Dr Charlie Lam is an interdisciplinary urban climate researcher whose work connects climate science, public health, and policy to support better coordinated adaptation decisions across sectors. His research advances climate adaptation by addressing multiple environmental stressors, integrating environmental exposure with psychological resilience, and translating evidence into strategies for healthy, climate-resilient cities.

Drawing on research on extreme heat in Australia, humid subtropical environments in Southeast Asia, and increasingly heat-stressed UK cities, he brings a comparative perspective on how adaptation strategies are shaped by different climatic and social contexts.

His international standing is reflected in his appointment as a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report (Working Group II) on the adaptation of human settlements, infrastructure and industry systems.

Academic positions

Lecturer in Environmental Intelligence, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, UK, 2023–present

Research Fellow, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, China, 2017–2023

Education

PhD in Atmospheric Sciences, Monash University, Australia, 2017

BA (Hons) in Geography and Environmental Science, Monash University, Australia, 2012

Fellow, Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC)

International Society of Biometeorology (ISB)

Indoor Environment and Health Branch, Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences

Editorial advisory board member: International Journal of Biometeorology

Guest editor: Sustainability (Urban Climate and Health)

Guest editor: Atmosphere (Monitoring and Modelling Air Pollution and Thermal Environment through Applications in Urban Areas)

Charlie's teaching is problem-based, research-informed, and strongly connected to real-world environmental decision-making. He aims to develop students who can work across disciplinary boundaries, integrate environmental data, think critically, and communicate evidence to diverse stakeholders. His teaching spans undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with a particular focus on interdisciplinary, industry-relevant learning at the interface of environmental monitoring, data science, and policy. He is the Programme Leader for the MSc Data Science and Environmental Intelligence. In particular, he has contributed to the design and refinement of an innovative interdisciplinary programme combining data science training with terrestrial environmental sensing and marine environmental monitoring.

MSc Data Science and Environmental Intelligence: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/msc-data-science-and-environmental-intelligence