Lai-yung Ruby Leung

Lai-yung Ruby Leung is a Battelle Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) working in Earth Systems Analysis & Modeling. She serves as Chief Scientist of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, leading major efforts to develop state-of-the-art capabilities for modeling human-Earth system processes on high-performance computers. Dr. Leung's research broadly spans climate and hydrological cycle modeling with expertise in land-atmosphere interactions, orographic processes, monsoon climate, and climate extremes.

Dr. Leung earned her educational credentials from prestigious institutions:

• Ph.D., Atmospheric Science, Texas A&M University
• M.S., Atmospheric Science, Texas A&M University
• B.S. (Honors), Physics & Statistics, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Her research interests focus on regional and global climate modeling, land-atmosphere interactions, and the regional hydrologic cycle. She investigates orographic precipitation mechanisms, climate extremes, climate variability and change, and aerosol-cloud interactions. Her work integrates advanced modeling techniques with observational data to understand complex Earth system processes, with research featured in Science, Popular Science, Wall Street Journal, and National Public Radio. Dr. Leung has published over 500 peer-reviewed papers and serves as an editor for the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Hydrometeorology.

Analysis of Dr. Leung's recent publications reveals her leadership in developing and applying the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), with significant contributions to understanding mesoscale convective systems, soil moisture dynamics, urban hydrology, and climate extremes. Her work demonstrates increasing integration of machine learning techniques with traditional climate modeling approaches, particularly in model evaluation frameworks and high-resolution simulations. She maintains strong focus on practical applications of climate science for understanding water resources, extreme weather events, and climate change impacts.

Dr. Leung's scientific recognition includes:

• Election to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
• Election to the Washington State Academy of Sciences (WSAS)
• Fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU)
• Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS)
• Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• AMS Hydrologic Sciences Medal (2022)
• U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science Distinguished Scientist Fellow (2021)
• Reuter's Hot List of top 1,000 most influential climate scientists (2021)
• AGU Jacob Bjerknes Lecture (2020)
• AGU Bert Bolin Global Environmental Change Award (2019)

As Chief Scientist of E3SM, Dr. Leung leads major research initiatives funded by the Department of Energy and has organized key workshops sponsored by DOE, NSF, NOAA, and NASA. She has served on numerous advisory panels and National Academies committees that define future priorities in Digital Twin, AI/ML, climate modeling, hydroclimate, and water cycle research. Her professional service includes membership on the Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of the National Academies, council membership with the American Meteorological Society, and editorial roles for prominent journals.

Dr. Leung directs research within PNNL's Earth Systems Analysis & Modeling group, collaborating with national and international climate research teams. She leads efforts to advance the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), which represents cutting-edge capabilities in modeling human-Earth system processes. Her work connects with multiple PNNL research areas including atmospheric science, global change, and coastal science, contributing to the laboratory's mission of addressing complex environmental challenges through scientific innovation.