Yiyun 'Ryna' Cui

Yiyun 'Ryna' Cui is an Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and Research Director at the Center for Global Sustainability (CGS). She specializes in global coal transition, climate change mitigation, and international climate policies. Her work focuses on accelerating coal phaseout in key countries like China, India, and South Africa, and she co-directs CGS's China program. She holds a joint appointment at the Joint Global Change Research Institute (a collaboration between PNNL and UMD) and contributed to the IPCC AR6.

Education: PhD in Environmental Policy (University of Maryland), Master's in Public Policy (College of William and Mary), Bachelor's in Management Science and Engineering (Renmin University of China).

Research interests include fossil phaseout strategies, integrated assessment modeling, and low-carbon Belt and Road Initiative scenarios. She leads the Global Fossil Transition Project and analyzes subnational climate actions through America Is All In. Recent work addresses methane emissions uncertainties, U.S.-China collaboration, and decarbonization pathways for nations like South Korea.

Her research highlights co-benefits of climate actions, such as improved air quality and health outcomes. Awards include her role as an IPCC AR6 Contributing Author. She advises on policies to align with 1.5°C pathways and collaborates on global climate strategies with international partners.

Labs/Teams: Center for Global Sustainability, Joint Global Change Research Institute, and interdisciplinary teams at CGS.