Marron Institute of Urban Management, NYU

The Marron Institute conducts innovative applied research, working with cities to take on critical challenges of urban living. Started with a generous gift from Donald B. Marron, the Institute operates on a model of academic venture capital in which the faculty who run research programs receive seed funding. Faculty members use seed funds to develop their programs, hire research staff and build portfolios of externally-funded projects that have the potential to improve outcomes in cities. Currently, the Marron Institute has five major research programs focused on urban planning, environmental health, criminal justice, civic analytics, and public sector performance and innovation. Globally, cities are home to more than half of the world’s population—4 billion people and growing. Though the researchers and faculty members at the Marron Institute do publish and teach on occasion, their chief focus is the pursuit of sponsored research that will extend the impact of the Institute’s founding gift and have a positive and measurable impact on life in cities the world over.