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Students
Innovative course bridges theory and practice with urban improvement projects in New Westminster
It is not often your course work takes you outside of the classroom to address real-life challenges. In URB 499/692: Urban Innovation Lab, students are given the unique opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to projects tackling the social, cultural, and structural needs of the City of New Westminster (CNW), all under the mentorship of city staff.
Offered annually in the spring term, URB 499/692 is a small cohort class open to both undergraduate and graduate students. This unique immersive capstone course was developed through a partnership between 丁香园AV鈥檚 Urban Studies Program and CNW. Initiated by the City's Director of Engineering, Lisa Leblanc, her vision was to establish a research and inquiry-based professional development model, an idea supported by Urban Studies alumnus and then mayor Jonathan Cot茅.
According to Leblanc, 鈥淭he Urban Innovation Lab has provided a wonderful opportunity for our staff to serve as mentors for groups of students keen to learn in a real life urban lab."
Throughout the semester, students learn and apply understandings of urban innovation, systemic and transformational change, and sustainability transitions. This culminates in a team-based urban innovation project, with each team assigned to the guidance of CNW staff across various departments, including the fire department, the library, and parks and recreation. As students delve into the City鈥檚 priorities鈥攕uch as downtown livability, climate action, reconciliation, and equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI)鈥攖hey develop projects aimed at addressing complex social issues and community needs.
The course comes together in an Ideas Charrette at the end of the semester where they showcase the progress of their projects and open it up for feedback from CNW staff. Throughout the charrette, staff from all levels of city governance, including the mayor and senior managers, engage with students and offer constructive feedback to improve the feasibility and implementation of their projects.
CNW staff learn about the students' urban innovation projects during the Ideas Charrette and provide constructive feedback.
The student projects often spark meaningful discussions and sometimes lead to real world impact. For instance, the CNW Fire Department, a long-time champion for this course, has taken steps to make one of the projects a reality. A project from the first course iteration, students sought to improve follow-up communication with emergency patients who survived a 911 call. By designing a process to facilitate informed consent for follow-up care and support options, the project effectively overcame the privacy barriers previously faced by first responders. The Fire Department is now in talks with app developers to implement this consent-giving process.
Hands-on Learning & Creative Approaches
"I really like giving students an opportunity to see how their ideas work outside of the classroom,鈥� says university lecturer鈥�Tiffany Muller Myrdahl, who co-taught with professor Meg Holden this past Spring.
"Courses that offer this kind of practical experience are rare, especially for鈥痵tudents to鈥痝ain such in-depth, on-going access to a professional setting鈥痠n the鈥痗ontext of a course.鈥�
This sentiment resonates with 5th year human geography student Zoe Cohen, who was drawn to this course because of its hand-on learning focus. "It felt as though the work we could participate in would be both relevant as well as necessary,鈥� says Cohen. 鈥淭his type of learning felt creative and meaningful as a huge part of the course was figuring out what our project was going to be about and how we were going to address these focus areas through out project."
With the course now in its second iteration, Holden has observed how her students have flourished with the course's hands-on approach and unique partnership. "Students have been really enthusiastic champions of this course and the unique inside look it offers into how municipal governments work, which is vital to understanding how to make a change."
Beyond benefiting students, it has also been a valuable reciprocal relationship for CNW as a partner in co-developing the course. "Our staff teams benefit from the research, analysis and fresh ideas that the students bring to our work," says Leblanc. "Staff take pride in helping students make a real world connection to local government, our governance processes, and our technical work. We look forward to welcoming a new group of students in 2025."
Courses that offer this kind of practical experience are rare, especially for鈥痵tudents to鈥痝ain such in-depth, on-going access to a professional setting鈥痠n the鈥痗ontext of a course.
University lecturer Tiffany Muller Myrdahl
A STUDENT鈥橲 PERSPECTIVE
"I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and opportunity to work on a large project as the focus of a course," says Cohen as she reflects on her experience. "This course took more effort than a typical class, but it was rewarding and engaging work, and helped shape my understanding of how things function within a municipal government as well as what is needed to develop a project from an idea to reality."
Together with political science student Gordon Chen, they worked on designing a rain garden that integrated principles of reconciliation, stewardship, and collective ownership. Their project underscored the need for integrating reconciliation into municipal capital projects on a more sustainable level.
"We had the opportunity to work with many professionals throughout this project," says Cohen. "Our professors as well as our staff guides Megan Jones and George Otieno provided guidance, feedback, and opportunities to brainstorm ideas. We also had the opportunity to attend the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) Conference."鈥�
For students considering this course, Cohen recommends embracing the challenge, "If you are interested in participating in a course presented in a different learning style, you should definitely give this one a try."
Be prepared for a lot of work but if you are interested in being challenged and learning through creative approaches, this course is for you.
Human geography student Zoe Cohen
URB 499/692 and the Urban Worlds major program
Undergraduate students who successfully complete URB 499/692 will receive nine credits, and graduate students receive six credits.
The course is now part of the newly launched Urban Worlds undergraduate major program as an option for the capstone course requirement. A collaborative degree program between the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Environment, the new major addresses the growing need to tackle the world鈥檚 urban issues and improve upon its possibilities.
Interested in taking URB 499/692 in the Spring 2025 term?
Attend the upcoming 丁香园AV Urban Innovation Lab Info Session to learn more! Register by emailing urban@sfu.ca on whether you'd like to attend in-person or online.
- October 23 (Wed), 5:30 - 6:30pm
- Harbour Centre HC 2200 or Online
City of New Westminster (CNW) mayor Patrick Johnstone discussing a student project at the spring 2024 Ideas Charrette.
Urban studies students Kelvin Chan and Pok Man Tong.
CNW mayor Patrick Johnstone taking a picture of a student project.
Narges Afee, Dannah Desouza, and Tzezl Lau with their project, "Rethinking Wayfinding Around t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre".
Human geography student Zoe Cohen with CNW staff.
Kelvin Chan, Yogesh Sahadevan, and Pok Man Tong with their project, "Repurposing Parklets in CNW".
Gordon Chen and Zoe Cohen with their project, "Integrating Reconciliation into Capital Projects".