Call for Expressions of Interest to host ICUC-12

2023-01-20 in Newsletter

The International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC) organises the International Conference on Urban Climate (ICUC) at regular intervals. After two years of postponement due to the pandemic, the 11th International Conference on Urban Climate, ICUC‐11,  will finally be held this year jointly with the AMS Symposium on the Urban Environment in Sydney, Australia, from August 28th to September 1st, 2023.

ICUC‐11  is the continuation of a series of conferences starting in Kyoto, Japan in 1989, followed by those in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1993, Essen, Germany in 1996, Sydney, Australia in 1999, Lodz, Poland in 2003, Göteborg, Sweden in 2006, Yokohama, Japan in 2009, Dublin, Ireland in 2012, Toulouse, France in 2015, and New York, US in 2018. The success of ICUC series helped to create a cohesive international community of urban climate researchers. The ICUC provides an international forum to showcase and discuss the latest research developments, to identify novel research questions, and to implement urban climate knowledge to the design and management of cities. The conferences cater to the interests of a diverse community of meteorologists, climatologists, hydrologists, ecologists, engineers, architects, urban planners, and others interested in the highly interdisciplinary environment.

The next ICUC meeting is envisaged to take place in 2025 – Today we call on the community to start the process of identifying the location and host of ICUC-12!

While the pandemic has underlined the need for in person meetings, it also fostered a rapid development of new complementary formats. Moreover, as a climate science community we cannot ignore the carbon footprint of our events. Thus, we are open to new formats for ICUC-12, such as multi-site events, streaming of plenaries for local “watch parties”, and other hybrid formats. Please be creative!

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As a first step we invite ‘expressions of interest’ from those interested in hosting the ICUC-12.

The expression of interest should be brief (~1 page) and should indicate the proposed location (city, country), organizer’s name, institutional affiliation(s) and the likely time frame for the conference. This information should be submitted as an PDF file to the Secretary of the IAUC, Benjamin Bechtel (iauc-secretary@rub.de, subject: ICUC-12 EOI CITYNAME, use only this E-mail address!) by 5 March, 2023.

We will share all the expressions of interest received with all those who make a submission and with the IAUC Board with the objective to streamline the process and to allow for collaborations/discussions around the bids from those interested in hosting ICUC-12. The board will review all EOI and invite a range of candidate hosts for full proposals.

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Full proposal are due 31 May . They should be maximum 8 pages long (single spaced, 11pt font) and include the following sections:

  1. Location for conference. This section should discuss the location and facilities available. Indicate why the proposed location is a good choice for an ICUC conference. Please also indicate hotels, distance between hotels and conference venue, summary details of available meeting rooms, and availability of inexpensive housing options (e.g., for students). In this section please also discuss opportunities for social activities, tours, and local attractions that might be of interest to conference participants and their guests. Information about accessibility and travel (airports, train connections, etc.) is also welcome.
  2. Online formats or parts: This section should discuss which parts of the conference will be available online or in decentralised hubs during the conference, and which parts will be published after the conference (e.g. keynote lecture videos, poster PDFs, abstracts, etc.).
  3. Proposed timing of conference. This should be a short section discussing the likely time frame for the conference, including one or more alternatives. A brief discussion of the benefits of the proposed timing is desired.
  4. Proposed registration or other fees. Provide an initial estimate of the proposed fees for the conference (in USD) based on current prices. Also discuss how surpluses or deficits are to be handled. Budgets should consider different scenarios between 350 and 600 participants  with about 1/3 of the attendees being students); please indicate what the registration fee would cover. The IAUC intends for ICUC to break even; this may require organizers to budget for a small surplus. Conference organizers are responsible for any losses.
  5. Preprints and proceedings. Discuss whether there will be a preprint volume or conference proceedings and the mode of dissemination.
  6. Institutional/private/government support. Indicate whether there is institutional support for holding the conference at this location. This might include suggestions for a joint conference with another society or organization and access to suitable persons/organization to form a local organizing committee.
  7. Familiarity with IAUC and ICUC. Please indicate whether the organizers have attended previous ICUC and/or are familiar with the objectives of IAUC.
  8. Carbon budget: Please indicate the estimated carbon footprint and any plans to compensate (parts of) it.

Organizers of the last 3 ICUC conferences are listed below for reference:

These individuals can provide insight into the necessary financial and institutional support that is needed to run a successful conference. It must be appreciated that IAUC, as a ‘dues-free’ organization, has limited financial means; its main resource is the goodwill and enthusiasm of its members and the knowledge that designated ICUC meetings attract the best of the international urban climate community, and that our past success has created mutually beneficial inter-organisational linkages.

