Syracuse Sun

On February 14, the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) hosted its inaugural Smart Cities Research @ SU workshop. The event was led by Sevgi Erdogan, an associate professor at the School of Information Studies (iSchool) and a recipient of the 2024 SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow award. This past year, SyracuseCoE allocated nearly $200,000 to support 11 research projects led by faculty from Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

Professor Erdogan directs the Smart Cities and Civic Technologies (SC&CT) Research Center, which focuses on the interaction between human, physical, and natural systems. The center aims to leverage information science and digital technologies to inform public policy for sustainability and resiliency.

Her Faculty Fellow project titled “Smart Cities Research Network Development for Sustainable and Resilient Communities” seeks to unite faculty members, government agencies, and community partners to create a framework for smart cities research. A smart city employs sensor networks, advanced Information Communication Technologies (ICT), Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and cloud computing to enhance service delivery and improve residents' quality of life.

The February 14 workshop was the first of two supported by this award. It engaged faculty from various schools within Syracuse University along with government stakeholders such as representatives from the City of Syracuse’s Office of the Mayor and the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC).

Professor Erdogan opened the workshop alongside iSchool Associate Dean for Research Carsten Østerlund and SyracuseCoE Executive Director Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang. Jennifer Tifft from the City of Syracuse shared municipal initiatives while Vincent Scipione discussed digital services needs. Faculty presented lightning talks on ongoing scholarship followed by a working session facilitated by the Office of Research Development.

“This workshop was a crucial step in establishing a collaborative foundation for smart city research at SU,” said Erdogan. “At its core, this initiative is about using technology and data for social good.”

Zhang added that "SyracuseCoE is pleased to host future workshops on smart cities research." He highlighted plans for a multiscale air quality monitoring system testbed across Syracuse which will provide opportunities for academic research.

Faculty interested in participating in future workshops should contact Professor Sevgi Erdogan at serdogan@syr.edu.