People

Nathan D. Mueller, Associate Professor

Nathan Mueller is an Associate Professor jointly appointed in the Departments of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and Soil and Crop Sciences at Colorado State University, where he leads the Agricultural Sustainability and Climate Impacts (ASCI) Lab. His research uses spatial data science and modeling to quantify how climate variability and change shape agricultural productivity, irrigation and water stress, and greenhouse gas outcomes, along with the feasibility and limits of adaptation. He earned his PhD from the University of Minnesota and was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University. Nathan serves as the Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Research: Food Systems and is a recipient of the AGU Global Environmental Change Early Career Award and the FFAR New Innovator Award.

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Dongyang Wei, Postdoctoral Researcher

Dongyang is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at Colorado State University and is part of the AI-CLIMATE Institute. Her research interests encompass sustainable food systems and climate change. At CSU, she will focus on enhancing yield prediction modeling and investigating practices to help food systems adapt to future climate risks. Dongyang earned her PhD in 2024 from the University of Delaware, where she researched challenges and solutions to achieve resilient and sustainable food supply chains.

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Marian Hsieh, PhD Student

Marian is a PhD student in the Ecosystem Sustainability program at Colorado State University. Her research interests broadly include land-atmosphere interactions and human health. Marian’s dissertation work focuses on impacts of agricultural land-use management on climate and extreme heat exposures. She received a BS in Environmental Science from the University of Washington, focusing in plant ecophysiology. Before joining the lab, she worked in crop-microbe applications and public health in Seattle. Marian is co-advised by Dr. Danica Lombardozzi.

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James Larson, PhD Student

James broadly studies how climate variability and future climate scenarios shape the risks society may experience. Before joining the lab, as part of his Masters degree, he examined how temperature variability can alter public support for mitigation and introduce uncertainty into future emissions pathways. He holds an MS in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University and a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University. Outside of research, James is involved in community-based solutions to food insecurity. Please feel welcome to reach out with any questions and inquiries to collaborate! James is co-advised by Dr. Jim Hurrell.

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Yujie Liu, PhD Student

Yujie is a PhD student in the Ecosystem Sustainability program at Colorado State University and is part of the AI-LEAF Institute. His research interests include the implications of climate change for agricultural production, climate risk, and coupled relationships between climate change and land use adaptations. He received his MS in Earth and Environmental Engineering from Columbia University, and BS in Geographic Information Science from Sun Yat-sen University, focusing on climate change adaptation strategies for agricultural systems.

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Tasya Pane, PhD Student

Tasya is a PhD student in the Ecosystem Sustainability program at Colorado State University, a Fulbright scholar, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Agribusiness at Universitas Sumatera Utara (Indonesia). Her research interests broadly include climate and land use change impacts and adaptation strategies in agricultural management, marketing, supply chains, trade, and policy to design resilient and sustainable agribusiness and food systems. She earned her BS and MS in Agribusiness from Universitas Sumatera Utara, with a focus on agribusiness management, production, trade, and competitiveness. Tasya is co-advised by Dr. Andrea Baudoin Farah.

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Penelope Hunter, MS Student

Penelope is a Master’s student in the Ecosystem Sustainability and Science program at Colorado State University. Her research interests include the relationship between energy use and agriculture within Earth’s climate system. She received her BS from Macalester College in both Economics and Environmental Studies where she focused on natural resources dependency and climate science.

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Kate McGill, Research Technician

Kate is a research technician for the ASCI lab. She recently graduated with her BS in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability from Colorado State University. At CSU, her research focuses on modeling hydrology in agricultural systems, focusing on soil moisture and irrigation. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, and cooking with her friends.

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