Dr. Yuan Yao is an Associate Professor of Industrial Ecology and Sustainable Systems, and Chemical & Environmental Engineering at Yale University. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Northwestern University. Dr. Yao’s research focuses on the environmental impacts of emerging technologies and biomass utilization, employing interdisciplinary approaches in industrial ecology, sustainable engineering, and data analytics. She received many awards, including the U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 35 Under 35 Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and the Laudise Medal from the International Society of Industrial Ecology. She is an associate editor for the journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling. She served on the provisional committee for the U.S. National Academies to assess the current life cycle analysis methods for low-carbon transportation fuels in the United States. Her work is published in high-impact journals such as Science, Nature Sustainability, Environmental Science & Technology, and the Journal of Industrial Ecology. Current projects focus on nature-based and engineering approaches for carbon dioxide removal and circular bioeconomy.
She leads the Yao Lab at Yale Unviersity: https://yao.research.yale.edu/
Postdoc and student opportunites are available at the Yao Lab.
Main research or work / interest areas:
- Circular bioeconomy
- Carbon dioxide removal
- Wood materials
- Built environment
- Dynamic modeling for industrial and ecosystems
Collaboration interests
- Understanding future material demands of emerging technologies
- Urban decarbonization