PhD Positions in AI & Big Data for Environmental Sustainability

Ecosystem Health and Sustainable Development Under Global Change

Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS), Institute for Ocean Engineering

Supervisor: Dr. LI Chengjun, Tenure-Track Associate Professor

Group website: https://www.sigs.tsinghua.edu.cn/Chengjun%20LI_en/main.psp

About the Group

Dr. Chengjun LI leads an interdisciplinary research group at Tsinghua SIGS working at the intersection of environmental science, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics. The group's core mission is to advance environmental sustainability under global climate change, with a particular focus on wetlands and coastal zones — and the vulnerable communities and indigenous populations that depend on them. We are recruiting motivated PhD candidates to join this effort.

Research Themes

- AI-driven sustainable development of wetlands and coastal zones — predictive modeling, remote sensing data fusion, and intelligent decision-support systems.
- Environmental behavior and ecological effects of pollutants — microplastics and emerging contaminants, studied through machine learning and high-throughput data analysis.
- Synergistic governance of climate change and pollution risk — integrating climate projections, pollutant transport pathways, and socio-economic data.
- Full-chain microplastic governance — from detection and transport modeling to toxicity prediction, using AI and molecular simulation.
- Interactions between emerging and conventional pollutants — data-driven approaches to combined-effect assessment.
- Synergies among multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) — using big data to inform policy design and international cooperation.

Why Join Us An interdisciplinary platform. We bridge environmental science, data science, and policy studies, with AI and big data applications at the core of our methodology.





Resources and track record. Ongoing projects are funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (General and Youth programs), major national special projects, and provincial key R&D; programs. The group publishes in venues including Science, Nature, Nature Food, and Nature Communications, and actively contributes to science-policy dialogue.

Unique data and partnerships. The group has privileged access to large-scale, real-world environmental datasets and multi-source remote sensing data. Close partnerships with NGOs and international bodies — including the SEE Foundation and the SCYCLE Programme at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) — along with grassroots citizen-science initiatives, give students a direct path from research to conservation practice.

A global academic network. The group maintains active collaborations and exchange programs with leading universities worldwide, including Europe, North America, South America, and Asia & Oceania, as well as Africa. These partnerships create real opportunities for co-supervision, visiting research stays, and joint fieldwork.

Candidate Profile

We welcome applicants holding (or about to complete) a bachelor's or master's degree in Environmental Science, Ecology, Computer Science, Data Science, Remote Sensing, Atmospheric Science, or a related field. Applicants from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and overseas are especially encouraged to apply.

Ideal candidates will have

- Strong programming skills (Python, R, or MATLAB)



and experience with machine learning/deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn).
- Familiarity with big data handling, geospatial analysis, or climate/environmental modeling.
- Genuine interest in interdisciplinary research and a collaborative working style.
- Robust written and spoken English; Chinese proficiency is a plus but not required.

What We Offer

- A full scholarship and competitive stipend, in line with Tsinghua SIGS standards.
- Opportunities for joint supervision, visiting research stays, and collaborative fieldwork through our global partner network.
- A supportive mentoring environment that encourages independent thinking and long-term career development.
- Access to state-of-the-art computing facilities, field and laboratory equipment, and exclusive citizen-science datasets.
- A vibrant research community at Tsinghua SIGS, located in Shenzhen's innovation hub.

How to Apply

Send the following documents to Dr. Chengjun LI at [email protected], with the subject line “PhD Application – [Your Name]”:

- A detailed CV, including GPA, publications, and programming/research experience.
- A cover letter describing your research interests, relevant skills, and motivation for joining the group.
- Contact information for two academic referees (at least one able to speak to your data-analytical abilities).
- (Optional) A brief research proposal or a link to a code repository (e.g., GitHub).

Deadline: Rolling review — early applications are strongly encouraged. Positions are expected to begin in Fall 2027, or as negotiated.

More information about Tsinghua SIGS and the Institute for Ocean Engineering: https://www.sigs.tsinghua.edu.cn or

Faculty website

https://www.sigs.tsinghua.edu.cn/Chengjun%20LI_en/main.psp

We look forward to welcoming innovative, passionate researchers to the team.

📌 PhD Positions in AI & Big Data for Environmental Sustainability at Tsinghua University (Melbourne)
🏢 Tsinghua University
📍 Melbourne