Geng Li, Ph.D.

Email: gengli@uchicago.edu         Google Scholar

Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of the Geophysical Sciences, Physical Sciences Division
The University of Chicago (UChicago)

PhD in Individualized Interdisciplinary Program (Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences), 2025
Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)

Visiting Scholar, 2024
Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Department of Computer Science, University College London (UCL)

My research focuses on how human activities shape biosphere–atmosphere interactions within the food–environment–climate nexus. I integrate atmospheric modeling with science-informed machine learning to investigate how agricultural management influences nitrogen losses, crop productivity, air quality, and radiative forcing. I also do microphysics modeling of new particle formation and growth.

I received my B.Sc. from Central South University in 2018. After I completed my master's study at HKUST in 2019, I worked at Lilith Games and miHoYo for a few months. In Sep 2020, I started my PhD at HKUST, working with Prof. Jimmy Fung and Prof. Alexis Lau.

Recent Highlights

2025 Major Advances in Agricultural Science of China, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, 2025

“Machine learning guided fertilizer management for global ammonia emission reduction” selected for the 2023 Top 10 Scientific Achievements in Nitrogen Cycles by the Soil Science Society of China, Aug 2024 [HKUST]

Fertilizer management for global ammonia emission reduction, Jan 2024
A research team led by Professor Jimmy Fung from HKUST and Professor Yi Zheng from SUSTech collected and analyzed data from different regions around the world to understand ammonia emission rates from cropland. Using advanced artificial intelligence technology, we trained a machine learning model to estimate global ammonia emissions under different scenarios of fertilizer management. We then provided detailed strategies for emission reduction at a local level. Press Release: [HKUST] [people.cn] [nature research briefing]

Working Papers

Jiajing Chen, Geng Li*, ..., Alexis K.H. Lau. Does AIS temporal resolution matter? Assessing point-based trajectory thinning biases in shipping emission inventories. Under review at Marine Pollution Bulletin.

Fanlei Meng#, Geng Li#, ..., Wen Xu*. A county-specific roadmap for agricultural ammonia mitigation in China unlocks massive air quality and health co-benefits. Under review at Nature Communications.

Huan Li, Hang Xu, Geng Li, ..., Peng Xu*. Synergizing supply and demand to achieve a 24% curb in China’s livestock nitrogen emissions by 2035. Under review at Nature Communications.

Hang Xu, ..., Geng Li, ..., Lei Liu*. Global spatially explicit sustainable yield index reveals high-yield potential in hunger-vulnerable regions. Under review at Nature Food.

Maria Navarro*, Geng Li, Theo Wolf, Maria Perez-Ortiz. Do machine learning climate models work in changing climate dynamics? Under Review at Machine Learning: Earth.

Geng Li*, Jimmy C.H. Fung, Peng Xu. Delayed implementation of localized fertilizer management might threaten air quality and food security. In preparation.

Geng Li, David Keith, Mingyi Wang*. Sensitivity of lower tropospheric CCN to upper tropospheric particle formation and vertical transport. In preparation.

Publications

(^#joint first authorship, *corresponding author)