A High School Student Mentored by Professor Di Zhu Wins Top Honors at Minnesota Student Digital Mapping Competition with Urban Heat Mitigation Plan
A High School Student Mentored by Professor Di Zhu Wins Top Honors at Minnesota Student Digital Mapping Competition with Urban Heat Mitigation Plan De-An Chen, a 9th-grade student at St. Paul Academy and Summit School, has won First Place out of 126 student-created entries in the 2025 Minnesota Student Digital Mapping Competition, hosted by the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education (MAGE). His project, “2025 Plan to Reduce Urban Heat in Minneapolis,” stood out for its rigorous application of geographic tools and commitment to equitable climate solutions. The achievement highlights the transformative mentorship of our GES faculty member, Di Zhu, who has inspired a high school student to bridge cutting-edge research and community impact.
Award-Winning Geographic Inquiry
Modeled after MAGE’s emphasis on problem-solving through geographic perspectives, Chen’s project employed GIS heat mapping to identify disparities in land surface temperatures across neighborhoods. He conducted spatial regression analysis to identify factors that are associated with urban temperature. Chen found that the percentage of tree canopy was the strongest predictor of urban temperature. In fact, with every 10% increase in tree canopy, the temperature would be lower by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Based on spatial statistical analysis and explorative spatial analysis, several census tracts were recommended for tree planting, whereas others were recommended for conservation. The StoryMap can be viewed here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7b18b48894a144ea9d64865c19e5b318
About the Competition
The Minnesota Student Digital Mapping Competition, open to middle school and high school students statewide, challenges participants to address real-world issues using geographic tools.
