Ruofei Jia is a 5th year graduate student at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She received her bachelor’s in Geoscience at Colby College and in Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University. Outside of research, she likes to try new food and sing community operas with friends.
Research Description: My research aims to quantify, understand, and predict soil dynamics in natural systems under climate change. Because soil stores more carbon than the atmosphere and vegetation combined, changes in the soil carbon pool need to be tracked and understood for better climate strategies. Using a self-compiled database, I found that soil in forests and grasslands accumulated a large amount of carbon in recent decades, serving as a strong buffer against climate change. Prompted by this finding, my ongoing research continues to understand the mechanisms behind natural soil carbon changes and improve model predictions of soil carbon sequestration.