[2][3] The Institute was founded in 2004,[4] and focuses on three main research areas: 1) Exploring innovative urban development strategies; 2) Building the inclusive 21st century sustainable city; and 3) Understanding the role of anchor institutions in urban places.
[11][12] Among the Institute’s Faculty Fellows, Scholars and Fellows are Richard Florida,[13] Michael Nutter,[14] Manny Diaz (Florida politician),[15][16] Frederick Steiner,[17] John L. Jackson,[18] Saskia Sassen,[19] Paul Jargowsky,[20] and Ken Lum.
[21] The Penn Institute for Urban Research publishes The City in the 21st Century Series in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania Press.
[25][26][27] In September 2012, Penn IUR launched the Urban Research eJournal an electronic journal dedicated to disseminating the latest scholarly work on urbanism and sustainability, published through the Social Science Research Network.
[28] This eJournal gathers and distributes new research that addresses the governance, policy, economics, design and social issues related to global urbanization.