WASHINGTON, D.C. – The City of Seattle and the University of Washington have joined a new national network of city and research university partnerships that will work together on “smart city” solutions in collaboration with the new White House Smart Cities Initiative.

The MetroLab Network, announced by the White House on Monday, consists of partnerships between research universities with expertise in engineering, robotics and computer science and cities looking to be test beds for 21st century solutions. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and UW Interim President Ana Mari Cauce are one of 21 initial city-university pairs to sign onto the collaboration.

“The White House recognition and our partnership with the University of Washington will continue to support innovative smart cities solutions,” said Murray. “As we develop our work together, we will aim for our vision to make Seattle more equitable for all communities, improving the lives of all residents.”

“Great universities can’t succeed without great cities, and vice versa, and the University of Washington and Seattle are no different,” said Ana Mari Cauce, Interim President of the University of Washington. “Together we will help our city become more just and inclusive, so that it can serve as a model for other communities around the nation.”

The partnership aims to marry expertise and knowledge from UW researchers — from engineers inventing new sensors to sociologists studying determinants of poverty to data scientists parsing problems in new ways — and the experience and learned wisdom of employees tackling day-to-day challenges of running a city.

The MetroLab Network will focus on four areas: infrastructure; delivering services to citizens, with a focus on underserved populations; democratic governance and increased civic participation; and data-driven policymaking. By collaboratively focusing on common challenges, participants can develop shared, scalable solutions for Seattle that could be deployed in other cities.

The Seattle/UW partnership will place an emphasis on innovations that create a more equitable and inclusive city — one that is affordable, safe, secure and that fosters the health and well-being of all its residents.

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