By the middle of the century, four out of every five people might be living in towns and cities. Urbanization is reshaping the world and how it works, demanding research, policies, and practice that reflect a new urban reality.  Recognizing the need to strengthen the ties between urban policymaking and new scholarly work on urban development, and to disseminate evidence-based research on urban programming, the Wilson Center’s Urban Sustainability Laboratory, USAID, IHC Global, the World Bank and Cities Alliance have teamed together to cosponsor the “Reducing Urban Poverty” paper competition for advanced graduate students.   Please join us for a discussion of metropolitan approaches for the urban poor, innovation in urban water and sanitation, and inclusive smart cities. Winning authors of the 2015 Graduate Student Urban Poverty Paper Competition will present their solutions-oriented research, with commentary offered by experienced professionals working in the urban sector.