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by JULIA ST. ANDRE Holding a high-precision GPS unit to support drone flight in Norway. Credit: Brian J. Enquist BORN AND RAISED IN
the planet. And that’s causing what
it, you know, working and trying to
CALIFORNIA , JON WANG’S
we call a biome shift,” explains Wang.
pay off student loans. I decided that
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE TOOK
By utilizing decades of satellite data
I wanted to try to understand that
HIM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO
from sources such as NASA, Wang
whole issue a lot better.”
BROWN UNIVERSIT Y WHERE HE
is able to observe changes to these
STUDIED BIOLOGY AND GEOLOGY.
ecosystems over long periods of time
Wang began his career by researching
by combining machine learning and
urban heat islands and forestry in
“It was the major that had the most
data science to transform the satellite
an effort to understand the role that
field trips,” jokes Wang. “It really set
information
trees play in
me down on this path of trying to
into useful
urban ecology,
understand the Earth system overall,
datasets. Having
carbon capture,
and how biogeochemical cycles like
a big-picture
and human
the carbon cycle or nutrient cycles
view of these
health. Though
interact and form the world as we
ecosystems
there are fewer
know it today.”
helps inform
trees in cities,
these scientists
they play an
Wang is now an Earth systems
about where, when, and why certain
important role in the absorption of
scientist who recently joined the
ecosystems have changed and what
carbon emissions. “We were working
faculty of the School of Biological
that means for addressing climate
towards a better understanding of
Sciences as an assistant professor.
change.
urban ecology so we can account for the urban forest part in this carbon
Wang’s current research revolves
As he began his PhD at Boston
budget, and that can in turn improve
around understanding environmental
University, climate change was at the
our ability to evaluate these carbon
changes to ecosystems in places like
forefront of global conversation. Wang
emissions programs that cities are
Canada and Alaska, where rapidly
says he felt compelled to be more
trying to implement,” says Wang.
warming temperatures are reshaping
involved with research surrounding
Closer to home, Wang also studied the
the variety of plant life that grows
climate solutions. “Things were
California wildfires and their impact
in those areas. “In the far north, it’s
starting to feel pretty serious, and I
on both urban and wild areas.
warming faster than anywhere else on
felt like I was really outside of all of
RECOGNITION & RESEARCH | 2023