Once a year, the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC) presents the Timothy Oke Award. It is aimed at researchers in the early to mid-stages of their careers. The award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves through their individual visibility and influence, the development and expansion of their research topics and their leadership qualities. In 2024, this prestigious award was presented to Jia Chen, Professor of Environmental Sensing and Modeling at CIT. The award ceremony took place on July 11th, 2025, during the 12th International Conference on Urban Climate 2025, which was held at the World Trade Center in Rotterdam (Netherlands).
Jia Chen's research focuses on urban observation and modeling tools that enable comprehensive, real-time monitoring of greenhouse gases and air pollution. She develops novel sensors, sensor networks, mathematical methods, and atmospheric models to localize and quantify greenhouse gas emissions and to understand the dynamics of air pollutants in urban environments.