International Symposium for Smart & Healthy Cities

The 6th International Symposium on Smart & Healthy Cities - "Mitigating Climate Change Effects in Cities"

The Symposium focused on the interrelationship between climate change and urbanization, solution identification through community engagement, and population health. The Symposium was attended by academics, scientists, entrepreneurs, and leaders in architecture, engineering, population health, and City government. The event involved opening remarks from the Dean of the College of Architecture and Built Environment, presentations from 5 distinguished speakers and a panel discussion and a networking reception.

Our Esteemed Panellists

• Barbara Klinkhammer - Opening Remarks, Dean, College of Architecture and the Built Environment, Thomas Jefferson University
• Rob Fleming - Director of Online Innovation Weitzman School of Design University of Pennsylvania
• Megan Heckert - Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, West Chester University
• Jessi Ray Koch - Equitable Development Project Manager, Centennial Parkside Community, Development Corporation
• Kimberly Washington - Executive Director, Frankford Community Development Corporation
• Nidhi Krishen - Deputy Director, Climate Solutions

The 5th International Symposium on Smart & Healthy Cities - "Enhancing Cities in Equitable Ways" was organnised between October 12-13, 2023. Over two days, the symposium explored the intersection of community engagement, urban planning, real estate development, health, and sustainability.

• Day 1 (Oct 12) focused on Community Engagement during Design Processes, Urban Planning, and Real Estate Development. Speakers shared insights on environmental justice, design for health, equitable development, and community-centered urban design.

• Day 2 (Oct 13) highlighted Action Plans for All: Programs and Policies that Promote Health Across the Lifespan and Throughout the Community. Discussions centered on livability, mobility, inclusive design, disability equity, and grassroots planning for healthier urban environments.

Our Esteemed Panellists

Day 1

• Radhika Bhaskar, Assistant Professor of Engineering, Jefferson University
• Justina Thomas, Program Strategist for Environmental Justice, Office of Sustainability
• Christian Pongratz, Director and Professor of Architecture, School of Architecture & Design, New York Institute of Technology
• Dr. Leon Caldwell, Founder & CEO, Ujima Developers
• Danita Reese, Deputy Director of Strategic Design, City of Philadelphia Service Design Studio
• Andrea Ngan, Community Co-Design Practice Lead, City of Philadelphia Service Design Studio 

Day 2

• Yocasta Lora, Advocacy & Community Manager, AARP 
• Anne Ning Lin, Director of Planning & Narrative Strategy, Grayscale Collaborative
• Sarah Clark Stuart, Executive Director, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia
• Kimberlee Douglas, Professor and Director, Landscape Architecture Program, Thomas Jefferson University
• Amy Nieves, Executive Director, Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

The 4th International Smart and Healthy Cities Symposium (October 20–21, 2022), co-hosted by the Institute for Smart and Healthy Cities at Thomas Jefferson University and Università Iuav di Venezia, explored the urgent theme Cities under Climate Threat. The program examined the intersection of climate change, urbanization, technological innovation, and population health, with a focus on how cities can build resilience and prepare for global crises. Supported by AARP Pennsylvania, the symposium convened academics, scientists, public health experts, architects, and policymakers in a hybrid format.

Through keynote presentations and moderated panels, participants discussed how climate change affects urban form, economy, and social well-being, while identifying pathways for more sustainable and equitable urban futures.

Our Esteemed Panellists

Day 1 (Oct 20), Understanding the Impact of Climate Change on Cities, highlighted research and policies on economics, environment, big data, urban design, and health equity.

• Dr. Stefan Al, Professor, Virginia Tech & Columbia University

• Yocasta Lora, Associate State Director of Advocacy & Community Engagement, AARP Pennsylvania

• Dr. Kathleen Miller, Senior Research Associate, National Center for Atmospheric Research

• Vittore Negretto, PhD, Faculty, Department of Culture of Design, Università Iuav di Venezia

• Carlo Federico Dall’Omo, PhD, Faculty, Department of Culture of Design, Università Iuav di Venezia

• Mattia Bertin, PhD, Department of Architecture and Arts, Università Iuav di Venezia

Day 2 (Oct 21), Drivers for Change, addressed strategies for climate resilience, technological innovation, population health, and site-specific urban design approaches.

