Early Researcher Spotlight: Meet Yue Li.

As we seek solutions to adapt and protect vital systems like water, energy, and transportation, researchers like Yue Li are at the forefront of developing new ways to assess risks and build resilience. As a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, Yue plays a key role in the Multi-hazard Infrastructure Risk Assessment for Climate Adaptation (MIRACA) project, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at helping Europe’s infrastructure adapt to the challenges of a changing climate.

We caught up with Yue to learn more about her academic journey, her work on MIRACA, and what excites her about advancing the resilience of Europe’s infrastructure systems.

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From water security to infrastructure resilience.

Yue’s path into infrastructure resilience began with her PhD research at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, where she focused on urban water security.

“My PhD research centered on enhancing urban water security and energy efficiency through Integrated Urban Water System (IUWS) planning” she explains. “I worked on integrating decentralized water technologies, like rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling, into conventional grid-based water networks.”

Her research aimed to make cities more sustainable and prepared for water scarcity by improving infrastructure and introducing alternative water sources. She developed decision-support frameworks that helped cities assess and adopt these technologies, ensuring both environmental and economic sustainability.

When Yue joined the MIRACA project, she had the opportunity to broaden her research beyond water systems and apply her expertise to other critical infrastructures. “Engaging in the MIRACA project provides an opportunity to expand my PhD scope beyond the water sector to include transportation, energy, and telecommunications,” she says. “It allows me to address not only sustainability but also the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to climate risks and extreme weather events.”

Infrastructure resilience matters: A journey into MIRACA.

MIRACA’s mission to help Europe’s public authorities and infrastructure managers assess and mitigate climate risks aligns with Yue’s drive to develop practical, real-world solutions. “The MIRACA project offers me an ideal platform to collaborate closely with researchers from various disciplines” Yue says. “Together, we can work towards integrating diverse perspectives to develop solutions that are both scientifically sound and practically applicable in real-world situations.”

MIRACA’s toolkit, which includes a technical decision-support workbench, an interactive online viewer, and guidance on economic and technical adaptation strategies, aims to help authorities make informed, data-driven decisions on infrastructure resilience. Yue is particularly excited about how MIRACA will make use of cutting-edge data acquisition methods to address knowledge gaps surrounding Europe’s infrastructure vulnerabilities. “We’re developing new methods to fill critical data gaps and assess the socio-economic benefits of climate-resilient infrastructure systems” she explains. “The ability to test adaptation strategies in real time will allow us to better understand their potential and limitations.”

The bigger picture: Addressing complex interdependencies.

One of the unique aspects of Yue’s work is her focus on the interdependencies between different infrastructure systems. “Infrastructure doesn’t operate in isolation” she says. “Water, energy, transportation, and telecommunications systems are all interconnected. A failure in one can have cascading effects across others, and understanding these interdependencies is key to assessing risk and planning effective adaptation strategies.”

This approach is at the heart of MIRACA’s work. By considering the full spectrum of risks that affect interconnected infrastructure networks, the project will help authorities and infrastructure managers develop more comprehensive, cross-sector adaptation strategies. Yue’s research focuses on this very idea – finding ways to optimize infrastructure systems not just for resilience, but for long-term sustainability in the face of climate change.

Driving meaningful change.

When asked about her hopes for the impact of her work, Yue is clear: “I hope to contribute meaningful solutions that enhance the resilience of interconnected infrastructure systems and help communities better prepare for climate impacts.” She is particularly interested in exploring decentralized planning opportunities within these systems and addressing uncertainties surrounding their implementation. “In the future, I see a world where adaptation strategies are not just theoretical but have been tested and implemented successfully, creating stronger, more resilient communities across Europe.”

Yue’s enthusiasm for her work on MIRACA is evident, and her vision for the future of infrastructure resilience is one rooted in collaboration, innovation, and real-world solutions. As she continues her research, her efforts will help ensure that Europe’s critical infrastructure systems are better equipped to withstand the challenges of a rapidly changing climate.

Yue’s work.

You can keep up with Yue’s work on Linkedin or GitHub as well as learn more about her research through her profile on the OPSIS Group website and her latest publications:

• Yue Li, Weiwei Mo, Sybil Derrible, Zhongming Lu, Integration of multi-objective spatial optimization and data-driven interpretation to direct the city-wide sustainable promotion of building-based decentralized water technologies, Water Research, Volume 222, 2022, 118880, ISSN 0043-1354, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118880.
• Yue Li, Masoumeh Khalkhali, Weiwei Mo, Zhongming Lu, Modeling spatial diffusion of decentralized water technologies and impacts on the urban water systems, Journal of Cleaner Production, Volume 315, 2021, 128169, ISSN 0959-6526, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128169.

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About MIRACA:

Led by a consortium of top researchers, engineers, and climate specialists, the Multi-hazard Infrastructure Risk Assessment for Climate Adaptation (MIRACA) project is strengthening Europe’s critical infrastructure against the impacts of climate change. MIRACA equips public authorities with an innovative decision-support toolkit—featuring technical guidance, a resilience-testing workbench, and an interactive online viewer—to assess risks, explore adaptation strategies, and close data gaps. With open-access models and practical insights from five diverse European use cases, MIRACA empowers communities to implement cost-effective, resilient infrastructure solutions across the continent.