Full proposals should be submitted as single PDF file to Benjamin Bechtel (iauc-secretary@rub.de, subject: “ICUC-12 full proposal CITYNAME”, use only this E-mail address!) by 31 May 2023. We will have initial evaluations with the Board of the IAUC and then ask finalists to prepare a presentation for the Board Meeting at ICUC‐11 (online presentation will be possible).

New board members

2023-01-16 in IAUC Admin, IAUC Statements

The IAUC welcomes and congratulates our two new elected IAUC Board members, Dan Li from Boston University, US, and Victoria Ramsey from the Met Office, UK, who will join the Board. Dan and Victoria will replace Helen Ward for the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and Matthias Demuzere from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany. We greatly thank Helen and Matthias for their commitment and contributions to IAUC while serving on the Board.

Urban Climate News December 2022

2023-01-16 in Newsletter

Issue 86, December 2022

The latest issue of “Urban Climate News” (Issue 86, December 2022) is now available. The newsletter reports on the newly elected board members, a new open collection of 20 flux tower datasets, guidelines on microclimate measurements in tropical cities, the AGU fall meeting and climate news.

 

IAUC Board: Call for nominations

2022-10-21 in IAUC Admin, IAUC Statements, Members

We are calling for nominations for two new members of the Board of the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC) for the term 2023 – 2026. This is to replace Matthias Demuzere (Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany) and Helen Ward (University of Innsbruck, Austria) whose terms on the Board expire in 2022. We thank Matthias and Helen for their commitment and contributions to IAUC while serving on the Board.

The Board is seeking new members eager to play an active role in the development of the Association and who reflect the diversity of our membership. The deadline for nominations is 15. November 2022, 23:59 (UTC).

The IAUC is committed to and promotes inclusive and equitable participation of a diverse community in its membership. Based on our diversity statement, we strongly encourage nominations of candidates who diversify the board in terms of fields of study, geographical location, gender, career stages etc. We thus particularly encourage nominations of young scholars, including graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.

The nomination process will be conducted as described below.

(1) If you are nominating another person, proceed as follows:

  1. Email the IAUC Secretary [iauc-secretary[at]rub[dot]de] with the subject “IAUC board nomination NAME” indicating the name and affiliation of your nominee.
  2. Put two other persons in cc who support the nomination. They must confirm their support of the nominee within the nomination period by replying to the E-mail.
  3. The nominee should also email the Secretary [same address and subject] indicating their willingness to stand. The nominee should also provide their affiliation, country and supply a short statement containing a reference to their link to IAUC and urban climate which will be shared with the membership at the election (if there is one). That statement must not exceed 250 words, a limit that will be rigorously applied (longer statements will be truncated).

(2) If you are nominating yourself, proceed as follows:

  1. Email the IAUC Secretary at [iauc-secretary[at]rub[dot]de] with the subject “IAUC board nomination NAME” indicating that you are nominating yourself.
  2. Put name three other persons in cc who support your nomination. They must confirm their support for your nomination within the nomination period by reply to the same E-mail.
  3. You should also provide your affiliation and country. Please also supply a short statement that will be shared with the membership at the election. That statement must not exceed 250 words, a limit that will be rigorously applied (longer statements will be truncated).

Also please note the following:

  • All nominees, nominators and persons supporting a nomination must be members of the IAUC as of this moment (21. October 2022, 15:00 UTC). New members will not be eligible to vote or be nominated in this round of elections.
  • All required information, as outlined in (1) or (2) above, must be received by the Secretary by 15. November 2022, 23:59 (UTC).
  • E-mails should be sent to the Secretary at email address [iauc-secretary[at]rub[dot]de].
  • Receipt of nomination e-mails will be confirmed. E-mails to other addresses may not be considered, no other method of communication will be accepted.
  • It is the responsibility of the nominator and/or nominee to ensure that all necessary e-mails are sent to the Secretary within the nomination period. No reminders will be sent in the case of incomplete nominations.
  • If more than two nominations are received, an election will be conducted via email and the web, with the two candidates receiving the highest vote counts being deemed to have been elected. If an election is necessary, the exact procedure will be described in an email to the current membership.

 

Urban Climate News September 2022

2022-10-17 in Newsletter

Issue 85, September 2022

The latest issue of “Urban Climate News” (Issue 85, September 2022) is now available. The newsletter reports on the new Executive Board, the winners of the Luke Howard and Timothy Oke awards, and the upcoming ICUC-11 conference in Sydney in 2023. It also features new research on urban overheating, projects on urban energy modeling, and special reports on two summer schools and the recent IAUC Virtual Poster Conference.

Dan Li receives the 2022 Timothy Oke award

2022-09-19 in Awards, IAUC Statements

Dan Li

Dan Li receives IAUC’s Timothy Oke Award

We are delighted to announce that this year’s IAUC Timothy Oke Award for Original Research in the Field of Urban Climatology will be given to a truly exceptional scientist: Associate Professor Dan Li, at Boston University.

