Columbia Engineering secured $26M ERC NSF grant to develop Center for Smart Streetscapes
A team led by Columbia University in partnership with Florida Atlantic University, Rutgers University, University of Central Florida, and Lehman College received an award of $26 million for a five-year grant by The National Science Foundation (NSF) for a new Gen-4 NSF Engineering Research Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3). The Center’s mission is to forge livable, safe, and inclusive communities through cutting-edge streetscape applications. CS3 is led by Andrew Smyth, Robert A.W., and Christine S. Carleton, Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics.
Since the launch of the Center in September 2022, CS3 has actively engaged in a series of initiatives to integrate community and industry partners into its initiatives. Here are some highlights of activities undertaken by the Center of Smart Streetscapes in recent months:
My Streetscape Photovoice Exhibit
In collaboration with The Trust Collaboratory, the Center for Smart Streetscape recently hosted its inaugural My Streetscape Photovoice Exhibition, showcasing the work of seven high school students who participated in the summer 2023 Engineering the Next Generation (ENG) program at Columbia University. During this program, the students worked on research projects with faculty and graduate student mentors focused on urban transportation, traffic simulations, and smart intersections. Students also engaged with researchers from the Columbia Trust Collaboratory in an interdisciplinary education program to learn the fundamentals of social science research and reflect critically on the impact of technology on New York City's built environment.
The exhibition centered around dialogue on urban technology and trust, and CS3 welcomed members of the Harlem Community, students' family members, friends, and members of the CS3 team. The event had a great turnout. Picture highlights from the event below:
Spotlight:
We would like to spotlight Christopher Grullon, a participant in the CS3 Photovoice exhibit. Christopher became part of the CS3 program during the summer after graduating from Columbia Senior Secondary School. He is now enrolled as a student at Columbia Engineering, starting in the Fall of 2023. See a photo of Christopher at the Photovoice Exhibit below:
CS3 hosted Twenty High School STEM Teachers This Summer
This summer CS3 partnered with COSMOS and NYU to host 20 New York City high school STEM teachers through its Research Experience and Mentoring for Teachers (REM/RET) program. CS3 conducted exclusive interviews featuring some of the exceptional teachers who played a pivotal role in making this year’s program a huge success. You can read more about the teachers here. Picture of teachers below:
CS3 Held Its First Industry Partner Workshop
This summer, CS3 hosted its first Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) Industry Partner Workshop. The workshop took place in NYC, and industry partners had the opportunity to learn more about CS3 testbeds in NYC, NJ, and FL. Picture from the event below:
CS3 Held Its First Harlem Community Engagement Event
CS3 met with members of the Harlem community on Friday, April 14th, to discuss and strengthen a partnership of working together to make New York CIty a more livable, safe, and inclusive place for residents . Pictures from the event below:
