Participation of the RUDN University representatives in the II annual International «Urban Soils Symposium. Soils: Our Resource and Our Future»

29 and 30 November 2017 in New York (The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx) was held the II annual International Symposium «Urban Soils Symposium. Soils: Our Resource and Our Future «, dedicated to the issue of urban soils. The symposium was organized by the New York City Urban Soils Institute (USI) and RUDN University. Co-organizers also included the City University of New York (CUNY, http://www2.cuny.edu/, 501-550 QS World University Rankings), City Hall of the New York City, The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department Urban Soils and Water Conservation District.

The work of the symposium was aimed at solving problems in the field of urban soils and sustainable development of urban ecosystems. The program of the symposium paid special attention to the issues of municipal waste management, restoration of the soil cover of the territories, urban agriculture and the development of the green infrastructure of cities. The symposium was an information and educational platform that created the conditions for effective interaction and cooperation of various participants, contributing to the dissemination of the results of modern research on urban soils, the improvement of technologies and techniques used in monitoring and assessment of urban ecosystems.

The Symposium was attended by scientists, representatives of the public administration, students and professionals working in the field of ecology, soil science and urban green construction. Key-note lecturers of the symposium were leading scientists in the field of sustainable development of urban ecosystems, representatives of city administration, as well as politicians. The number of participants in the Symposium is more than 200 people, including participants from Europe, America and Asia.

Within the framework of the Symposium were organized five sections:

-Soil Fundamentals of Urban Ecology;

-Restoration & (bio) Remediation;

-Green Infrastructure and Landscape Design;

-Soils in the Food System;

-Soil Art, Outreach & Education.

Also during the business trip, the RUDN University delegation - assistant professor Dovletjarova Elvira Anvarbekovna and senior researcher Gadzhiagaeva Ramilla, achieved the following results:

• Was signed International Student Exchange Agreement between Brooklyn College, City University of New York and Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, RUDN.
• Meeting with the Deputy Director for International Cooperation and Global Engagement of the Brooklyn College of the City University of New York Alice Gail Bier, Ph.D., discussing the implementation of the student exchange program.
• Signing an agreement on the implementation of a joint additional educational program between RUDN University and the Urban Soil Institute of the City University of New York. Meeting with the director of Urban Soil Institute Tatiana Morin, discussion of the implementation of the program and advertising of the 2nd international summer school «Monitoring, modeling and managing of urban soil and green infrastructure» (3MUGIS), organized on the basis of the RUDN University Department of Landscape Design and Sustainable Ecosystems in May 2018.
• Meeting with Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Kenneth Gouldem, Head of the Sustainable Development Program at the Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, discussion of joint interdisciplinary scientific and educational projects.

Presentation of the international conference «Smart and Sustainable Cities» (SSC-2018) and the summer school 3MUGIS, organized on the basis of the RUDN University Department of Landscape Design and Sustainable Ecosystems in conjunction with the Institute of Urban Soils of New York and the City University of New York (International summer school « Monitoring, modeling and managing urban soils and green infrastructure «). A video of the international summer school at the 2nd International Symposium on Urban Soils (https://yadi.sk/d/NdTk6jtE3PxvbU), distribution of flyers for upcoming events.