Biographical Sketch
I am a Ph.D. student of Prof. Jim Clark in Nicholas School of the Environment, and a M.S. student of Prof. Alan Gelfand in Department of Statistical Science at Duke University. My research focuses on two areas in population and community ecology: biogeography and demography of tree species. Specifically, I use mathematical and statistical models to study forest biodiversity in a changing environment. I am currently working on a multidisciplinary project aiming to predict biodiversity in response to climate change using computer models, supported by National Science Foundation. As this is a large collaboration among many scientists, my role as an ecologist is to make use of USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data, and to build models in order to understand the distribution, abundance, and demography of forest trees. Previously, I received my M.S. in ecosystem ecology and my B.S. in theoretical physics from China.