What have you been up to since your time at DAS?

After receiving my PhD degree in 2015 from DAS, I stayed at DAS as a post-doc for eight months. In April 2016, I moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and joined Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) as a post-doc and then as an associated research scientist. My research at ORNL allowed me to explore an cutting-edge research topic: the application of gene science in climate science. I have developed an omics-informed soil biogeochemical model that is able to apply microbial gene data to identify microbial functional diversity and its implication for soil carbon emission. In July 2019, I accepted an assistant professor position from the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences and the Ecosystem Genomics Institute, University of Arizona.

How have you benefited from your degree in Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Illinois?

My PhD training in DAS has equipped me with solid knowledge and professional skills in climate science. Most importantly, diverse curriculum design and cross-campus collaborations in research projects have cultivated me with the ability to absorb and combine multi-disciplinary knowledge in a short time. With the flying of time, all my study experiences in DAS have become my treasure. They not only allowed me to complete the inter-disciplinary research in ORNL but also provided me large flexibility when planning my future career development and research direction.

What’s next for you?

I will start to build my research group in the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Science and the Ecosystem Genomics Institute, University of Arizona, in Spring 2020. In this new career journey, I will continue linking gene to ecosystem functions towards developing the genetically-informed prediction of vegetative and microbial functions in the earth system models. I will work on applying this research to mitigate the effects of climate change. I will train students with knowledge and skills to further explore this interesting research topic: gene to earth-system modeling and application.