Yang Liu

Emory University

Biography 

Dr. Yang Liu received his PhD in environmental science and engineering from Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 2004 and completed his postdoctoral training at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He is the Gangarosa Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University. His research interests include satellite aerosol retrieval and product design, public health applications of satellite data, climate change and health, machine learning and spatial statistics. Over the past 16 years, Dr. Liu has led many research projects  to apply various satellite data products in modeling population exposure to various environmental stressors such as air pollution, extreme heat, wildland fires, and UV radiation, as well as the associated health impacts including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health issues. In addition, he applies dynamically downscaled high-resolution regional climate projections to estimate spatially resolved population risks associated with extreme heat, air pollution, and infectious diseases that can be attributed to future climate change. He was an ORISE faculty fellow at the National Center for Environmental Health at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a Co-investigator of USEPA's Southeastern Center for Air Pollution and Epidemiology (SCAPE), and a science team member of the MISR instrument on the NASA satellite and the OMI instrument on the NASA Aura satellite. He is currently a science team member of the NASA EVI-3 MAIA mission and a member of the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Science Team (2011-present). In addition, he directs the NIH-funded Climate & Health Actionable Research and Translation Center at Emory University.

Abstract: The Multi-faceted Health Impact of Wildfires

Wildfires are an increasingly urgent environmental and public health challenge, driven by climate change, land use patterns, and human activities. This lecture situates wildfire research within the broader field of environmental health, highlighting the complex and far-reaching health consequences of wildfire events. Beyond the immediate threat to human life and properties, wildfire smoke significantly deteriorates air quality and exposes populations to harmful particulate matter (PM2.5), contributing to both acute and chronic health risks. Emerging evidence links wildfire smoke not only to respiratory illnesses but also to cardiovascular diseases, mental health disorders, and cancer recovery. Vulnerable populations, including the elderly, children, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, face heightened risks. The presentation underscores the importance of developing accurate exposure models and applying rigorous epidemiological methods to quantify these health effects. Advancing this research is critical for informing public health preparedness, guiding policy interventions, and protecting communities from the escalating health burdens associated with wildfires.