Clouds, Aerosols, Wildfires, and Extreme Heat: From Physical Processes to Climate Impacts with Professor Minghui Diao

The event titled Clouds, Aerosols, Wildfires, and Extreme Heat: From Physical Processes to Climate Impacts with Professor Minghui Diao will take place at the South Kensington Campus of Imperial College in London, United Kingdom. This insightful talk will be delivered by Professor Minghui Diao, a Full Professor in the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San Jose State University. With a robust background in clouds, aerosols, and climate impacts, her research employs both observational techniques and Earth system models to deepen our understanding of these critical environmental factors.Professor Diao's presentation will focus on ice and mixed-phase cloud microphysics and aerosol-cloud interactions, which are significant modulators of the Earth's climate system. The discussion will highlight findings from over 20 field campaigns that provided multi-scale observations across different global regions, including the polar areas, midlatitudes, and tropics. By comparing these observations with several Earth system models, her research aims to enhance the accuracy of climate models. Notably, her work has revealed that many current models underestimate the effects of aerosols on ice and mixed-phase clouds. The latter part of the talk will delve into the climate impacts specific to California, particularly concerning wildfire risks and extreme heat, utilizing regionally refined climate models and innovative machine learning techniques. Professor Diao's impressive credentials include a degree from Peking University and a Ph.D., along with several prestigious fellowships, such as the NCAR ASP Faculty and Postdoc Fellowships and the NASA NESSF Fellowship. She is also actively involved in the National Academy of Sciences Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (BASC) and serves as an editor for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.