YL
Member Since 2004
Yang Liu
Professor, Emory University
Dr. Yang Liu is Gangarosa Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Gangarosa Department of Environment Health at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University. His research interests include satellite aerosol retrieval and product design, applications of satellite data in public health research, impacts of global climate change on public health, GIS and machine learning.
Professional Experience
Emory University
Professor
2009 - Present
Education
Harvard University
Doctorate
2004
University of California Davis
Masters
1999
University of California - Davis
Masters
1999
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Honors & Awards
GeoHealth Section Award
Received December 2023
Citation
Dr. Yang Liu is an internationally recognized expert in estimating the effects of air pollution on human health. His work has specifically targeted the intersection between public health and geosciences, and he was one of the first researchers to recognize the value of remote sensing data usage in air pollution modeling. His methods use state-of-the-art satellite remote sensing technologies and massive data streams to further our understanding surrounding air pollution exposure modeling. Dr. Liu has been actively involved in many key scientific advances in exposure science, including the development of new satellite instruments such as NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA). His mentorship and research philosophy continue to attract talented students and postdocs from around the world. Work from Dr. Liu’s group is internationally renowned, publishing groundbreaking research on a variety of public health topics, including the impact of air pollution on pregnancy and childbirth and the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on human health. Dr. Liu is the founder of the Emory Climate and Health Research Incubator at the Rollins School of Public Health (RSPH), providing a platform to facilitate interdisciplinary research in the study of climate and health. The Incubator brings together researchers from multiple disciplines, including medicine, social sciences, environmental science, and public health. Dr. Liu currently serves as the inaugural Gangarosa Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Environmental Health at RSPH.
—Jennifer D. Stowell, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston
Response
Receiving the GeoHealth Section Award from AGU is a remarkable distinction, and I am profoundly appreciative of this recognition bestowed upon me by my peers. Two decades ago, I was fortunate to be among the first researchers to explore the untapped potential of satellite remote sensing technology and data products for the purpose of understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of air pollutants. Since then, many colleagues have joined this collective endeavor, driving this emerging discipline to unprecedented heights. The efforts of my research group, in conjunction with numerous others, have established the methodology of integrating satellite Earth observations and atmospheric chemical transport model simulations in order to provide long-term, high-quality air pollution exposure estimates. To date, such an approach has gone well beyond the domain of geophysical sciences and become a well-recognized exposure assessment tool by air quality management, public health officials, and environmental epidemiologists. I believe that my research journey can serve as an example of geohealth, a nascent field that brings geophysical, biological, and public health scientists together to realize overarching societal benefits at the interface of the Earth and health sciences. Nevertheless, geohealth is still in its infancy, and its interdisciplinary nature makes working in this space both exhilarating and challenging. I am inspired by the evolving perspectives of government agencies such as NASA, NOAA, and the European Space Agency (ESA), who have started to factor societal impacts including public health benefits into the early stages of satellite mission design. These measures are poised to create exciting new opportunities for the geohealth researchers to work with their stakeholders toward innovative methodological development and applications. I am immensely grateful to be a member of this vibrant community and am committed to nurturing the next generation of scientists, supporting them to join and contribute to this flourishing discipline.
—Yang Liu, Emory University, Atlanta
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Current Roles
Editor
GeoHealth
Publications
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Satellite‐Based Long‐Term Spatiotemporal Trends in Ambient NO2 Concentrations and Attributable Healt...
Despite the recent development of using satellite remote sensing to predict surface NO2 levels in China, methods for estimating reliable historical...
May 17, 2023
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Satellite-Based Daily PM2.5 Estimates During Fire Seasons in...
August 03, 2018
AGU Abstracts
A National Cohort Study of Long-Term Exposure to PM2.5 Components and Incident Dementia in Medicare American Older Adults
EXPLORING INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGIES AND STUDY DESIGNS IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH: FOSTERING KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE AND COLLABORATION POSTER
geohealth | 14 december 2023
yanling deng, Hua Hao, Joel M. Schwartz, Yang Liu,...
Introduction: Growing evidence suggests that long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is linked to an increased risk of dementia. However...
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Socially Disadvantaged Communities in Southern California are Under Elevated Risk of Warehouse and E-Commerce Associated Air Pollution
GEOSPATIAL DATA APPLICATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE I POSTER
geohealth | 14 december 2023
Binyu Yang, Yang Liu, Qingyang Zhu, Prachi Prasad,...
Over the past few decades, global economic growth has created an optimal environment for manufacturing, leading to significant growth in the warehouse...
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Status of the Spaceborne and In-situ Observational Elements of the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) Investigation into Linkages Between Speciated Particulate Matter Air Pollution and Human Health
GLOBAL AND REGIONAL NEAR-SURFACE AEROSOL PARTICULATE MATTER (E.G., PM<SUB>2.5</SUB>) USING MEASUREMENTS, RETRIEVALS, AND/OR MODEL SIMULATIONS II ORAL
atmospheric sciences | 14 december 2023
David J. Diner, Lori O. Bator, Sina Hasheminassab,...
The Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) investigation is aimed at linking exposure to different types of ambient particulate matter (PM) with adver...
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Volunteer Experience
2024 - 2027
Editor
GeoHealth
Check out all of Yang Liu’s AGU Research!
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