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Meet our 2023-2025 Fellows

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Areidy Beltran-Peña

Areidy Beltran-Pena

Noah Diffenbaugh Lab
Earth System Science

Areidy Aracely Beltran-Peña holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Science as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Earth Science and a Master’s degree in Earth and Planetary Science all from the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on assessing the impacts of climate change on water resources and agricultural systems using integrated assessment and Earth system models at global and regional scales.  As a Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean's Postdoctoral Fellow, Areidy will work with Professor Noah Diffenbaugh to develop a climate risk assessment framework for agriculture and energy systems reliant on mountain snowpack and precipitation under global warming. Her research will identify opportunities to adapt water-energy-food systems to changes in snow hydrology and precipitation regimes in a possible future with extreme precipitation and reduced snowpack. Her work will provide stakeholders and managers in the water, agricultural, and energy sectors with high-resolution data and climate risk reports, enabling a coordinated, integrated approach to building climate resilience in California. Areidy is the first in the history of her family to accomplish these educational milestones.  She is passionate about inspiring other students to pursue higher education through outreach initiatives, including invited talks, active mentoring, and research. Her number one message to them is “Si se puede!” – encouraging them to believe in themselves and reach for the stars. 

Marvin Browne

Marvin Browne

Alexandra Konings Lab
Earth System Science

Marvin is a plant physiological ecologist whose research operates at the intersection of plant physiology and the remote sensing. He is a first-generation Trinidadian-American raised in Washington, DC. Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, and DC, he was introduced to the beauty and diversity of our world’s plants, which encouraged him to pursue Biology. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Occidental College and will receive his PhD from the University of California Los Angeles’ Ecology and Evolutionary Biology department. As an undergraduate, he studied vulnerability of Costa Rican bromeliads to drought. In his dissertation, he aims to better understand variation in plant responses to drought and the implementation of remote sensing tools to scale drought responses from leaves to ecosystems. As climate change continues to challenge ecosystems globally, he strives to demonstrate the importance of bridging multiple scientific disciplines to improve ecosystem health. As a Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean’s Postdoctoral Fellow, Marvin will be (1) developing novel tools for remotely sensed drought tolerance for entire ecosystems to characterize across-canopy and -species variation, (2) assessing variation in estimates of ecosystem water status and drought tolerance traits across time and space, and (3) providing implications for ecosystem functioning and vulnerable forests (e.g., wildfire prevalence, variation in species’ resilience lending to variation in species turnover). He looks forward to connecting with the Stanford community and supporting efforts to embrace diverse ideas and people. 

Zhi Li

Zhi Li

Steven Gorelick Lab
Earth System Science

Zhi Li is a dedicated and passionate hydrologist who grew up in an indigenous community in China. This unique upbringing instilled in him a strong sense of responsibility to give back to society and contribute towards a sustainable future for all. After pursing his passion for water resources, Zhi went on to earn a PhD in hydrology from the University of Oklahoma. Having experienced the effects of flooding firsthand, Zhi has committed his work to developing innovative flood models and studying the impacts of climate change on local communities, particularly in terms of flooding. His research is both policy-oriented and decision-driven, focusing on the marginalized communities who are often disproportionately affected by such events. Recognizing the importance of engaging with those affected most by climate change, Zhi has been working closely with Tribal Nations in Oklahoma and Florida in his research. Through collaboration and knowledge-sharing, he aims to create well-informed policies and strategies that protect and empower vulnerable communities. As a Stanford Earth Postdoctoral Fellow, he will further his research by utilizing remote sensing data to provide unbiased flood risk assessments in data-scarce regions. By employing granular flood models, he will assess local flood risks with increased accuracy and precision. He is committed to focusing on marginalized communities around the globe, and seeks to co-produce actionable science that benefits these vulnerable populations.