Flying high in the sky
NOAA CSL
Flying high in the sky
NOAA CSL
Jianhao Zhang, a CIRES research scientist in NOAA’s Chemical Sciences Laboratory, studies clouds and their interactions with climate from small to large scales. In 2016, Zhang traveled to Namibia to study the impact of biomass-burning smoke on the climate in a NASA airborne campaign — he flew through clouds and smoke layers, and he explored the World’s oldest desert. Zhang “fell in love with [basketball] in fifth grade,” and has played ever since. If he could be any animal, he would be a hawk because he “must have been a bird in a past life.”
Jianhao Zhang in front of Binnenhof, the meeting place of the States General and the office of the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, during a work trip to Den Haag, the Netherlands in summer 2024.
Humans of CIRES Q&A
Q: What is your role at CIRES?
I study clouds, their impact on our climate, and how the changing climate has modified them. I'm interested in depicting their morphology, evolution, and microphysical properties at cloud, regional, and global scales.
Q: Where is the most exciting place you’ve traveled to for your research/job?
I was thrilled when I learned that I had the opportunity to travel to Namibia in 2016 with my PhD advisor, Paquita Zuidema, to participate in the NASA airborne campaign ORACLES. Nearly a third of the Earth's biomass emissions originate from southern Africa each year, and the campaign aimed to advance our understanding of the impact of biomass-burning smoke on the climate. I journeyed across three continents to reach Namibia, where the world’s oldest desert meets the Atlantic Ocean. Aboard NASA’s ex-military aircraft P3, also known as the Hurricane Hunter, we ventured into clouds and smoke layers. Fat-tire biking and hiking in the desert, gazing at galaxies, and observing wildlife in the canyons were among the unforgettable highlights of this trip.
Q: Tell us about a hobby of yours.
My biggest hobby is basketball. I fell in love with the sport in fifth grade and haven't stopped playing, watching, or talking about it since. In junior high, I even completed two semesters of professional training. Basketball motivates me, builds my confidence, and, most importantly, connects me with interesting, talented, and amazing people who often become lifelong friends.
Q: If you could be any animal (extinct or alive), what would you be and why?
A hawk. In my dreams, I am often in the sky bird-viewing a city or a mountain, and I feel somehow used to the feeling of flying, I must be a bird in a past life.