Hello, I am Zongrun Li. I am presently working as a Research Scientist in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Colorado State University, under the supervision of Dr. John Volckens. I received my PhD from Georgia Tech in LAMDA(λ): Laboratory for Atmospheric Modeling, Diagnostics and Analysis advised by Dr. M. Talat Odman and Dr. Ted Russell. My research topics include:
  • Coupling fire-behavior model with chemical transport model.
  • Estimation of prescribed fire emissions from remote sensing datasets.
  • Health impacts of prescribed fires.
  • Tradeoffs between wildfires and prescribed fires.
  • Deep learning driven fire and smoke forecast system.

During my PhD program, I also earned a Master of Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) from Georgia Tech, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Applied Mathematics from Nankai University.
Zongrun Li

zongrun.li at colostate.edu

Colorado State University
Fort Collins

ResearchGate
Github
Linkedin
Google ScholarGoogle Scholar

Publications

See also Google Scholar

Sort by:
  • graphic abstract
    Impact of Prescribed Fire Emissions on Ambient PM2.5 and Its Components in the Southeastern US2026
    Kamal J. Maji, Zongrun Li, Yongtao Hu, Jennifer D. Stowell, Chad W. Milando, Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Gregory A. Wellenius, Patrick L. Kinney, Armistead G. Russell, M. Talat Odman
    ACS Environmental Au, 2026, DOI: 10.1021/acsenvironau.6c00072
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    A generalized user-friendly method for fusing observational data and chemical transport model (Gen-Friberg V1.0: GF-1)2026
    Zongrun Li, Abiola S. Lawal, Bingqing Zhang, Kamal J. Maji, Pengfei Liu, Yongtao Hu, Armistead G. Russell, M. Talat Odman
    Environmental Modelling & Software, 2026, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2025.106827
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Comparisons of High Spatiotemporal Resolution Air Quality Modeling Frameworks for Prescribed Burning Simulations at a Military Base in the Southeastern United States2025
    Zongrun Li, Rime El Asmar, Susan O’Neill, Yongtao Hu, Haofei Yu, Yunyao Li, David J. Tanner, L. Gregory Huey, Rodney J. Weber, Armistead G. Russell, M. Talat Odman
    Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 2025, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JD044677
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    An investigation of corrective approaches for uncertain winds and analysis of impacts on smoke model performance2026
    Zongrun Li, Susan M. O’Neill, Rime El Asmar, Yongtao Hu, Adam K. Kochanski, Angel Farguell, Jan Mandel, David J. Tanner, L. Gregory Huey, Armistead G. Russell, Rodney J. Weber, M. Talat Odman
    Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 2026, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110885
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Associations between PM2.5 from prescribed burning and emergency department visits in 11 Southeastern US states2025
    Jennifer D. Stowell, Kamal J. Maji, Zongrun Li, Yongtao Hu, Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Chad Milando, Armistead G. Russell, Patrick L. Kinney, M. Talat Odman, Gregory A. Wellenius
    Environment International, 2025, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109770
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Formation of Ozone and PM2.5 in Smoke from Prescribed Burning in the Southeastern United States2025
    Rime El Asmar, Zongrun Li, Haofei Yu, Susan O’Neill, David J. Tanner, L. Gregory Huey, M. Talat Odman, Rodney J. Weber
    ACS ES\&T Air, 2025, DOI: 10.1021/acsestair.4c00231
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    The Trade-offs between Wildfires and Prescribed Fires: A Case Study for 2016 Gatlinburg Wildfires2025
    Zongrun Li, Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Kamal J. Maji, Yongtao Hu, Susan M. O’Neill, Armistead G. Russell, M. Talat Odman
    ACS ES\&T Air, 2025, DOI: 10.1021/acsestair.4c00233
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Prescribed burn related increases of population exposure to PM2.5 and O3 pollution in the southeastern US over 2013–20202024
    Kamal J. Maji, Zongrun Li, Yongtao Hu, Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Jennifer D. Stowell, Chad Milando, Gregory Wellenius, Patrick L. Kinney, Armistead G. Russell, M. {Talat Odman}
    Environment International, 2024, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2024.109101
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Estimated Impacts of Prescribed Fires on Air Quality and Premature Deaths in Georgia and Surrounding Areas in the US, 2015–20202024
    Kamal J. Maji, Zongrun Li, Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Yongtao Hu, Jennifer D. Stowell, Chad Milando, Gregory Wellenius, Patrick L. Kinney, Armistead G. Russell, M. Talat Odman
    Environmental Science \& Technology, 2024, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c00890
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Impact of the 2022 New Mexico, US wildfires on air quality and health2024
    Kamal J. Maji, Bonne Ford, Zongrun Li, Yongtao Hu, Leiqiu Hu, Chelsea Eastman Langer, Colin Hawkinson, Srikanth Paladugu, Stephanie Moraga-McHaley, Brian Woods, Melissa Vansickle, Christopher K. Uejio, Courtney Maichak, Olivia Sablan, Sheryl Magzamen, Jeffrey R. Pierce, Armistead G. Russell
    Science of The Total Environment, 2024, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174197
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires2024
    Rime El Asmar, Zongrun Li, David J Tanner, Yongtao Hu, Susan O'Neill, L Gregory Huey, M Talat Odman, Rodney J Weber
    Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2024, DOI: 10.5194/acp-24-12749-2024
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Predicting PM2.5 levels and exceedance days using machine learning methods2024
    Ziqi Gao, Khanh Do, Zongrun Li, Xiangyu Jiang, Kamal J. Maji, Cesunica E. Ivey, Armistead G. Russell
    Atmospheric Environment, 2024, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2024.120396
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    An Analysis of Prescribed Fire Activities and Emissions in the Southeastern United States from 2013 to 20202023
    Zongrun Li, Kamal J. Maji, Yongtao Hu, Ambarish Vaidyanathan, Susan M. O’Neill, M. Talat Odman, Armistead G. Russell
    Remote Sensing, 2023, DOI: 10.3390/rs15112725
    Cite / PDF
  • graphic abstract
    Application of an improved gas-constrained source apportionment method using data fused fields: A case study in North Carolina, USA2022
    Ran Huang, Zongrun Li, Cesunica E. Ivey, Xinxin Zhai, Guoliang Shi, James A. Mulholland, Robert Devlin, Armistead G. Russell
    Atmospheric Environment, 2022, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119031
    Cite / PDF

