The purpose of iSEE Congress 2018 is to foster critical thinking on the strategies for meeting our growing urban transportation, housing, and food needs sustainably and for making our cities more resilient to climate change. Cities are the centers of economic activity but also large consumers of energy and water and sources of solid waste, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions across the world. They are hotbeds for poor air quality, congestion, and densified housing, and they are vulnerable to extreme damages to life and infrastructure due to severe weather events. Cities with more green space, permeable surfaces, and disaster-resilient infrastructure emit fewer emissions, thereby benefiting human health and well-being and increasing resilience against extreme weather events. Urban consumption patterns are being transformed with the emergence of ride sharing, e-commerce, smartphone-enabled connectivity and demand for green infrastructure.

Previous iSEE Congresses on other grand challenges facing society have been attended by more than 300 faculty, students, and others from across campus — and beyond — each year.