Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Short presentation
Postdoctoral researcher in environmental science and computer science. Just defended my PhD project funded by Villum Foundation (DRYTIP project) and the University of Copenhagen (Data+ Pool) in May 2025. I am passionate about using deep learning to decode earth observations (e.g., satellite images) and to understand terrestrial ecosystems in a changing climate. Application-wise, I am interested in physical climate risk assessment and nature-based solutions to climate change.
Education/Academic qualification
AI for EO, PhD, University of Copenhagen
1 Sept 2021 → 28 Feb 2025
Award Date: 23 May 2025
Natural Resources Management, MSc, University of Twente
1 Sept 2017 → 22 Mar 2019
Award Date: 22 Mar 2019
Geographical Information Science, BSc, Wuhan University
1 Sept 2013 → 30 Jun 2017
Award Date: 30 Jun 2017
External positions
Remote sensing specialist, DHI
18 Jul 2022 → 31 Dec 2024
Data Analyst, World Resources Institute
18 Jan 2021 → 25 Aug 2021
AiO/Research Assistant, University of Twente
2 Dec 2019 → 1 Dec 2020
Intern, Esri (Redlands, CA)
31 May 2019 → 18 Oct 2019
Keywords
- Faculty of Science
- Remote sensing
- Climate change
- Deep learning
- Drought
- Land degradation
- High resolution imaging
- Phenology
- Time series
- Terrestrial ecosystems
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
Research output
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Scattered tree death contributes to substantial forest loss in California
Cheng, Y., Oehmcke, S., Brandt, M. S., Rosenthal, L., Das, A., Vrieling, A., Saatchi, S., Wagner, F., Mugabowindekwe, M., Verbruggen, W., Beier, C. & Horion, S., 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 1, p. 1-13 641.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile14 Citations (Scopus)55 Downloads (Pure) -
A framework to assess multi-hazard physical climate risk for power generation projects from publicly-accessible sources
Luo, T., Cheng, Y., Falzon, J., Kölbel, J., Zhou, L., Wu, Y. & Habchi, A., 2023, In: Communications Earth and Environment. 4, 13 p., 117.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Citations (Scopus)34 Downloads (Pure) -
Phenology of short vegetation cycles in a Kenyan rangeland from PlanetScope and Sentinel-2
Cheng, Y., Vrieling, A., Fava, F., Meroni, M., Marshall, M. & Gachoki, S., 2020, In: Remote Sensing of Environment. 248, 20 p., 112004.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile125 Citations (Scopus)35 Downloads (Pure) -
Quantifying the drivers of tree mortality: A case study from urban recreational boreal forest
Jääskeläinen, J., Junttila, S., O’Sullivan, H., Cheng, Y., Horion, S. & Vastaranta, M., 2025, In: Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 104, 17 p., 128672.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile8 Downloads (Pure) -
deadtrees.earth - an open, dynamic database for accessing, contributing, analyzing, and visualizing remote sensing-based tree mortality data
Kattenborn, T., Mosig, C., Pratima, K., Frey, J., Perez-Priego, O., Schiefer, F., Cheng, Y., Potts, A., Jehle, J., Mälicke, M. & Mahecha, M., 2024.Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference abstract for conference › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile23 Downloads (Pure) -
deadtrees.earth - An Open-Access and Interactive Database for Centimeter-Scale Aerial Imagery to Uncover Global Tree Mortality Dynamics
Mosig, C., Vajna-Jehle, J., Mahecha, M. D., Cheng, Y., Hartmann, H., Montero, D., Junttila, S., Horion, S., Adu-Bredu, S., Al-Halbouni, D., Allen, M., Altman, J., Angiolini, C., Astrup, R., Barrasso, C., Bartholomeus, H., Brede, B., Buras, A., Carrieri, E. & Chirici, G. & 106 others, , 2024, bioRxiv, 32 p. (bioRxiv).Research output: Working paper › Preprint
File16 Downloads (Pure) -
Delineating Standing Deadwood in High-Resolution RGB Drone Imagery
Möhring, J., Mosig, C., Cheng, Y., Mahecha, M., Priego, O. P., Beloiu, M., Volpi, M., Horion, S., Latifi, H., Shafeian, E., Fassnacht, F., Montero, D., Zielewska-Büttner, K., Laliberté, E., Cloutier, M., Schmehl, M.-T., Frick, A., Müller-Landau, H., Cushman, K. & Hupy, J. & 11 others, , 2024. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference abstract for conference › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile17 Downloads (Pure) -
High-resolution mapping of tree mortality in European forests
Cheng, Y., Oehmcke, S., Mosig, C., Beloiu, M., Kattenborn, T., Abel, C., Gominski, D. P. J., Nord-Larsen, T., Fensholt, R. & Horion, S., 2024. 1 p.Research output: Contribution to conference › Conference abstract for conference › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Downloads (Pure)
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Teaching assistant for the MSc course - "Satellite Image Processing and Analysis in the Big Data Era"
Cheng, Y. (Other)
Apr 2023 → Jun 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Lecture and oral contribution
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ETH Zürich
Cheng, Y. (Visiting researcher)
Feb 2024 → Mar 2024Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
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Wuhan University
Cheng, Y. (Visiting researcher)
Dec 2023Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
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Southern University of Science and Technology
Cheng, Y. (Visiting researcher)
Dec 2023Activity: Visiting an external institution types › Visiting an external academic institution
Prizes
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IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Travel Grant
Cheng, Y. (Recipient), May 2023
Prize: Prizes, scholarships, distinctions
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Outstanding PhD Students Award
Cheng, Y. (Recipient), Jul 2024
Prize: Prizes, scholarships, distinctions