Dr. Hongmei Li
My primary research interest lies in enhancing predictions related to the global carbon cycle by uncovering the underlying mechanisms that include variability and predictability within the Earth system.
I work towards improving near-term predictions of the global carbon cycle and climate changes by initializing Earth system models with observations and enhancing the understanding and representation of carbon-climate feedbacks through large ensemble simulations and high-resolution modeling.
Furthermore, I pursue integration of model simulations and observational data with statistical and machine learning methodologies to deepen our understanding and further constrain uncertainties of predictions and projections of future trends in the carbon cycle, climate dynamics, and extreme events.
Work Experience
2024- | Permanent Senior Scientist | Earth system modelling, reconstruction of the global carbon budget, near-term prediction and long-term projection of the global carbon cycle. | Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Geesthacht, Germany |
2024- | Senior Scientist, guest status | Modeling the carbon cycle in the Earth system | Universität Hamburg, Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany |
2009-2023 | Research Scientist | Involved in different projects such as the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programmes 4C on carbon-climate interactions and COMFORT on ocean tipping elements, a German national project MiKlip on decadal climate prediction and Cluster of Excellence project CliSAP on stochastic meso-scale processes. In the meanwhile, I participated in the WCRP Grand Challenge: carbon feedbacks in the climate system. Moreover, I have engaged in writing chapter 9 of the IPCC AR5 and chapter 4 of the IPCC AR6 as a contributing author. | Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Germany |
2007-2008 | Visiting scholar | Using atmosphere general circulation models under different forcings to systematically investigate the potential causes of the decadal changes of the East Asian summer monsoon. | National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, USA |
2004-2009 | Research assistant | Investigation of global and regional monsoon systems and corresponding climate change and mechanisms based on both observations and numerical models. | Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of sciences, Beijing, China |
Education
2004-2009 | Ph.D. Meteorology | Numerical study on the decadal shift of East Asian summer monsoon during 1950-2000 | Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China |
2004-2007 | M.Sc. Meteorology | Observational analyses and numerical simulations of mid-summer precipitation and temperature variations over China in the past 40 years | Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China |
2000-2004 | B.Sc. Atmospheric Science | Summertime response of the sensible heat and winds to the Indian-Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies Double major: Computer Science and Technology. The application of virtual private network (VPN) in meteorology | Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou,China |
Teaching and Tutoring
• 2024-, Co-advisor of PhD student Danai Filippou
• 2023-, Co-advisor of PhD student Yafei Wang
• 2022-2023, Co-advisor of Master student Kelli Johnson
• 2016-2017, Co-advisor of Master student Aaron Spring
Awards and Scholarships
• 2021 Max Planck Institute Bonus for exceptional contribution
• 2009 The prestige award of Chinese Academy of Sciences
• 2008 Excellent Student of Institute of Atmospheric Physics
• 2006 Scholarship of Institute of Atmospheric Physics
• 2004 Excellent Graduated Student of Sun Yat-sen University
• 2000-2004 Scholarship of Sun Yat-sen University
Publikationen
- Li, H., Ilyina, T., Loughran, T., Spring, A., and Pongratz, J., 2023: Reconstructions and predictions of the global carbon budget with an emission-driven Earth System Model, Earth Syst. Dynam., 14: 101-119, doi: 10.5194/esd-14-101-2023
- Li, H., T. Ilyina, W.A. Müller, and P. Landschützer, 2019: Predicting the variable ocean carbon sink. Science Advances, 5: eaav6471. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aav6471
- Li, H., T. Ilyina, W.A. Müller, and F. Sienz, 2016: Decadal predictions of the North Atlantic CO2 uptake. Nature Communications, 7, 11076, doi: 10.1038/ncomms11076