I am grateful to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and the Dean for recommending me for the Finishing Fellowship. I also want to extend my sincere thanks to my advisor, Dr. Xin Xi, whose steadfast mentorship has been essential to my development as a researcher. His guidance has shaped my scientific rigor, curiosity, and confidence.
I joined Michigan Tech in Fall 2022 to pursue a PhD in Atmospheric Science, after earning my B.S. from Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology. My research focuses on windblown dust aerosol dynamics and their linkages with climate variability and land-use change. Although climate is a central topic in public discourse, significant uncertainty remains in prediction—uncertainty that motivates my work. Airborne dust influences the Earth’s energy balance, ocean biogeochemistry, air quality, and agricultural productivity; understanding its sources, transport, and impacts is therefore both scientifically important and societally relevant. During my studies, I have characterized global dust variability and its climate connections.
I am deeply appreciative of the opportunities and encouragement provided by the Finishing Fellowship. As a woman scientist, this milestone feels both personal and shared. I carry a hope—for myself and for all women in science: may your voice carry. As I near completion of my PhD, I look forward to contributing further to climate research and applying the skills I have gained to real-world challenges.