Throughout history, waves of immigrants have arrived on American shores, drawn by the promise of opportunity and freedom. This steady influx has profoundly shaped the United States, transforming it from a primarily agrarian, rural nation into today’s diverse and economically vibrant country. The influence of immigration is evident primarily in the nation's bustling, innovative urban areas, driven by the availability of jobs, existing immigrant communities, and access to essential resources and services.

It is ironic that despite allocating emergency funding during the pandemic for widening pavements, providing additional cycle lanes, and making available modest resources for improved public transport and cycling infrastructure, the delivery of net-zero policies in towns and cities has emerged as a strong dividing line between political parties in the current general election in the UK.

It is widely acknowledged that public schools in the US have failed to produce sufficient levels of high quality STEM education. The mathematics and science performance of minority and disadvantaged students has been especially troubling with blacks and Hispanics substantially underrepresented in the STEM labor market.

The City of Edinburgh has just announced the beginning of a 3-month consultation on its new transportation plan to help the city achieve its zero-carbon target by 2030. The transport convenor hopes the consultation will reach every ‘nook and cranny’ of the city to hear people’s views and further refine the proposals. The city is one of the most congested in the UK. It also has a fast-growing population with land set aside for an additional 37000 homes. If current transportation patterns continue mobility problems for residents, businesses and visitors can only get worse.