Suqin Duan

Hello, welcome to my site!​ I am a scientist interested in understanding the physical principles governing Earth-system variability, change, and extremes. My research uses heatwaves, precipitation extremes, and land hydroclimate as lenses through which to investigate broader questions about atmospheric dynamics, convection, land–atmosphere interactions, and the response of the Earth system to climate change. I combine physical theory, observations and data analysis, and numerical modeling to identify mechanisms and constraints that can explain complex climate behavior across regions, scales, and climate states.

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Much of my recent work asks how apparently diverse climate phenomena can be organized by underlying physical structure. Increasingly, I am also interested in how these physical principles can guide and interact with machine learning, and how fundamental climate understanding can contribute to risk assessment and climate solutions.

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Over the past decade, I’ve had the privilege to work with great scientists in physics, atmospheric science, statistics, and land hydrology, and to grow alongside excellent peers. These precious experiences have shaped the way I think scientifically, strengthened my analytical and programming skills, and deepened my drive to create high-quality, meaningful work.

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​​Beyond research, I care deeply about science education and communication. I did not grow up immersed in science, but came to appreciate its ways of thinking through my own educational and professional journey. On a gentle note, I believe this scientific mindset and way of understanding the world is still highly underrepresented in society, especially among women and in perceptions of women. I hope to play a small part in changing this.​

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Outside of science, I practice classical Chinese dance and ballet, and have a broader interest in culture and the arts. I hope to one day weave elements of humanity and art into science communication, so that more people can truly feel the beauty of both science and art, and into the lives of scientists themselves. Perhaps, in a small way, this can also broaden our sense of what a rigorous scientist can look like. :)​​