Source: School of Atmospheric Sciences
Written by: School of Atmospheric Sciences
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On December 10, 2015, Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar, Director of Joint Global Change Research Institute of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory located at the University of Maryland, visited Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU). Prof. Ma Jun, Vice President of SYSU, met with Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar in Zhongshan Building on South Campus, accompanied by Prof. Yang Jianlin, Secretary of School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Prof. Wang Xuemei from School of Environmental Science and Engineering, and Prof. Yang Song, Deputy Dean of School of Atmospheric Sciences. The two sides discussed issues including research cooperation and joint graduate training program.


On the afternoon of December 10, Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar gave a lecture entitled “Integrated Human-Earth System Research, Modeling and Analyses” to SYSU faculty and students. He introduced the core capability of the Human-Earth system models, and gave examples of their applications such as analysis of infrastructure vulnerability to extreme events; future projections of regional water supply, demand and deficit; and bioenergy’s role in future energy systems in a changing climate. He also talked about the COP21 Climate Conference in Paris as well as future directions and focus areas of Human-Earth system research and modeling.

Dr. Ghassem R. Asrar is the Director of Joint Global Change Research Institute of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory located at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA. Prior to this post, he served as the Director of World Climate Research Program (WCRP) in Geneva, Switzerland from 2008-2013, the Deputy Administrator for Natural Resources and Agricultural Systems with Agricultural Research Service (ARS), of the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2006-2008, and a member of senior executive leadership at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from 1987-2006.