• Prof. Francesco Musco, PhD, Professor of Urban Planning, Università Iuav di Venezia

• Dr. Steffen Lehmann, Professor of Architecture & Urbanism, University of Nevada

• Luke Leung, Principal, Sustainability Engineering Studio, Skidmore Owings & Merrill 

• Dr. Leah Schinasi, Assistant Professor of Environmental & Occupational Health, Drexel University 

• Dr. Dario Trabucco, PhD, Associate Professor in Building Technology, Università Iuav di Venezia 

Presented by the Institute of Smart and Healthy Cities at Thomas Jefferson University, the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, and AARP Pennsylvania

The Symposium (October 14–15, 2021) brought together leading academics, practitioners, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to explore how cities can emerge healthier and more resilient in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussions focused on the intersections of design, urbanization, technology, demographic change, and population health - examining how smart and healthy cities can be better prepared for global crises.

Panel I: Understanding the Impact of Smart Cities: Policies, Design, Economics, Big Data, Environment, and Population Health
Panelists explored how smart city strategies can improve health outcomes, create more livable environments, and build resilience against future disruptions. The conversation highlighted lessons from the pandemic, emerging urban trends, and the relationship between cities, the built environment, and population health.

Our Speakers:

• Mariela Alfonzo, PhD – Founder, State of Place

• Silvia Barbero, PhD – Associate Professor in Design, Politecnico di Torino

• Emily Yates – Smart City Director, City of Philadelphia

• Mike Watson – Director of Livable Communities, AARP

Panel II: Drivers for Change: Population Health, Technological Innovation, Built Environment, and Entrepreneurship
This session examined the forces shaping smart and healthy cities, from new models of healthcare and innovation to entrepreneurial and design-driven approaches. Panelists discussed the role of technology, sustainability, and civic leadership in preparing cities for long-term transformation.

Our Speakers:

• Adam Dakin – Managing Director, Dreamit Ventures

• Jason Duckworth – President, Arcadia Land Company

• Federica Larcher, PhD – Associate Professor, Dept. of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Turin

• Andriele Madison – Green Space Communities Lead, Centre for Sustainable Healthcare

• Cybelle Jones – CEO, Society for Experiential Graphic Design

The symposium underscored the importance of innovation and collaboration across sectors in building equitable, sustainable, and resilient urban futures.

The inaugural 2019 Forum explored how urbanization, technological innovation, demographic trends, and population health intersect in the development of smarter and healthier cities. The event convened academics, scientists, entrepreneurs, architects, urban planners, engineers, and policymakers to discuss how cities can balance efficiency, health, and livability in the 21st century.

Session I: Understanding the Impact of Smart Cities: Policies, Economics, Big Data, Environment, and Population Health
This session examined the systemic impacts of smart cities, from data-driven decision-making to urban policy and the environmental challenges of rapid urbanization.

Speakers:

• Anton Germishuizen – Senior Vice President, Business Leader, Buildings, Stantec

• Richard Florida, PhD – Director, Martin Prosperity Institute, University of Toronto

• Budhendra Bhaduri, PhD – Director, National Security Emerging Technologies Division & Urban Dynamics Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

• Mouneer Odeh – Vice President, Enterprise Analytics & Chief Data Scientist, Thomas Jefferson University Health System

• Ellen Hwang – Program Manager, Smart City Philadelphia, Office of Innovation & Technology, City of Philadelphia

Session II: Drivers for Change: Population Health, Technological Innovation, Making Buildings, and Entrepreneurship
Speakers highlighted innovations in technology, healthcare, and design, exploring how entrepreneurs, researchers, and civic leaders can drive transformative change in cities.

Speakers:

• Matt Jezyk – Former Senior Engineering Manager, AEC Generative Design, Autodesk; later with Tesla

• Mark Sharpe – President, Hogback Ventures

• Johney Green – Associate Laboratory Director, Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (tentative)

• Drew Harris, MD – Assistant Professor, College of Population Health; Director, Scholarly Inquiry–Health Policy Track, Sidney Kimmel College of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

• Jibonananda (Jibo) Sanyal, PhD – Team Leader, Scalable and High-Performance Geocomputation, Urban Dynamics Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

The forum concluded with a reception that fostered networking and dialogue among participants, reinforcing Jefferson’s role as a leader in advancing the conversation around smart and healthy urban futures.