PNNL

Mengqi Zhao is an Earth scientist within the Earth System Predictability group at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Specializing in hydrology and water resource management, her research focuses on the complex interplay among water, energy, land, and climate systems across diverse spatiotemporal scales. At the forefront of interdisciplinary research in human-Earth system modeling, Zhao employs cutting-edge, integrated multi-sector dynamics frameworks to understand the impacts of climate and socioeconomic changes on interconnected systems at global, national, and regional levels. Her work bridges the gap between human activities and natural processes, providing insights into the challenges facing our planet's water and environmental systems.

Zhao leads and contributes to several high-impact research efforts that are shaping the future of human-Earth system science. These include enhancing water storage representation in human-Earth system models, refining global hydrologic models, and developing advanced software used to extend multi-sector dynamics model capabilities that enhance interdisciplinary collaboration. Her research also explores the implications of climate dynamics on critical areas, such as water resources, agricultural yields, and energy demand.

• Food-Energy-Water Nexus
• Human-Earth System Modeling
• Climate Change Impacts
• Hydrology and Hydrological Modeling
• Adaptive Water Resources Management
• System Dynamics
• Energy System Transitions

• Data Science and Data Visualization
• Geospatial Analysis
• High-Performance Computing
• Collaborative Software and Pipeline Development
• Collaborative Research and Multidisciplinary Integration

• PhD in civil engineering, Washington State University, 2020
• MEng in hydrology and water resources, Hohai University, 2015
• BEng in hydrology and water resources engineering, North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, 2012

• Topic Editor, Journal of Open Source Software
• Communications Coordinator, MultiSector Dynamics Working Group on Early Career Development
• Member, American Geophysical Union

2024

Zhao, M., Wild, T.B., Graham, N.T., Kim, S.H., Binsted, M., Chowdhury, A.F.M.K., Msangi, S., Patel, P.L., Vernon, C.R., Niazi, H., Li, H.-Y., Abeshu, G.W., 2024. GCAM–GLORY v1.0: representing global reservoir water storage in a multi-sector human–Earth system model. Geoscientific Model Development 17, 5587–5617. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-5587-2024

Zhao, M., Khan, Z., Dorheim, K., Vernon, C., 2024. helios: An R package to process heating and cooling degrees for GCAM. Journal of Open Source Software 9, 6033. https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.06033

Birnbaum, A., Shabestanipour, G., Zhao, M., Snyder, A., Wild, T., Lamontagne, J., 2024. Characterizing the multisectoral impacts of future global hydrologic variability. Environmental Research Letters 19, 074014. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad52af

Niazi, H., Wild, T.B., Turner, S.W.D., Graham, N.T., Hejazi, M., Msangi, S., Kim, S., Lamontagne, J.R., Zhao, M., 2024. Global peak water limit of future groundwater withdrawals. Nat Sustain 7, 413–422. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01306-w

2023

Abeshu, G.W., Tian, F., Wild, T., Zhao, M., Turner, S., Chowdhury, A.F.M.K., Vernon, C.R., Hu, H., Zhuang, Y., Hejazi, M., Li, H.-Y., 2023. Enhancing the representation of water management in global hydrological models. Geoscientific Model Development 16, 5449–5472. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5449-2023

Ou, Y., Iyer, G., McJeon, H., Cui, R., Zhao, A., O'Keefe, K.T., Zhao, M., Qiu, Y. and Loughlin, D.H., 2023. State-by-state energy-water-land-health impacts of the US net-zero emissions goal. Energy and Climate Change, 4, p.100117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egycc.2023.100117 

2022

Zhao, M., Boll, J., 2022. Adaptation of water resources management under climate change. Front. Water 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.983228 

Khan, Z., Zhao, M., Vernon, C.R., Wild, T., Yarlagadda, B., 2022. rmap: An R package to plot and compare tabular data on customizable maps across scenarios and time. Journal of Open Source Software 7, 4015. https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.04015 

Zhang, Y., Binsted, M., Iyer, G., Kim, S., Wild, T., Zhao, M., 2022. Long-term basin-scale hydropower expansion under alternative scenarios in a global multisector model. Environmental Research Letters 17, 114029. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac9ac9

2021

Zhao, M., Binsted, M., Wild, T., Khan, Z., Yarlagadda, B., Iyer, G., Vernon, C.R., Patel, P., Silva, S.R.S. da, Calvin, K.V., 2021. plutus: An R package to calculate electricity investments and stranded assets from the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM). Journal of Open Source Software 6, 3212. https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.03212

Zhao, M., Boll, J., Adam, J.C., Beall King, A., 2021. Can Managed Aquifer Recharge Overcome Multiple Droughts? Water 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13162278

Zhao, M., Boll, J., Brooks, E.S., 2021. Evaluating the effects of timber harvest on hydrologically sensitive areas and hydrologic response. Journal of Hydrology 593, 125805. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125805

Wild, T.B., Khan, Z., Zhao, M., Suriano, M., Bereslawski, J.L., Roberts, P., Casado, J., Gaviño-Novillo, M., Clarke, L., Hejazi, M., Miralles-Wilhelm, F., Muñoz-Castillo, R., Vernon, C., Snyder, A., Yarlagadda, B., Birnbaum, A., Lamontagne, J., White, D., Ojeda-Matos, G., 2021. The Implications of Global Change for the Co-Evolution of Argentina’s Integrated Energy-Water-Land Systems. Earth’s Future 9, e2020EF001970. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020EF001970

Wild, T.B., Khan, Z., Clarke, L., Hejazi, M., Bereslawski, J.L., Suriano, M., Roberts, P., Casado, J., Miralles-Wilhelm, F., Gavino-Novillo, M., Muñoz-Castillo, R., Moreda, F., Zhao, M., Yarlagadda, B., Lamontagne, J., Birnbaum, A., 2021. Integrated energy-water-land nexus planning in the Colorado River Basin (Argentina). Reg Environ Change 21, 62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-021-01775-1