Yunnan university, China
👨🎓Profiles
🎓 Early Academic Pursuits
Dr. Kaihui Zhao’s journey into atmospheric science began with a B.S. in Atmospheric Science from Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, where he studied under the mentorship of Prof. Jia Liang. Driven by a strong curiosity for environmental dynamics, he further pursued a Ph.D. in Applied Meteorology at the same institution under the joint supervision of Prof. Yunxuan Bao and Prof. Jianping Huang. During his doctoral tenure (2014–2019), he gained international exposure through a visiting Ph.D. program at NOAA-CREST, City University of New York, where he collaborated with Prof. Fred Moshary. This experience deeply enriched his expertise in ozone pollution and transboundary air quality dynamics, laying a solid foundation for a career devoted to atmospheric environmental research.
👨🔬 Professional Endeavors
Following his Ph.D., Dr. Zhao worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher and later an Associate Researcher at the School of Environment and Energy, South China University of Technology, under Prof. Zibing Yuan. He joined the School of Earth Sciences at Yunnan University in 2022 as an Associate Professor and Master’s Supervisor. Throughout his academic career, he has taken on numerous leadership roles including:
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Committee Member of the Ozone Pollution Control Committee of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences
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Guest Editor for Atmosphere (MDPI)
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Youth Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Earth Sciences and Environment
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Peer Reviewer for top-tier journals like Atmospheric Environment, Remote Sensing, Environmental Research Letters, and more.
Dr. Zhao is also a recognized expert for Yunnan Provincial Environmental Protection funding programs.
🔬 Contributions and Research Focus
Dr. Zhao’s scientific contributions span a variety of interdisciplinary domains:
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Stratosphere-Troposphere Ozone Exchange: He investigates how stratospheric intrusions contribute to surface-level ozone spikes, especially in complex terrains like the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.
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Nonlinear Ozone-Precursor Dynamics: His research dissects how ozone responds to various precursor emissions in photochemically active regions.
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Synergistic Control of Ozone and PM2.5: Dr. Zhao emphasizes integrated pollution control strategies, which is vital for effective air quality management.
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AI in Environmental Science: He applies deep learning and graph neural networks to enhance the accuracy of ozone forecasting models.
As Principal Investigator, he has led over 10 major national and provincial research projects, funded by the NSFC, Yunnan Provincial Government, and other entities. He has also participated in key R&D programs related to air pollution control technologies across China.
🏆 Accolades and Recognition
Dr. Zhao’s expertise and dedication have earned him multiple honors:
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Youth Talent under Yunnan’s “Xingdian Talent Support Program”
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Donglu Young Scholar, Yunnan University’s high-impact talent introduction initiative
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Multiple awards from the Xianyang Science and Technology Progress and Meteorological Societies, including a First Prize in Science and Technology Achievement (2021)
In addition to his scientific honors, he received an Outstanding Award in the 18th Teaching Competition at Yunnan University, demonstrating excellence in both research and pedagogy.
🌏 Impact and Influence
Dr. Zhao has authored and co-authored numerous high-impact scientific papers published in journals such as Environment International, Atmospheric Environment, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, and Journal of Environmental Sciences. His work is widely cited and referenced in both academic and governmental environmental circles. He is a lead author of the “China Blue Book on Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Ozone Pollution” (2020, 2023) and the public-oriented “Q&A on Ozone Pollution Prevention and Control,” both of which inform national strategies for air quality improvement.
🌟 Legacy and Future Contributions
Dr. Zhao stands at the intersection of atmospheric science, environmental policy, and machine learning. His legacy lies in bridging rigorous environmental modeling with actionable solutions that address regional and national air quality issues. Looking ahead, he continues to explore the frontier of AI-enhanced environmental forecasting. His upcoming projects aim to integrate satellite remote sensing, large-scale atmospheric modeling, and machine learning into a unified framework for pollution prediction—potentially revolutionizing how governments respond to and mitigate air quality hazards.
📖Notable Publications
A novel approach to identify the spatial characteristics of ozone-precursor sensitivity based on interpretable machine learning
Authors: Huiling He; Kaihui Zhao; Zibing Yuan; Jin Shen; Yujun Lin; Shu Zhang; Menglei Wang; Anqi Wang; Puyu Lian
Journal: Environmental Sciences
Year: 2025
Attention scores and peak perception in long-term ozone prediction using deep learning
Authors:Zhihao Xu; Danni Xu; Wenguang Li; Puyu Lian; Yuheng Chen; Fangyuan Yang; Kaihui Zhao
Journal: Environmental Sciences
Year: 2025
Optimizing Ozone Control Strategies for Chinese Megacity Clusters Under the Influence of Stratospheric Intrusion
Authors: Kaihui Zhao; Wen Chen; Puyu Lian; Danni Xu
Journal: Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Year: 2025
Characterization and Source Apportionment Analysis of PM2.5 and Ozone Pollution over Fenwei Plain, China: Insights from PM2.5 Component and VOC Observations
Authors: Litian Xu; Bo Wang; Ying Wang; Huipeng Zhang; Danni Xu; Yibing Zhao; Kaihui Zhao
Journal: Toxics
Year: 2025
Impact of stratospheric intrusions on surface ozone enhancement in Hong Kong in the lower troposphere: Implications for ozone control strategy
Authors: Kaihui Zhao; Yuheng Chen; Puyu Lian; Wenguang Li; Fangyuan Yang; Xiufang Zhang; Ruowen Yang
Journal: Atmospheric Environment
Year: 2024