Research Overview

We specialize in collecting and analyzing large data sets, often combining data we gather with larger data sets generated by the U.S. Census Bureau and its partner agencies. We synthesize this information through scholarly books and articles, public-facing reports, the visualization of spatial patterns through maps, and developing online applications to provide public access to our results.

Each of our constituent units undertakes distinct projects but also collaborates to pursue CUR's overall research goals. Our research is supported by foundations, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and media partners through grants and contracts.

View Research Projects and Initiatives

Recent public and private clients include:

  • American Museum of Natural History

  • Archdiocese of New York

  • Collegiate Churches Corporation

  • Merck and Company

  • New York Daily News

  • New York Newsday

  • NYC Department of Finance

  • NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene

  • NYC Department of Youth and Community Development

  • NYC Districting Commission

  • NYS Attorney General’s Office

The Center works closely with other CUNY colleges and researchers to help analyze the region's demographics, workforce opportunities, health conditions, political trends, and other social issues as they affect CUNY and its student population.

Examples of CUNY projects include:

  • analyzing Latinos in the New York metropolitan area, in collaboration with the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies;
  • surveying the changing regional workforce population for LaGuardia Community College's strategic planning initiative;
  • mapping workforce trends for Queensborough Community College;
  • conducting a spatial analysis of business locations in Willets Point, Queens, based on a survey by Hunter College's Center for Community Planning and Development; and
  • geocoding student data for the CUNY Chancellor's office, CUNY's Enrollment Management Council, and several individual colleges.

Our Portfolio of Projects and Initiatives

Civic and Political Attitudes and Engagement

  • The Impact of Ranked Choice Voting on the 2021 City Elections (2021-2022)
  • Public Service Satisfaction Survey (January 2022)
  • Civic and Political Participation in the Era of COVID (2021-2022)
  • New York City Civic Engagement Survey (2019)

Public Policies and Urban Governance

  • Strengthening Communities Summit (2015)

  • Toward a 21st Century City for All (2013)

  • Rethinking the Urban Agenda (2001)

Census and other Surveys

Immigration and Demographic Change

Voting, Elections, and Legislative Districting

Environment and Infrastructure

Jobs, Economy and Labor

aerial photo of a crowd of people in a large urban crosswalk

Online Research Journal

Metropolitics

Metropolitics is an editorially peer-reviewed online journal of public scholarship about cities and urban politics aimed at an international audience with versions in English and French. The journal publishes short-form work based on original research, on a time frame that allows researchers to contribute contemporaneously to public debate and make their scholarly work more relevant to a broad readership. The journal’s editorial board includes CUR director John Mollenkopf, along with distinguished researchers and faculty from across CUNY.

Browse the journal