Dr. Jiachen Zhang

jiachen.zhang@usc.edu

Kaprielian Hall, 3620 South Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90089

Email: se_512@usc.edu

Postdoctoral Researcher 

Hometown: Tehran, Iran

Soroush comes from Tehran, Iran, where he finished his undergraduate program in mining engineering and Master’s program in environmental engineering. Then he moved to the U.S. and attended the University of Georgia to start a PhD in Engineering. Before joining USC, he also was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, Riverside. Besides research, Soroush enjoys tennis, swimming, and movies. 

Research Interests: 

Soroush uses regional and global chemical transport models to investigate the impacts of particulate matter emissions on air quality, aerosols optical properties, and the earth’s radiative balance. He also employs remote sensing data to validate or constrain model outputs. 

Awards and Honors: 

• Excellence in graduate research award, College of Engineering, University of Georgia – 2020

Education: 

• Ph.D. in Engineering – University of Georgia (2021) 

• M.Sc. in Environmental Engineering – University of Tehran (2016) 

• B.Sc. in Mining Engineering – Azad University, South Tehran (2012) 

Ph.D. Student

Hometown: Madrid, Spain 

Diego was born and raised in Madrid. In 2015 he moved to London (UK) to pursue an undergraduate degree in Mechanical and Energy Engineering, during the course of which he undertook a one-year internship at Robert Bosch UK. Diego then went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Environment and Development from King’s College London. He has been pursuing a PhD in Environmental Engineering at USC since 2021. Diego is an avid reader and enjoys playing soccer, spending time in nature and traveling. 

Research Interests: 

Diego is interested in better understanding environmental hazards (and in particular, extreme heat) from an interdisciplinary perspective that explores the social, environmental, and infrastructure factors that contribute to populations’ vulnerability and their capacity to adapt. His research addresses questions of environmental justice, reliable energy access, and public health.

Awards and Honors: 

• King’s College London Best Thesis Award – 2020. 
• Crown Cork and Seal Prize – 2019. 
• Brunel Academic Excellence Scholarship – 2015. 

Education: 

• Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) in Mechanical and Energy Engineering – Brunel University London (2015-2019). 

• Master of Science (MSc) in Environment and Development – King’s College London (2019-2020). 

Ph.D. Student

Email: hu.hao@usc.edu 

Hometown: Henan, China 

Hao Hu was raised in Henan, China, before commencing his academic journey at Tsinghua University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering and Physics with a double major in Economics (2022). Following his graduation, he joined an engineering firm as an R&D Engineer. Concurrently, he served as a part-time Research Assistant at both Tsinghua University and Cardiff University during his free time. Hao Hu will start pursuing a PhD in Environmental Engineering in Fall 2024. Beyond his academic pursuits, Hao enjoys playing basketball, engaging in photography, and swimming. 

Research Interests: 

Hao has a great interest in assessing the impacts of climate change from an interdisciplinary standpoint and developing adaptive strategies. He is obsessed by current energy consumption issues as well. 

Awards and Honors: 

• Friends of Tsinghua Xi tai Scholarship – 2021 

• He Dong Chang Scholarship of Tsinghua University – 2020 

• Friends of Tsinghua Tellhow Scholarship – 2020 

• Tsinghua University Comprehensive Excellence Award – 2019 

Education: 

• Bachelor of Engineering in Nuclear Engineering and Physics – Tsinghua University (2018-2022) 

• Bachelor of Economics in Economics (Second major) – Tsinghua University (2018-2022) 
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Ph.D. Student  

Email: fazelval@usc.edu  

Hometown: Mashhad, Iran 

Sahar was born and raised in Mashhad, Iran. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering, she moved to the United States to pursue a master’s in landscape architecture at Cal Poly Pomona University. Her research focuses on utilizing GeoDesign responses to mitigate climate change impacts in disadvantaged communities and bridging landscapes from human to regional scales using big data. Sahar also worked as a landscape associate at the California Department of Transportation and as a graduate research and teaching assistant. Simultaneously, she taught at UC Davis and Cal Poly Pomona University. 

Research Interests: 

Sahar’s research uses GeoDesign responses to mitigate climate change impacts in disadvantaged communities, urban heat mitigation, and big data analysis. She also assesses policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and their effects on air quality and equity, leveraging advanced modeling techniques to study the transport and impacts of atmospheric pollutants. 

Awards and Honors 

• The Fortier Excellence in Education Scholarship (FEES)- 2021 

• Street Tree Seminar Scholarship- 2021 

• ASLA Scholarship- 2022 

• LCI Congress Scholarship- 2022 & 2023 

• EDAW Scholarship- 2022 

Education: 

• Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) – Cal Poly Pomona University, USA 

• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Architectural Engineering, Azad University 

Master’s Student 

Hometown: Seoul, South Korea 

Junghwan was raised in Seoul. Before pursuing his degree, he worked as an industry researcher at the Korea Development Bank. Additionally, he had experience working as a corporate finance manager, supporting policy funds for environmentally friendly companies. In 2024, he successfully completed a master’s degree at USC. Junghwan enjoys hiking, camping, and loves spending time in nature parks. 

