Urban Edge is the Kinder Institute’s digital platform for publishing data-driven insights, elevating research-based solutions and building better cities. We bring together researchers, civic leaders and communities to confront Houston’s greatest challenges and drive change that improves lives throughout the region.

Our approach

Urban Edge takes a journalistic approach to gathering information and insights and presenting them in an accessible, nonpartisan manner. Urban Edge content is rooted in the research and expertise of Kinder Institute staff, though it will often address news, external research and other developments related to the institute’s primary areas of research focus.

Urban Edge typically publishes web posts and a newsletter on Mondays and Thursdays. Our newsletter highlights our story of the day, as well as news and resources connected to the Kinder Institute’s areas of research focus. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Most Urban Edge content is produced by Kinder Institute communications staff and researchers. Urban Edge solicits, accepts and publishes contributions from freelance journalists, outside researchers and community members.

Urban Edge will cover topics that align with our core research centers and their areas of interest and initiatives.

We do not accept payment, gifts or other compensation for publishing content. On occasion, we share content before it is published with sources or partner organizations for their feedback. Ultimately, the Kinder Institute retains full editorial control over Urban Edge.

Disclaimer

The views, information or opinions expressed in Urban Edge posts do not necessarily represent those of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research.

Our staff

Urban Edge is a publication of the Kinder Institute’s external affairs division.

Jacob Carpenter
Assistant director of editorial

Jacob manages the day-to-day operations of Urban Edge, regularly writes for the platform and manages external content submissions. Contact him with questions, concerns and story pitches for Urban Edge.

John Brannen
Staff writer

John regularly writes for Urban Edge, covering stories that are central to the Kinder Institute’s areas of focus.

Republication policy

Our mission is to share fresh ideas about the ways cities work. By republishing our content, you’re helping us achieve that goal. The Kinder Institute retains copyright to all original materials published to the Urban Edge. However, we grant republication rights to our original content to any organization that complies with the following rules:

1. Please email kinder@rice.edu telling us which blog post you’ve republished within 24 hours of it being posted. Provide a link to the post for reference. If it appeared in print, tell us the name and date of publication.
2. Provide credit to the author and to the Kinder Institute in the byline, e.g. “Ruth López Turley/Kinder Institute for Urban Research.”
3. Provide a link back to the original blog post on the Urban Edge website at the top of the article. (This does not apply to printed reproductions.)
4. Refrain from changing the content in any meaningful way without consulting the author. You may shorten posts for space or make minor tweaks to conform to your publication’s style.
5. Provide traffic/analytics information when requested.
6. Append the following at the end of all republished content: “The Kinder Institute for Urban Research is a multi-disciplinary research organization at Rice University in Houston.”
7. Do not reuse photos attached to posts without express consent. We do not own the copyright to most photos and cannot release them. Infographics can be republished.
8. Do not sell ads specifically against our content, but you may use our content in places where you’ve already sold advertising.
9. You may not wholesale republish all (or substantially all) of our content. In other words, you may not essentially duplicate our site within your own site.
10. If we request that you remove our content, you must do so immediately.

Repeated violations of these policies will result in your media outlet being denied future permission to republish.