Ariane Middel researches urban climate with a focus on climate-sensitive urban form, design, landscapes, and infrastructure in the face of extreme heat and climatic uncertainty. For the past six years, Middel has advanced the field of urban climate science by employing field observations, local and microscale climate modeling, and geovisualization to investigate sustainability challenges related to heat, thermal comfort, Urban Heat Islands, water use, energy use, and human-climate interactions in cities.

Her ongoing research focuses on developing better models and metrics to quantify urban heatscapes as they are experienced by pedestrians. She is developing a thermal comfort model based on an innovative big data approach using Street View data, deep learning, and novel environmental sensing techniques such as the biometeorological MaRTy cart.