Yuanyu Xie

Associate Research Scholar, Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment (C-PREE), Princeton University

I study the evolving relationship between human systems and the Earth system — how human activities reshape the environment, how changes in the Earth system feed back on human health and society, and how those interactions are changing across scales. I combine observations, Earth system modeling, and emerging data and AI tools to understand these interactions, anticipate environmental risks, and inform more effective responses.

yuanyux@princeton.edu Google Scholar Research Gate ORCID

Hello, my name is Yuanyu Xie. I am an Associate Research Scholar at C-PREE Princeton University. I am currently leading multiple interdisciplinary projects focusing on bridging science and policy to support sustainable, healthy, and carbon-neutral societies, working with Denise L. Mauzerall. I was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at NOAA Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory working with Meiyun Lin and Larry W. Horowitz. I received PhD degrees in atmospheric sciences from Tsinghua University, and bachelor degrees in environmental engineering from Sun Yat-sen University, with exchange experiences at UCLA and the University of Hong Kong.

Research

Climate extremes & Earth system feedbacks

Climate extremes can trigger cascading responses across vegetation, wildfire, atmospheric chemistry, and pollutant transport. I combine observations with Earth system and chemistry-climate models to identify these feedbacks, improve their process representation, and quantify how a changing climate reshapes environmental extremes and human exposure.

Xie, Y.*, Lin, M., Horowitz, L. W., et al. (2022). Tripling of western US particulate pollution from wildfires in a warming climate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(14). Covered by USA Today, CBS News, Politico Pro, Courthouse News, EOS, Phys.org; research highlights from NOAA GFDL and the EU ESM2025 project.
Xie, Y.*, Lin, M., & Horowitz, L. W. (2020). Summer PM2.5 pollution extremes caused by wildfires over the western United States during 2017–2018. Geophysical Research Letters, 47, e2020GL089429.
Xie, Y., et al. (2019). Evaluating the response of summertime surface sulfate to hydroclimate variations in the continental US: role of meteorological inputs in the GEOS-Chem model. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 124, 1662–1679.
Wang, Y., Xie, Y.*, et al. (2017). Adverse effects of increasing drought on air quality via natural processes. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 17(20), 12827–12843.
Lin, M., Horowitz, L. W., Xie, Y., Paulot, F., et al. (2020). Vegetation feedbacks during drought exacerbate ozone air pollution extremes in Europe. Nature Climate Change, 10(5), 444–451.

Environmental health & policy

Environmental change ultimately matters through its consequences for people. I connect environmental observations and model simulations with population exposure, health impacts, disparities, and regulatory frameworks to understand who bears environmental risks, how those risks are changing, and whether existing policies remain effective as the climate changes.

Xie, Y.*, Zhou, M., Hunt, K. M. R., & Mauzerall, D. L. (2024). Recent PM2.5 air quality improvements in India benefited from meteorological variations. Nature Sustainability, 7, 983–993. Covered by Phys.org, Nation.lk, and University of Reading Research News; Princeton C-PREE research highlight.
Xie, Y., et al. (2015). Daily estimation of ground-level PM2.5 concentrations over Beijing using 3 km resolution MODIS AOD. Environmental Science & Technology, 49(20), 12280–12288. ES&T cover article; ACS Editor’s Choice.

Environmental prediction & resilience

Understanding environmental risk creates the opportunity to anticipate and reduce it. I develop prediction frameworks, high-resolution data products, and public-facing tools that translate Earth-system knowledge into actionable information — from seasonal forecasts of pollution risk to climate-informed air-quality management and emerging AI-enabled approaches for environmental prediction and decision-making.

Xie, Y.*, Zhou, M., Hunt, K. M. R., & Mauzerall, D. L. (2026). Seasonal predictability of winter PM2.5 pollution in India through a strong pollution–extratropical storm connection. Science Advances. doi:10.1126/sciadv.aee4549; Featured by UN PreventionWeb (UNDRR); Princeton C-PREE press release.
Xie, Y., et al. (2019). Mapping daily PM2.5 at 500 m resolution over Beijing with improved hazy day performance. Science of The Total Environment, 659, 410–418.
US Wildfire Smoke Pollution Dashboard - county-level wildfire smoke contributions to surface PM2.5 and associated health burden. Lead developer and scientific lead.
India Air Pollution Data Platform - PM2.5 trends, meteorological attribution, and methodology across Indian cities. Lead developer and scientific lead.

Public tools

Wildfire smoke pollution dashboard

The PM2.5 Wildfire Impact Map is an interactive platform designed to explore how fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke affects public health across the United States. By integrating high-resolution air quality estimates with demographic and mortality data, the tool provides a clear picture of how wildfire smoke contributes to health risks over time and across regions.

Link to the dashboard:

https://usfirepollution.mauzerall.scholar.princeton.edu/

India air pollution dashboard

This interactive pollution map provides a platform for exploring the levels, trends, and causes of particulate matter pollution across India. By turning complex environmental datasets into clear and accessible visualizations, the platform helps bridge the gap between science and decision-making, supporting evidence-based strategies to improve air quality at the city and district levels.

Link to the dashboard:

https://indiaairpollution.mauzerall.scholar.princeton.edu/

News

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Our paper on the seasonal predictability of winter PM2.5 in northern India is published in Science Advances. Western disturbances explain roughly 70% of year-to-year variation, and autumn ocean temperatures carry a season of advance warning. Featured by UN PreventionWeb.

I am organizing two sessions at AGU 2026, San Francisco.

Townhall TH43C, A Discussion with Program Managers for Early-Career Scientists

Session A046, Atmospheric Sciences Student, Postdoc, and Early Career Flash Talks

Invited to the AMS Workshop on Wildfire Smoke and Health in Washington, DC, to discuss emerging research on wildfire smoke exposure and health.

I'm mentoring an undergraduate from University of Maryland to work on using deep learning model to understand policy space for meeting new air pollution standards.

I'm serving as chair for the AGU Atmospheric Science Section Early Career Committee Annual Meeting subcommittee

Check out our interactive web platform for India PM2.5 pollution! https://indiaairpollution.mauzerall.scholar.princeton.edu/

Check out our interactive web platform for PM2.5 wildfire smoke impacts! https://usfirepollution.mauzerall.scholar.princeton.edu/

Check out my talk at the David Bradford Seminar Series hosted by Princeton C-PREE. Video recordings

I'm mentoring two Princeton undergraduates through the HMEI internship program to develop web-based interface tools for visualizing our research results!

I'm invited to serve on the AGU Atmospheric Science Section Early Career Committee

Most recent works

Predicting winter PM2.5 air pollution in India a season in advance

Air pollution trends in India underNational Clean Air Program

Projecting future wildfires and smoke air pollution

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