Professor Leena Järvi of the University of Helsinki, Finland, has been awarded the 5th Sergej Zilitinkevich Memorial Award for her contributions to urban boundary-layer meteorology. The award ceremony will take place at EMS2026, where Professor Järvi will deliver a keynote lecture titled “Turbulence in Cities – From Microscale Ventilation to Urban Boundary Layer Structures.”

Her keynote lecture will address how the structure and dynamics of the urban boundary layer are critical for a wide range of applications, from urban air quality to urban heat mitigation. Despite significant progress in the field, substantial uncertainties remain regarding how the urban boundary layer responds to surface forcing, how these responses influence ventilation across different spatial scales, and how such processes can best be represented in numerical models. Recent advances in computational fluid dynamics have enabled researchers to investigate the urban boundary layer and its structure in unprecedented detail. Professor Järvi’s work highlights how large-eddy simulation modelling can provide comprehensive insights into urban boundary-layer processes at both local and city scales, while also demonstrating practical applications in urban planning and the design of urban atmospheric measurements.

Professor Järvi, from the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) at the University of Helsinki, has authored 94 peer-reviewed publications and is the principal developer of the SUEWS model. She has also led the Strategic Research Council project CO-CARBON, which promotes the effective use of scientific knowledge in society. The project produced a policy brief for cities on carbon-smart urban green infrastructure as a climate solution, authored by Hautamäki R., Järvi L., Ariluoma M., Kinnunen A., Kulmala L., Lampinen J., Merikoski T., and Tahvonen O. In addition, Professor Järvi has led several collaborative studies with city representatives, focusing on carbon-smart solutions and examining the impacts of trees and urban building layouts on air pollution in real urban environments.

The Sergej Zilitinkevich Memorial Award is an international recognition presented annually to a creative and influential scientist who has achieved major breakthroughs in atmospheric or oceanic boundary-layer research. The award is supported by leading institutions, including the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the European Meteorological Society (EMS), the Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center (ACCC), INAR, the Finnish Network for Atmospheric Sciences, the Finnish Geophysical Society, and the Finnish Foundation for Aerosol Research.

We extend our congratulations to Professor Järvi for this well-deserved recognition of her outstanding scientific achievements and impact in the field.

Text by Hanna Lappalainen, PEEX Secretary General