Expertise

Tian is an expert in the areas of global biogeochemical cycles, climate change, ecosystem and earth system modeling.

Tian's primary interest is in the understanding of coupled biogeochemical cycles in the Earth’s ecosystems and dynamics of coupled natural and human systems by using a systems approach and merging new technology (GIS, GPS, RS and Computer Simulation). His research fields have covered a range of topics, including studies of carbon, nitrogen and water cycles in a range of ecosystems across the globe including boreal and temperate forests in North America and East Asia, tropical forests in the Amazon Basin and Southeast Asia, savannas in Africa, grasslands in United States and Mongolia, and croplands in China and United States.

Dr. Tian’s research and teaching concentrate on the broad area of climate and sustainability sciences.


Subject areas:

  • Climate
  • Geospatial and Environmental Informatics
  • Natural Resources Management
Affiliations

Adjunct Professor, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Auburn University

Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College

MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Centers, Labs and Programs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Degrees
PhD, State University of New York, Syracuse, Systems Ecology, 1995
MS, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China, Agronomy and Soil, 1986
BS, Zhejiang University, China, Agronomy, 1982
Keywords
forestry and woodlands