TO: ICUA PowerPoint/Slides Users Summary To help manage rising conference costs, and the financial burden on attendees from higher registration fees, UAA is implementing new audio-visual guidelines that shift away from in-room projection and toward a cloud-based slides-sharing model. Please note that presenters are not required to use slides in their presentations. The decision to use slides...Read More
The following individuals have been selected to receive the Mary Helen Callahan Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Carolyn Adams (Temple University) Dr. Jane Brooks (University of New Orleans) Dr. Nevin Brown (National Association of State Universities & Land-Grant Colleges; Siena Italian Studies ) Dr. Barbara Ferman (Temple University) Dr. Robin Hambleton (University of the West...Read More
Dr. Tanvi Deshpande (University of Birmingham and London School of Economics and Political Science) has been selected to receive the 2026 Best Book Review in the Journal of Urban Affairs Award. Tanvi is the first recipient of this new annual award. AWARD COMMITTEE ASSESSMENT Dr. Tanvi V. Deshpande has been selected to receive the Best...Read More
Dr. Edward Goetz (University of Minnesota) and Dr. Michael Owens (Emory University) have been selected to receive the 2026 Contribution to the Field of Urban Affairs Award. This annual award honors an individual whose body of work has contributed to defining the field and furthering the intellectual and professional development of emerging scholars. AWARD COMMITTEE...Read More
Dr. Yasminah Beebeejaun (University College London), Dr. Ali Modarres (University of Washington Tacoma) and Dr. Deirdre Oakley (Georgia State University) have been selected as the 2026 recipients of the Scott Cummings Distinguished Editorial Service Award. This award was established in April 2021 to highlight the significant contributions made by individuals in service to UAA’s publications....Read More
Dr. Andrew Kahrl (University of Virginia) has been selected to receive the 2026 Best Book in the Field of Urban Affairs Award for The Black Tax: 150 Years of Theft, Exploitation, and Disposition in America (University of Chicago Press, 2024). This annual award is given to a book that is well-written and based on rigorous...Read More
Bweza Itaagi (Sistas in the Village and Grow Greater Englewood) has been selected to receive the 2026 Community Activist Award. Since the late 1960s, the Urban Affairs Association (UAA) has served as a professional organization for scholars and practitioners seeking to advance social justice and policy equity through timely analyses and direct support of local...Read More
Akira Drake Rodriguez (University of Pennsylvania) has been selected to receive the 2026 Best Article in the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and the City Award for her paper “Reparative-advocacy planning to address racialized inequities in public school facilities”. This annual award gives recognition to a paper published in the Journal of Race, Ethnicity and the...Read More
Dr. AJ Kim (San Diego State University) has been selected to receive the 2026 Marilyn J. Gittell Activist Scholar Award. The award is co-sponsored by SAGE and the Urban Affairs Association (UAA). This annual award was established to highlight field-based urban scholarship and promote the dissemination of work by activist urban scholars. The inspiration for...Read More
Dr. Nima Dahir (The Ohio State University) has been selected to receive the 2026 Alma H. Young Emerging Scholar Award. This annual award is given to a promising Ph.D. candidate or early-career researcher whose work demonstrates a commitment to rigorous and impactful research and service. It was renamed in 2004 in honor of Alma H....Read More
Dr. Deland Chan (Chinatown Community Development Center) has been selected to receive the 2026 Janet Smith Emerging Activist Scholar Research Award. This award is sponsored by the Voorhees Family and Individual Donors. This annual award recognizes an emerging activist scholar whose research record shows a direct relationship between activism, scholarship, and engagement with community(ies). This...Read More
Are you a recent PhD graduate? Thinking about career strategies? Seeking employment? Here’s a unique opportunity to get advice from senior colleagues. Apply Now! Group Speed Mentoring @ 2026 ICUA Application Deadline Extended to: January 27, 2026 Sponsored by: The Urban Affairs Association Date/Time: Thursday, April 30, 2026 (12:30PM – 1:30PM) Lunch Provided Location: Marriott...Read More
Early-Career Workshop for Advanced Graduate Students @ 2026 ICUA Sponsored by: The Urban Affairs Association Date/Time: Tuesday, April 28, 2026 (9:00AM – 4:30PM) Location: Marriott Marquis Hotel | Chicago, Illinois Application Deadline: November 14, 2025 EVENT DESCRIPTION This full-day conference workshop targets early-career professionals and focuses on developing and completing the dissertation, approaching the job...Read More
Tour tickets for ICUA 2026 are available for purchase via the registration form. SEE ALSO: Detailed tour descriptions PRO TIP: The tours always sell out quickly. If you are interested, act now! Read More
