CLASP HAPPENINGS SPOTLIGHT: STUDENTS SPOTLIGHT: ALUMNI AWARDS/RECOGNITION NEW GRANTS OBITUARIES CONTACT

Emily Yang says that even as a child she was fascinated by space, and wanted to learn more. “The stars, the planets, and the sun were all really fascinating and exciting to me. Being excited to learn about space was one of my first memories of being excited about science.”

She grew up in Arcadia, CA., just a few miles east of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. One could argue that the proximity of the institution might have played a role in the gravitation of the local students toward the sciences, but other factors contributed as well. “TV shows like The Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy really helped to pique my interest in science,” she says.

Emily earned her B.A. in Physics, with a Minor in Environmental Analysis from Pomona College in 2014. After her undergrad, she spent a year in Germany on a Fulbright Study/Research Grant. The following year, she came to work with Prof. Eric Kort as a research assistant. She received her M.S. from CLaSP in 2018, and is currently a PhD candidate under Prof. Kort.

“I chose CLaSP,” she says, “because of the opportunity to do exciting research in my field of interest, climate/atmospheric science, while also being able to easily take part in seminars and events centered on both climate- and space-related topics.” Emily says she really likes the variety of disciplines represented in the Climate & Space department. “It’s amazing…and being able to interact with people in all these different fields is a great opportunity.”

Her area of research focuses on carbon dioxide emissions from urban areas in the Middle East, using satellite data modeling. She says she got into this area of research due to a desire to better understand this important driver of climate change. “I think [its] one of the most pressing issues facing the world today.”

After graduation, Emily hopes to work on science policy related to climate change, taking on the intersection between climate science and policy/action. Her goal is to apply the knowledge that she gained from her time in CLaSP to effect positive change in the climate policy realm.

This past summer, Emily won an essay contest sponsored by University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) that gave her the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill with the UCAR leadership and talk with members of Congress about the importance of funding for the atmospheric sciences.

Emily will also represent the department and the U-M as a delegate to the 24th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will take place this December in Katowice, Poland.

Somewhere in there, Emily says she still finds time to unwind by writing fiction and poetry, do yoga, play board games, and watch anime, among other things.

“One of my fondest memories of being at CLaSP was taking a study break to paint and share food with other CLaSP students. Organized by GUStO, the event was a relaxing way to unwind from the semester's stresses and just spend time with friends while making art.”