My Passions

Sustainability and Climate Change Leadership

I developed a passion for Sustainability and Climate Change early in my life as a boy scout in Germany but also during my studies in Meteorology (BS and MS). I was particularly drawn to the weather and how it impacts us and our everyday life. I myself witnessed sudden floods directly (camping during my Youth) and indirectly. Indirectly, when the impacts of an extreme downpour in July 2021 flooded villages and towns along the river "Ahr" in the valley I called my home.
Since 2018 I'm engaged in projects with cities (Tempe, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Pacoima - Los Angeles, and Tucson) and more recently communities (Tempe) to enhance sustainability, resilience, and climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. I have contributed to workshops by preparing and participating in them with the community. Additionally, I used my evaluation skillset to collaborate with a local partnership between the City of Tempe, its community, and Arizona State University. I provided feedback on the relationships, strengths, and potential drawbacks of the partnership, as well as how it could potentially be further improved in future efforts (we need to recognize that this partnership is already a huge success story). 

As President of the Graduate and Professional Student Association in 2022-2023, I advocated for sustainability at the student government level and at Arizona State University at large by consulting the undergraduate student governments to appoint Directors of Sustainability, create a Sustainability Board at the University, and create a Sustainability Action Fund which can empower students to realize innovative sustainability ideas and projects.
I am able to utilize my scientific and policy analysis skillsets to assist communities, governments, and in general policy in the realms of sustainability and climate change. For more information about my skills and expertise, please see Professional Experience or Skills.

Research on Sustainable and Equitable Urban Heat Mitigation

My research focused on sustainable and equitable heat mitigation as well as communication and co-creation of usable science between academics, city officials, and the general public in the context of urban heat. My goal was and is to advance the creation and application of usable, policy-relevant knowledge that can help those that need it most.

I led, co-led, and participated in studies/projects focusing on modeling, real-life observations, inventing new sensors (including a patent), identifying the gaps between science and practice, as well as facilitating and evaluating the partnerships between city, university, and community with a focus on heat resilience.

You can find more about my research under Academic Experience, Professional Experience, or Journal Publications.

SHaDE Lab Research and Leadership

The SHaDE Lab is an urban climate research group directed by Dr. Ariane Middel in the School of Arts, Media and Engineering (AME) and the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence (SCAI). We explore the “hot” topic of urban heat in three dimensions: heat as it can be sensed by biometeorological instrumentation, heat as it is experienced by humans, and heat as it can be modeled using simulations.

Endurance: Running, Cycling, and Swimming - Triathlon

I came to AZ as a road runner, yet AZ changed me. Now, I'm an avid (trail) runner and I added cycling and swimming to my portfolio. I recently completed my first marathon and my first Olympic distance triathlon. I like to challenge myself to new and unreached speeds and distances. More races are always on my calendar. I do it to challenge myself, not to win the race.