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Hi, I’m Beichen

I am an applied climatologist and machine learning engineer.

I am a modeling data scientist at BlackRock and was previously a postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

I develop data-driven models to quantify, analyze, and predict climate extremes, natural hazards, and the risks they pose to society and the economy.

This site brings together my experience, selected projects and publications, public presentations, and writing on modeling, climate analytics, and scientific computing.

If you’d like to know more, visit my GitHub or connect with me on LinkedIn.

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About

I have been focusing on analyzing climate data and building physical and data-driven models to address practical environmental and societal problems. My expertise and research interests sit at the intersection of climate science, natural resources, resilient energy systems, geospatial technologies, and applied machine learning and artificial intelligence.

My master’s and Ph.D. work focused on expanding the scope and capabilities of drought impact assessment. I developed various quantitative models, ranging from regression to neural networks, to analyze and predict multi-dimensional drought impacts, supporting more comprehensive monitoring and more informed response actions.

During my postdoc, I developed an integrated conceptual framework and a coupled agent-based and life cycle assessment model to analyze trade-offs and synergies between natural resources and low-carbon energy in energy transition planning.

Experience

2025-Present
Modeling Data Scientist
BlackRock. United States

Modeling Data Scientist

At BlackRock, I work within climate and energy analytics on modeling approaches that help connect environmental processes, risk, and decision-relevant outcomes. My work emphasizes rigorous quantitative thinking, interpretable modeling, and practical analytical workflows that can support real-world use. This role builds on my research background while pushing the work closer to applied decisions. It has strengthened my focus on scalable modeling, cross-functional communication, and the translation of scientific complexity into clear analytical products.
2024-2025
Postdoctoral Researcher
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Berkeley, California

Postdoctoral Researcher

At Berkeley Lab, I worked on integrated environmental impact assessment for energy transition pathways. A major focus was translating conceptual impact frameworks into quantitative tools that could represent trade-offs among water, land, technology deployment, and community outcomes. I developed a coupled agent-based modeling and life cycle assessment framework to study how pathway portfolios interact with local resource constraints and policy priorities. This work connected modeling design, environmental systems thinking, and scenario-based analysis.
2022
PhD Residency
Frontier Development Lab. Mountain View, California

PhD Residency

I completed a PhD residency with Frontier Development Lab in Mountain View, where I worked in an interdisciplinary research environment focused on applying advanced computational methods to real-world science challenges.

Current Focus

I am currently a modeling data scientist on the Energy and Climate Analytics team at BlackRock. I care about applying scientific analysis to climate and geospatial data in ways that are both rigorous and useful for financial decision-making. That means combining domain knowledge from earth and climate science with statistics, machine learning, remote sensing, and cloud computing. Across industry and research roles, my work has consistently brought together scientific interpretation and professional modeling workflows.
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View full experience

Education

2019-2024
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
PhD in Natural Resource Sciences (Climate Assessment and Impacts), Minor in Statistics
2017-2019
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
MS in Natural Resource Sciences (Climate Assessment and Impacts)
2013-2017
Northwest A&F University
BS in Geographic Information Science

Writing

I use the blog to share conference updates, project notes, and reflections from my work across climate assessment, AI, and scientific modeling.

Read the blog