Research Interests: 

He is interested in assessing air pollutants emitted from various industries, particularly PM2.5 and CO2. Also, he is concerned with providing engineering solutions related to ESG and climate change resilience. 

Education: 

• Master of Science in Environmental Engineering – University of Southern California (2024) 

• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering – Hanyang University (2015) 
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Master’s Student 

Hometown: Anhui, China 

Xinyi was born and raised in Hefei, a city in Anhui Province, in the middle part of China. (Welcome to the Yellow Mountain where the picture was taken!) She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Nankai University in 2022 and pursued further studies in data science at USC. During her time at USC, she worked part-time as a sustainability data analyst at the Office of Sustainability. Her interdisciplinary background has fueled her passion for balancing human social activities with the natural environment, with a particular focus on climate-related issues. In her spare time, Xinyi enjoys traveling, watching movies, and playing badminton. 

Research Interests: 

Xinyi is interested in using quantitative methods to understand the relationships between human activities and emissions and applying these insights to promote sustainable development. 

Education: 

• Master of Science in Data Science – University of Southern California (2024) 

• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science – Nankai University (2022) 
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Master’s student 

Hometown: Kuwait 

Email: atalazem@usc.edu 

Adel was born and raised in Kuwait. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from the Missouri University of Science & Technology in Rolla, Missouri. During his time there, Adel developed a keen interest in air pollution and environmental law, laying a strong foundation for his ongoing academic and professional growth. He is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering at the University of Southern California, where he is developing skills in air quality analysis as part of his research with the Air Pollution-Climate-Equity (ACE) Research Group. His current work includes analyzing air quality trends in Southern California and examining disparities in pollution levels between different communities, with a focus on environmental justice. In his free time, Adel enjoys outdoor activities such as camping and climbing.  

Research Interests: 

Adel’s research interests lie at the intersection of air pollution, environmental justice, and data analysis. His current focus involves analyzing air quality data from 2018 and 2019, comparing pollution levels between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged communities. He is interested in acquiring the skills needed to develop models that can further reveal air quality patterns. Using geospatial techniques, he aims to deepen his understanding of regional air quality trends and their environmental justice implications.  

Education: 

• Master of Science in Environmental Engineering – University of Southern California (Fall 2023 – Spring 2025) 

• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering – Missouri University of Science & Technology (Fall 2018 – Spring 2022) 
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Master‘s student 

Email: yl875@duke.edu 

Hometown: Yunnan, China 

Yan was born in Kunming City, and raised in both China and Thailand. Yan earned her Bachelor of Science in Ecology, she also got the Environmental Law Certificate at Vermont Law School, and during her senior year, she undertook a one-year internship at an Environmental Protection NGO. Yan then went on to pursue a degree in Environmental Engineering from Pratt Engineering School at Duke University and worked as a environment analyst for the Interdisciplinary Research Lab. Yan is a dog lover and enjoys hip-hop/K-pop dancing, spending time exploring and trying new things, her most recent attempt was knitting! 

Research Interests: 

Yan cares about air quality, emissions, and global environmental changes, as well as their impacts on human health and equity. Using an interdisciplinary mindset, like a view from Law or Ecology, combined with modeling and handy data-driven methods to explore practical solutions for a sustainable environment. 

Education: 

· Bachelor of Science (BS.) in Ecology – Minzu University of China (2018-2022). 

· Certificate in Environmental Law – Vermont Law School (2021-2022). 

· Master of Engineering (MEng) in Environment Engineering – Duke University (2022-2024). 

Master‘s student 

Email: veneziar@usc.edu 

Hometown: Norwalk, CA (Southeast Los Angeles) 

Venezia Ramirez (she/ella) is a community member from Southeast Los Angeles County and Research Coordinator at the University of Southern California, Division of Environmental Health. She engages with her neighboring communities to advance research capacity and education through community driven research related to lead contamination, neighborhood oil drilling, air pollution, women’s health, and youth empowerment. She continues her commitment to building health equity through her role as Commissioner on the Community Prevention & Population Health Task Force in the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In her role, she translates research findings on local environmental exposures and community identified public health priorities into recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, the Alliance for Health Integration, and the Department of Public Health.  

Research Interests: 

Characterizing soil lead distribution in Southeast Los Angeles, air quality monitoring, and implementing renewable energy in disadvantaged communities. She is committed to co-creating engineering solutions to help communities achieve environmental justice.    

Education: 

• Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering – University of Southern California | Fall 2024 – present)    

• Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science – University of California, Los Angeles | 2020 
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