Projects

  • CMAQ-HDDM and Observation-derived Ozone Isopleths
    Corresponding to Comparison of Chemical Transport Model and Observation Derived Ozone-NOx-VOC Isopleths for the South Coast Air Basin of California

  • SERDP Simulations
    Corresponding to Comparisons of High-Spatiotemporal Resolution Air Quality Modeling Frameworks for Prescribed Burning Simulations at Military Bases in the Southeastern United States

  • BlueSky Configuration Resources
    Generate a Json format files for running BlueSky Framework.

  • BlueSky-provided CMAQ Emissions
    The is a Python-based function to convert BlueSky pipeline outputs to 4D dimensional point-based fire emissions (TIME × X × Y × LAYERS).

  • Data Fusion
    The is a Python-based, user-friendly data fusion code. Fuse CMAQ with observational data to reduce CMAQ bias.
  • Prescribed Fire Detection Algorithm
    Burn-type differentiation for satellite-derived fire detection products. Seperate wildfires, Rx fires, and agricultural burning.

Peer Review

  • Reviewer of International Journal of Wildland Fire, 2024
  • Reviewer of ACS ES&T Air, 2024, 2025
  • Reviewer of AGU Advances, 2025
  • Reviewer of Journal of Environmental Management, 2024, 2025
  • Reviewer of Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2025
  • Reviewer of Scientific Reports, 2025

Talks

Plain Academic