NRT: CLIMATE-CARE: Climate Action and Resilience for Extreme Urban Heat

Today, about 56% of the world's population – 4.4 billion inhabitants – live in cities. By 2050, it is projected 7 out of 10 people will live in urban areas. The building sector accounts for nearly 40% of the primary energy use in the US and associated greenhouse gas emissions, with about half of that energy dedicated to heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting.

Already a major contributor to climate change, cooling energy demand will significantly increase over the next decades. Urban heat stress is an environmental justice concern, disproportionally impacting disadvantaged communities. Thus, there is a pressing need to train convergent Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) professionals who can innovate and translate basic research into climate solutions.

However, there are critical gaps in how students are trained to undertake discipline-centric research and to tackle societal issues. By establishing this Climate Action and Resilience for Extreme Urban Heat (CLIMATE-CARE) NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program, this project will pursue a convergent approach to training students with diverse scientific and educational backgrounds, in the fields of engineering, architectural designs, building energy and distributions, data-driven assessment, energy and sustainability, via nature-inspired solutions to mitigate extreme heat in an urban environment.

The project expects to provide training opportunities to 36 doctoral (20 funded by NRT) and 20 master students as future leaders.

The primary goals for this NRT will guide the training experience and practice. Goal 1), Trainees will demonstrate skill and expertise in convergent education and research related to topics of Sustainability Design & Engineering. Goal 2), Trainees will complete the interdisciplinary and foundational coursework for the planned Certificate program, which will prepare them with the foundation to carry out the planned research.

Goal 3), Trainees will complete the Individualized Professional Development (IPD) elements required for the program, which will prepare them for the rapidly growing STEAM opportunities and careers in academia, industry, design firms, non-profit organizations, or startups after the degree completion. This NRT will focus on trainee research in utilizing advanced (bio)materials, and eco- additive manufacturing techniques to study principles and mechanisms and pursue climate actions in Sustainability Design and Engineering.

Using a set of complex flow network systems, from micro- to meter scale, this project aims to efficiently manage the transfer of air, moisture, heat, and light between the exterior climate and the indoor space via the building envelope in response to outdoor, real-world environments.

The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program will bring together graduate students from multiple disciplines interested in design and engineering for sustainability to solve real-world problems and increase climate resilience. This project will offer students not only core technical education and training opportunities but important soft skills to become inclusive and responsible future workforce.

It will foster collaborations and support immersive experiences for trainees and build a diverse community in STEAM fields.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.