From Norcia to Montevideo: CUSP fosters global collaboration in urban technology

The Center for Urban Science + Progress (CUSP) at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering recently sponsored more than a dozen graduate students who participated in immersive programs in Norcia, Italy, and Montevideo, Uruguay.

Institute Professor Maurizio Porfiri, who directs CUSP and currently serves as Interim Chair of Tandon’s Department of Civil and Urban Engineering, and Assistant Professor Takahiro Yabe, a faculty member at CUSP and in the Department of Technology Management and Innovation, contributed their expertise by leading hands-on workshops.

Community-Focused Data Science in Norcia

Six CUSP students joined peers from 10 universities worldwide for a one-week intensive at the DataSlo summer school, directed by Valentino Santucci of the University for Foreigners of Perugia. Teams tackled five ambitious projects addressing local community needs, with Norcia town representatives attending final presentations.

"Students and teachers from across Europe, the United States, and China — bringing distinct academic backgrounds from engineering to sustainability studies — enriched discussions and deepened interdisciplinary collaboration," explained Ph.D. student Michael Napoli.

Daily sessions combined morning lectures, expert Q&As, and hands-on project work. Porfiri's workshop on Causal Discovery from Time Series made a lasting impression. "His case study on gun permit application trends was particularly impactful," said participant Shu Yang. "It sharpened my understanding of causal inference and offered valuable insight into structuring rigorous, socially meaningful research."

The program also included a midweek excursion to Piano Grande in the Apennine mountains, where one team explored transit improvements between Norcia and Castelluccio. "To reduce environmental impact, the government restricts private cars on weekends and provides shuttle buses instead," noted another student, Archy Guo. "This commitment to sustainability was impressive."

Bridging AI, GIS, and Urban Analytics in Montevideo

Other CUSP graduate students spent more than two weeks at Uruguay's Technological University (UTEC), collaborating with international peers on topics from Bayesian analysis to urban analytics, using large language models and urban hydrology simulations.

"The most rewarding part was working with students from other universities and building relationships throughout the program," said Isaiah Garnett. "Exchanging ideas with peers from diverse backgrounds was particularly enriching."

In Yabe's workshop, students developed "Urban AI Tourist," an app that combines OpenStreetMap data with user preferences to generate customized itineraries using AI-powered text-to-image models and LLMs.

"We studied Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), which combines large language models with external documents for more accurate outputs," said student Nissim Ram. "I was especially interested in how RAG can turn plain text into structured datasets, like processing judicial press releases into legal outcome data."

Ruiyu Yan found direct applications to his CUSP research: "Beyond strengthening my technical foundation, it inspired me to experiment with LLMs and diffusion models to enhance user-map interactions, enabling new ways to visualize urban data through AI-driven interfaces."

These initiatives build on CUSP's 2024 Urban Data Science Summer School and demonstrate the center's commitment to advancing urban technology through global

Other student perspectives

Darrel Lung:

“The highlight for me was building friendships and working closely with students from six different countries and making friends with them. The exchange of ideas across cultures really broadened my outlook.

”Kunjal Bhatta:

“The most rewarding aspect of participating in the summer school in Uruguay was the chance to build a truly global network while experiencing both academic and cultural exchange. I was exposed to peers from diverse education systems and academic backgrounds, which broadened my perspective beyond the classroom. Beyond academics, I had the privilege of learning about different cultures and festivals, and my Uruguayan friends made us experience authentic traditions and everyday life in Uruguay. The warmth, kindness, and welcoming nature of everyone made the experience not only intellectually enriching but also personally unforgettable. Thank you, CUSP, for this once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Soorer Bulhan:

"The most rewarding aspect of this summer school program was connecting with students and professors from diverse backgrounds. The opportunity to engage with and learn from their personal and professional experiences truly enriched my time in Norcia, Italy. This, combined with the lectures and project-workshops, really made the program deeply rewarding."