ASU event to highlight importance of urban climate research
Professor Winston Chow's presentation for the 2024 Anthony J. Brazel Urban Climate Lecture. Photo courtesy of the Urban Climate Research Center
Arizonans need look no further than their neighbor state to the west to understand why urban climate research is important.
As the fallout from the LA wildfires continues to bring new challenges to residents of America’s second-largest city, the expertise in urban sustainability and resilience at Arizona State University is preparing to host urban sustainability and resilience expert Timon McPhearson for its annual Anthony J. Brazel Lecture on Monday, Feb. 3.
“Urban Systems, Risk, and Resilience in the Anthropocene” will draw on the most advanced work in the realm of urban systems science focused on development of resilient and sustainable cities. Registration is required to attend the lecture and closes on Wednesday, Jan. 29, but will be available to stream via ASU Live for those not in attendance.
“Professor McPhearson bridges academia and practice by collaborating with policymakers, planners and community leaders — further emphasizing the importance of doing science with a purpose, turning scientific outcomes into actionable strategies that make cities more livable and more resilient,” said Matei Georgescu, director of the UCRC and a professor in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning. “He is an inspiring choice for engaging a diverse audience.”
Preceding the lecture, the annual poster event will showcase current urban environmental research at ASU. Topics will cover both the social and physical science aspects of urban environments. Over 30 participants including undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty will present their urban environmental research to the ASU community.
To elevate urban environmental awareness, the distinguished lecture was established with the support of Anthony Brazel, a professor emeritus from the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning and a senior Global Futures scientist at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. Every year, it invites leaders in the field of urban climate science to articulate their key findings and trends to further foster a collaborative community.
McPhearson is the director of the Urban Systems Lab and a professor of urban ecology at The New School in New York. He is the lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report and an advisor at the World Resources Institute.
He has received several renowned awards including the 2022 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, the 2019 Sustainability Science Award and the Innovation in Sustainability Science Award by the Ecological Society of America, as well as the BiodivERsA Prize, twice.
Georgescu spoke about the significance of the annual lecture and the center’s research efforts.
Question: Why is this lecture an important event?
Answer: This event invites leaders in the field of urban climate and urban environmental sciences and policy who can articulate and present cutting-edge work and trends to an audience of scientists, students and community stakeholders. The keynote lecture keeps the academic and professional communities informed about the latest research developments and societal implications vis-à-vis urban environments.
Q: Why was Timon McPhearson selected to speak this year?
A: He is a leading scholar in urban ecology and sustainability, focusing on nature-based solutions and urban resilience to climate change. His groundbreaking research shines a light on the critical challenges cities face in adapting to environmental changes and his work aligns with the core vision of the UCRC: to deliver transformative scientific advancements and urban climate solutions for diverse urban communities and ecosystems globally.
Q: How has ASU become a leader in urban climate and planning research over the years?
A: ASU has long been a leader in urban environmental sciences, and urban climate in particular. Part of this foundation has been laid by Brazel’s work and others. Several recent bibliometric analyses published by other teams and entities have established that ASU is distinguished by having the top group of urban climate researchers in the world. In a 2018 study in Theoretical and Applied Climatology, it was noted that ASU is No. 1 in the world in terms of research impact in urban heat studies and No. 2 in the world in terms of quantity of published urban heat research.
The UCRC leadership team comprises some of the top urban environmental researchers in the world, spanning heat health, remote sensing and climate modeling.
The UCRC also convenes interdisciplinary teams for big ideation development around proposal concepts and submissions. As one illustrative example, the $25 million Department of Energy-funded Southwest Urban Integrated Field Laboratory (SW-IFL) was created to advance urban climate research by providing scientists and decision-makers with high-quality, relevant knowledge, capable of spurring and guiding responses to extreme environmental concerns. David Sailor, the director of the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, serves as the principal investigator and director, and I serve as a modeling co-lead.
Q: What is the biggest takeaway from this lecture and the center’s ongoing research efforts?
A: Our center is still in its nascent years. Our focus is aligned with a core tenet of the ASU Charter, namely advancing research and discovery of public value. The five core research areas — improving urban climate dynamics, conducting urban climate modeling and projections, examining heat mitigation strategies and impacts, conducting observational campaigns and assessing human health and well-being — address critical urban environmental issues that are focused on enhancing the well-being of urban dwellers and advancing equitable climate and environmental outcomes.
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