Dan has made numerous outstanding intellectual contributions to the field of urban climate and boundary layer meteorology. In the nine years since obtaining his PhD from Princeton University, Dan has produced a remarkable amount of highly cited and significant research which spans a phenomenal range of topics including turbulence, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, hydrology and global climate. His work combines extensive observations, numerical modelling, analytical methods and fundamental theory to make substantial advances in our understanding of meteorological concepts and associated real-world applications. This impressive skill set in combination with creativity, curiosity and diligence mean Dan’s work has already had, and will surely continue to have, a major impact on urban climate.

James Voogt receives the 2022 Luke Howard Award

2022-09-19 in Awards, IAUC Statements

James Voogt

James Voogt receives IAUC’s 2022 Luke Howard award

We are delighted to announce Professor James Voogt of the University of Western Ontario, Canada, as the winner of the 2022 Luke Howard Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Urban Climatology.

Jamie is an excellent scientist and very well respected pillar of the urban climate community on multiple fronts. His research contributions are of the highest quality, resulting from his careful attention to detail and exemplary unhurried approach to solving complex issues. He is a world-renowned expert on urban climatology, and the leading expert on thermal anisotropy and remote sensing of urban surface temperatures. His early publications are considered classics and remain highly relevant (and extensively cited) since they underpin much of our current understanding concerning both observational and modelling topics. Given the already widespread use of remote sensing in urban areas, and the ongoing development in this field, these publications remain key for the numerous applications and services making use of remotely sensed data, as well as for our fundamental understanding of urban climate processes.

In addition to these considerable scientific contributions, Jamie has achieved an immense amount for the urban climate community. He played a crucial role in helping to establish the IAUC and has shown continued selfless dedication to IAUC activities, in part through numerous board positions (including president from 2014-2018). He also served on the AMS Board of the Urban Environment (including as chair from 2002-2005). He has been instrumental in raising the profile of urban climatology in national and international meteorological organisations, which led to the development of joint urban climate sessions between multiple organisations and has helped to foster interdisciplinary collaborations and the exchange of knowledge and skills that are important for safeguarding the well-being of urban populations.

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Urban Climate News June 2022

2022-07-10 in Newsletter

Issue 84, June 2022

The latest issue of “Urban Climate News” (Issue 84, June 2022) is now available. The newsletter reports on research measuring CO2 emission reductions in cities due to the COVID-19 lockdown and on the impact of vehicle heat on the urban thermal environment. It also features news on heat waves in India, Pakistan and France. Furthermore, a special report on the “Urban climate, urban biometeorology, and science tools for cities” session at EGU General Assembly.

Call for nominations – 2022 Luke Howard Award

2022-04-20 in Awards, IAUC Admin


The IAUC is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2022 ‘Luke Howard Award for outstanding contributions to the field of urban climatology in a combination of research, teaching, and/or service to the international community of urban climatologists. The IAUC is committed to promoting equality and diversity. Therefore, we particularly encourage nominations for suitable candidates from under-represented groups.

The person making the nomination will act as the coordinator to put together a nomination package (details given below). Self-nominations are not permitted, and current Awards Committee members can only be nominated if they step back from their role on the Committee for the period that the nomination is active. Complete nomination packages should be submitted (as a single electronic submission) to the IAUC Awards Committee Chair, Dr Helen Ward: helen.ward@uibk.ac.at by Friday 27 May 2022.

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Call for nominations – 2022 Timothy Oke Award

2022-04-20 in Awards, IAUC Admin, IAUC Statements

Urban Heat island of Hamilton, Ontario measured by Professor Timothy Oke and his students in the 1960s. The Award is named in honour of Professor Oke, as recognition of his pioneering research, his support for young urban climatologists and his unprecedented contributions to urban climatology.

The IAUC is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2022 ‘Timothy Oke Award for Original Research in the Field of Urban Climatology’. The Timothy Oke Award was established in 2020 and is given annually to early- and mid-career researchers who have conducted original research with high impact in the field of urban climate science. Nominations should thus focus on a particularly relevant study or collection of papers and their impact. Eligible candidates should be approximately 3-12 years after PhD and will be assessed in accordance with their career stage. Nominations for candidates which fall outside these guidelines should be justified.

The IAUC is committed to promoting equality and diversity. Therefore we particularly encourage nominations for suitable candidates from under-represented groups.

The person making the nomination will act as the coordinator to put together a nomination package (details given below). Self-nominations are not permitted, and current Awards Committee members can only be nominated if they step back from their role on the Committee for the period that the nomination is active. Complete nomination packages should be submitted (as a single electronic submission) to the IAUC Awards Committee Chair, Dr Helen Ward: helen.ward@uibk.ac.at by Friday 27 May 2022.

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