My research is related to climate change and urbanization, the two global megatrends that transform human life and directly impact each other.

More specifically, my research examines how land-use changes affect local climates with a particular focus on the climate of cities and the role they play in climate change. As an experimental researcher I have conducted observations of urban heat islands, energy balance, carbon dioxide fluxes and fundamental turbulence properties in cities located in North America, Europe and Asia.

Besides fundamental aspects of the surface-atmosphere exchanges, I am increasingly interested in the application of urban climate knowledge to urban climate change and the climate-sensitive design of cities. 

I am a Provost's Chair Professor in the Department of Geography, with leadership and editorial experience. I served as Past President of the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC), and have been an Associate Editor for both the International Journal of Climatology (past) and Urban Climate (current). I also serve on the editorial board of the Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography and the WMO-GURME Scientific Advisory Group. In recognition of my contributions, I received the 2023 Masatoshi Yoshino Award.