International Association for Urban Climate

Dr. Gerald Mills, winner of the 2021 Luke Howard Award

The IAUC is delighted to announce Dr Gerald Mills of University College Dublin, Ireland, as the winner of the 2021 Luke Howard Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Urban Climatology.

Gerald is an influential urban climatologist and a remarkable researcher, widely known for his numerous scientific contributions, his genuine passion for the subject and its history, his generosity as a mentor and his exceptional dedication to the urban climate community.

Gerald’s research has had substantial impact across many areas of urban climatology. These include the urban heat island, modelling the urban canopy, the surface energy balance at multiple scales, indoor and outdoor climates, the links between cities and global climate change and the importance of sustainable urban design. He has been instrumental in the WUDAPT initiative and is now perhaps even more widely known as a co-author of the Urban Climates textbook, which has become one of the key texts not only for urban climatologists but also for multiple disciplines interested in the urban environment. Alongside these scientific contributions, Gerald has amassed an impressive knowledge of the history of urban climate. He has brought the work of early pioneers to the attention of the present-day community with remarkable commitment and enthusiasm. He can recite long passages of Luke Howard’s The Climate of London and has reedited this book, line by line, to make it available again for the scientific audience. For this alone, Gerald would be a worthy recipient of the Luke Howard Award.

Gerald received his PhD from The Ohio State University in 1989, then taught at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, and the University of California at Los Angeles before moving to University College Dublin in 1997. His engagement in the community is exceptional, both nationally and internationally. Gerald has been a member of the WMO’s Urban Expert team for over a decade and has remained a key part of the IAUC since it was established more than twenty years ago. His roles within the IAUC have included President, Secretary and Treasurer and he was the first editor of the IAUC newsletter Urban Climate News. His open-mindedness and strong belief in international and interdisciplinary collaboration have helped to foster an inclusive and supportive global urban climate community. He is a talented researcher, an exceptional mentor and a remarkable spokesperson for urban climate – and a highly deserving recipient of the 2021 Luke Howard Award.