop a shared vision of "smart" cities.
This LunchTalk is a unique opportunity to meet professor Baldwin and hear his vision on the Smart City.
Capacity is limited. Please register below.
What
LunchTalk with visiting professor Davarian Baldwin
Reimagining “Smart” in Smart Cities: The founding of the Smart Cities Research Lab
When
Tuesday 3 June, 12.00 - 13.30
Location
Polak 2-04
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3062 PA Rotterdam
