Joining or creating an URBAN Node gives you the opportunity to bring community-engaged researchers and community leaders together locally and as a part of a national network where scholars, students, community members, activists, and artists can learn, share resources, discuss pressing issues of the processes and implications of engaged research.
Chapters of URBAN categorized by discipline.
Join a dynamic national network that connects community-engaged researchers, leaders, students, activists, and artists committed to advancing critical, community-based scholarship. As an official URBAN node, you gain access to a collaborative platform for sharing resources, exploring pressing social issues, and participating in national initiatives, conferences, and decision-making. Together, we build stronger communities through shared values and engaged research.
URBAN chapters, known as Nodes, come in two forms: Theme Nodes and Local Nodes. Theme Nodes are organized by academic disciplines, such as Sociology, Education, and Urban Studies, or intentionally focused themes such as Philanthropic Intersections; while Local Nodes are based on geography, including states like New York or Utah, and cities like Los Angeles or Philadelphia. Both types of Nodes offer unique opportunities to connect with others who share common interests and contexts, while contributing to URBAN’s broader mission of community-engaged scholarship and civic action.
URBAN Nodes play a vital role in the organization, and all official nodes are represented in the organization’s steering body, the National Planning Team.
Additionally, being an official node provides local and discipline specific group access to a network of public scholars who are at the forefront of critical community-based scholarship and critical civic engagement.
LOCAL NODES
theme NODES
We are currently working on fine-tuning the details of creating a new Network Node.
Contact urbanfellow@urbanresearchnetwork.org for more information.
theme NODE CHAIRS
Ana Antunes, University of Utah
Joy Howard, Appalachian State University
Rebecca London, UC Santa Cruz
Steve McKay, UC Santa Cruz
Michael Johnson, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Celina Su, City University of New York
THEME NODE
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATORS
Erin Kenney, Hartwick College
Darío León, UC Santa Cruz
Hina Khurshid
LOCAL NODE CHAIRS
Antwan Jefferson, University of Colorado, Denver
Ben Kirshner, University of Colorado, Boulder
Angela Frusciante, Knowledge Designs for Change LLC
Michelle Fine, CUNY Graduate Center & University
Celina Su, Graduate Center, City University of New York
Ana Antunes, University of Utah
Adrienne Cachelin, University of Utah
José Z. Calderón, Pitzer College
Alvaro Huerta, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Chris Benner, UC Santa Cruz
Steve McKay, UC Santa Cruz
Rebecca London, UC Santa Cruz
Michael Johnson, University of Massachusetts, Boston
Laura Grattan, Wellesley College
Barbara Ferman, University Community Collaborative
LOCAL NODE
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATORS
Marlene Palomar
Hina Khurshid
Shibani Chakravorty, City University of New York
Blanca Yagüe
Jennifer Lopez
Darío León, UC Santa Cruz
Imen Ameur, UMass, Boston
Kristen Goessling
A Node is a chapter of URBAN separated by either discipline or location.
You can join a Node by first joining URBAN. You can do so on our “Join Urban” page.
We plan to have our individual Node webpages up by the end of Summer 2026.