Dr Kai Chen, Director of Research at the Yale Center on Climate Change and Health (YCCCH), was awarded an IARU Early-Career Collaboration Award to deepen international research ties in the emerging field of climate and health. His work examines how climate change affects human health, with a particular focus on vulnerable populations and the shifting risks posed by rising global temperatures.
Through the grant, Dr Chen initiated collaboration with leading environmental epidemiologists at the University of Tokyo, including Professors Masahiro Hashizume and Yoonhee Kim. Together, they are exploring how the ageing of global populations may influence future patterns of temperature-related mortality across different levels of global warming — an urgent question as societies worldwide grapple with both demographic shifts and climate change.
Even before his visit to Japan, the award had already sparked productive exchanges between the Yale and UTokyo teams. One key outcome has been a co-authored research paper addressing the intersection of ageing, climate risk, and mortality. Dr Chen views this collaboration as the start of a longer-term partnership between YCCCH and the University of Tokyo, one that will continue to generate new insights into climate-related health impacts.
In addition to the scientific collaboration, Dr Chen looks forward to finally meeting his UTokyo colleagues in person and experiencing Japan’s academic culture and broader society — experiences that often help forge the trust and shared understanding essential for sustained international research partnerships.