Our lab is affiliated with the Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences and Computational Science at the University of Texas at El Paso. We are dedicated to exploring a wide spectrum of Earth and environmental sciences, particularly interested in Earth-life systems across different temporal and spatial scales. Our research is driven by the overarching goal of answering fundamental questions about the microscopic/macroscopic interactions, dynamical properties, and evolutionary processes of Earth-life systems as well as identifying basic rules governing Earth’s sustainability and exoplanets’ habitability. We use an ensemble of approaches, including mechanistic theoretical models (based on fundamental physics), high-dimensional mathematical models (with numerical simulations), machine learning methods and big data analyses, computational biology and bioinformatics as well as laboratory experiments.

Main Research Interests

• Methodological Research
  • Mechanistic theories, computational algorithms, and AI-based models.
  • Causal inference, stochastic process, and probabilistic models.
  • Computational biology & phylogenetics & molecular evolution.
  • Complex systems theory (particularly nonlinear dynamics $\&$ network theory).
• Specific Scientific Topics
  • Biogeochemical cycles, sustainable Earth, and habitable exoplanets.
  • Microbial metabolisms, ecology, and evolution.
  • Co-evolution of Earth and life throughout geological time.