Ashish Sharma

Dr. Ashish Sharma is a Professor in the Department of Climate, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with a joint appointment as Climate Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory. He serves as Climate and Urban Sustainability Lead at the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) within the University of Illinois System. His work focuses on regional climate modeling, urban heat island mitigation, air quality modeling, and climate policy development with an emphasis on environmental justice.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering (Arizona State University, 2012)
• M.S. in Aerospace Engineering (Arizona State University, 2009)
• B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering (Jaypee University of Information Technology, 2007)

Research interests include microscale climate modeling, land-lake-atmosphere interactions, and hyper-local climate adaptation strategies. He has pioneered studies on green/cool roofs in Chicago and led the first regional climate action plan for the Chicago metro area. His work is highlighted in the Illinois State Museum’s climate change exhibits and informs policy decisions through roles on federal advisory panels.

Grants and Funding: Secured $40M+ as PI/co-PI from NSF, DOE, NASA, and others, including leadership of the NSF-UKRI Global Center on Clean Energy and Equitable Transportation Solutions (CLEETS). Active in interdisciplinary collaborations across engineering, social sciences, and policy.

Awards: Named to Crain's Chicago Business' 40 Under 40 (2023), Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society, and recipient of the American Planning Association Merit Award (2022).