Xianzhe Jia, Ph.D., associate professor of climate and space sciences and engineering, has received the Faculty Recognition Award from the University of Michigan. The award honors faculty who have made remarkable contributions to the university.
A physicist who teaches space physics and space weather modeling, Jia’s discoveries at U-M Climate and Space have made a profound impact on the field of planetary science. As a result of his work, the bulk of the water in the solar system is no longer thought to be sequestered in planet Earth. The new discoveries by Jia and colleagues have shown that most of the water in the solar system is in the interiors of Jupiter and Saturn’s moons, and in Uranus and Neptune. His pioneering research and international leadership have earned Jia leadership roles on NASA’s Europa Clipper and ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer missions.
Jia is the deputy team leader for the Magnetometer Team on Europa Clipper and leads the inductive sounding efforts for both the NASA and ESA missions to the Galilean satellites near Jupiter. The results of the two international flagship missions will ensure that U-M remains at the forefront of planetary research. A member of the U-M faculty since 2010, Jia has received numerous U-M research and teaching awards, including the Research Faculty Recognition Award, Ted Kennedy Family Faculty Team Excellence Award and Henry Russel Award.
Geared toward mid-career faculty members, the U-M Faculty Recognition Awards are given to those who have made remarkable achievements in scholarly research or creative endeavors; excellence as a teacher, adviser and mentor; and distinguished participation in service activities of the university and elsewhere. To be eligible, faculty must be full professors with no more than four years in rank or tenured associate professors. Five recipients have been honored in 2022, including Amy Chavasse, Hui Deng, Kerri A. Pratt, Stephen Smith, and Xianzhe Jia.
Thirty-four University of Michigan faculty members have received awards in the fall in recognition of their notable contributions in the areas of teaching, mentoring, service and scholarship. A dinner and ceremony honoring the recipients was held on Oct. 3, 2022.
