Dr. Jiachen Zhang

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Jiachen Zhang is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC). His research group investigates the interactions between air quality, climate, and society, specifically quantifying health equity impacts from strategies aimed at mitigating climate change and air pollution. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from USC and a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from Peking University. Before returning to USC, he was a manager in the Mobile Source Technology Assessment Modeling Section at the California Air Resources Board, where he led a team in original research and emissions inventory development to inform policies promoting electric vehicles. Dr. Zhang chairs the Entrepreneurship Innovation Committee of the Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California and serves as secretary of the Air & Waste Management Association West Coast Section. His overarching research aims to understand the interplay of climate, air pollution, and societal impacts, using computational models and big data to assess the influences of energy, transportation, and land use policies on urban climates, air quality, and public health.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

2020-08-01 — Present

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

Tenure-track assistant professor investigating air quality and climate interactions.

Manager, Mobile Source Technology Assessment Modeling Section

2019-08-01 — 2020-07-31

California Air Resources Board • Sacramento, CA

Led a team conducting research on emission inventories and policies for promoting electric vehicles.

Requirements for University of Southern California

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:20
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:100
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in engineering or related science
Application Checklist
  • Official transcripts
  • GRE General scores
  • TOEFL scores (International)
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Personal Statement
Specialization Notes

Requires general GRE for all graduate degrees.