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Harvard Book Store, the Harvard University Division of Science, the Harvard Library, and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Felice Frankel—award-winning science photographer and research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the department of Chemical Engineering—for a discussion of her first book for young adults, Phenomenal Moments: Revealing the Hidden Science Around Us. She will be joined in conversation by Melissa Franklin—the Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics and Director of Graduate Studies at Harvard University. Registration is required.

Being a Firefighter is a noble, rewarding, and exciting profession where you have the opportunity to help people when they are most vulnerable. In addition to firefighting, the job includes a wide variety of skills including emergency medical care, control of hazardous materials releases, protection of the environment, extrication of trapped people (and animals), collapse rescue, water/ice rescue, elevator rescue, public fire education, fire prevention, etc. The deadline to register for the MA Civil Service Firefighter Entrance Examination is 8-27-24.

In FY22, the Community Development Department (CDD) established a Community Engagement Advisory Group for staff to share best practices and reflect on strategies to make engagement more inclusive and equitable. This Group developed a handbook on inclusive and equitable engagement best practices which will be published in September 2022. The handbook, which uses an anti-racism and equity lens to approach planning, implementation, and reflection of community engagement strategies, will be used to increase participation in public processes and programs.

In 2024, the Urban Forestry Division of Cambridge Public Works planted 1,250 new trees and removed 5,000 square feet of pavement to create better planting conditions, enhancing the city's green infrastructure. The Division maintained a strong tree survival rate, with only 3.5% mortality for spring plantings, and expanded community engagement through the revamped Cambridge Urban Forest Friends newsletter, which saw over 105% subscriber growth. Residents can support the city's urban forest by becoming an Urban Forest Friend or subscribing to the newsletter.

The Board of Zoning Appeal (BZA) has an important role in decisions that help shape the use and appearance of buildings in our community. Under the Cambridge Zoning Ordinance, certain uses and types of development may require a variance, special permit, or a comprehensive permit from the BZA, a quasi-judicial body that conducts public hearings on all applications and appeals before it and issues decisions. The Board also hears appeals of Zoning Determinations made by the Inspectional Services Department.

The Cambridge Council on Aging and Public Health Department (CPHD) have offered engaging programs to support the well-being of older adults, including monthly music jams and cooking workshops. The music sessions, led by Bobby Tynes and Friends, provided a lively space for community connection, creativity, and movement, while CPHD’s collaboration with East End House introduced hands-on cooking classes focused on nutritious, accessible recipes. Both initiatives received enthusiastic feedback, highlighting their positive impact on social engagement, mood, and overall wellness.

The City of Cambridge is committed to using technology to increase accessibility to and transparency of information owned by the City. Providing access to information is one means through which the City can foster engagement and collaboration with its citizenry. Making government data available in easy to find and usable formats can create meaningful opportunities for the public to help solve complex challenges. New datasets and visualizations will be added on a regular basis and existing datasets will be updated on a periodic basis.   

The Department of Transportation will host an information session about the EZRide Shuttle and its recently expanded schedule. This event will include a short presentation on the EZRide, which is a shuttle bus service that is open to the public for free. The Shuttle goes from North Station through Kendall Square and MIT to Cambridgeport on weekdays. We will show the route and its recently expanded schedule, including the new weekend service. For more event information: transportation@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-6012 For more EZRide information: charlesrivertma.org

Celebrate Jasmine Warga's A Rover's Story with Mad Science's Radical Robots Workshop! Explore a world of robots and try your hand at building your own in this hour-long workshop. Recommended for children ages 5 and up. Registration is required. This event is part of a special series promoting our 2026 Curious George Lecture (CGL) with Jasmine Warga, award-winning author of A Rover's Story, Other Words for Home, and many other popular children's books. Funding is generously provided by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.

Celebrate Jasmine Warga's A Rover's Story with Mad Science's Radical Robots Workshop! Explore a world of robots and try your hand at building your own in this hour-long workshop. Recommended for children ages 5 and up. Registration is required. This event is part of a special series promoting our 2026 Curious George Lecture (CGL) with Jasmine Warga, award-winning author of A Rover's Story, Other Words for Home, and many other popular children's books. Funding is generously provided by the Cambridge Public Library Foundation.