CUSP MS Class of 2017

NYC’s Chief Technology Officer Miguel A. Gamiño Delivered Commencement Address

New York, NY – Today, NYU’s Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) celebrated the graduation of its fourth class of students. The ceremony was held at NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts.

The CUSP program, created five years ago as part of the City of New York’s Applied Sciences NYC initiative, has consistently expanded and refined its innovative Masters of Science (MS) curriculum. This year, approximately 80 students completed a Master of Science program in Applied Urban Science and Informatics. These graduates will transition to a variety of career paths and opportunities where they will use their skills, experiences and knowledge to address real-world challenges in urban environments.

Past CUSP graduates have gone on to positions at the New York State Office of the Attorney General, the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York Police Department, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Financial Research, Apple Inc., and many other prestigious institutions.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the graduation of our fourth class,” said CUSP Director Steve Koonin. “These incredible students have honed their skills and knowledge to advance the field of urban informatics, and will continue to do so as they move into the next phase of their careers. We are happy to report that many of our graduates have successfully transitioned into roles in a variety of noteworthy companies and institutions, and we look forward to seeing what they will achieve in the future.”
“On behalf of Mayor de Blasio and the City of New York, I’m honored to congratulate this year’s NYU CUSP class,” said Miguel Gamiño, Jr., New York City Chief Technology Officer and keynote speaker at the ceremony. “CUSP is the direct result of a thriving public-private partnership and is a vital part of the City’s Applied Sciences initiative that is strengthening our economy and cultivating a tech talent pipeline committed to solving urban and global challenges.”

Prior to beginning the CUSP program, this year’s class of graduates received degrees from 24 different universities around the world, represent 19 countries and 34 academic fields and include two Fulbright Scholars.

At CUSP, students partake in a rigorous, year-long MS program designed specifically to provide students with the skills to leverage data and technology to solve the biggest challenges facing cities across the country and around the world. CUSP also emphasizes entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership, giving its students the opportunity to practice these skills by working with an existing organization, such the California Data Collaborative. At the core of this MS curriculum is the Urban Science Intensive, a two-semester project, which allows students to partner with mentors from CUSP’s industry and government partners. The project challenges students to use informatics to address urban challenges, giving them real-world experience and opportunities to impact on the way cities function and operate.

In recent years, CUSP students played a role in several of the Center’s major research initiatives, including:
• The launch of the first “Quantified Community” in New York City’s Hudson Yards
• The development of Sounds of New York City (SONYC), a first-of-its-kind research initiative to monitor and ultimately address urban noise pollution
• The development of a visualization tool that tracks energy and water efficiency

To date, CUSP faculty and researchers have won a total of $14.7M in sponsored research support. The school has also partnered with dozens of City agencies, from the Office of the Attorney General to the Mayor’s Office of Data Analytics, to tackle big data challenges to maintain services, operations and quality of life for residents across New York City.

This fall, NYU CUSP will move into a new location at 370 Jay Street. The new state-of-the-art facility will house seven research laboratories, a dramatic double-height seminar room, public gathering spaces, 19 conference rooms and collaboration spaces, among other amenities.
For more information on CUSP, its students and faculty, and its programs and initiatives, visit its website, www.cusp.nyu.edu. 

About New York University’s Center for Urban Science & Progress

CUSP is a university-wide center whose research and education programs are focused on urban informatics. Using NYC as its lab, and building from its home in the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, it integrates and applies NYU strengths in the natural, data, and social sciences to understand and improve cities throughout the world. CUSP offers a one-year MS degree in Applied Urban Science & Informatics. For more news and information on CUSP, please visit https://cusp.nyu.edu. Follow NYU CUSP on Twitter @NYU_CUSP.

CONTACTS: 

Kim Alfred, CUSP
917-392-0859
kim.alfred@nyu.edu