Yalei You

Dr. Yalei You is an atmospheric scientist and Director of the RAIN Lab (Remote sensing and Artificial Intelligence for precipitatioN) at UNCW. His research group pioneered the use of temporal variations in microwave observations to enhance the accuracy of satellite-based precipitation estimates.

A global collaborator with over 80 experts in the field, Dr. You serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Hydrometeorology. He serves—and has served—as a Principal Investigator for several major satellite missions, including the NASA/JAXA GPM mission, NASA’s TROPICS mission, and NOAA’s JPSS mission.

Education

Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science, Florida State University
M.S. in Atmospheric Science, Yunnan University, China
B.S. in Atmospheric Science, Yunnan University, China

Specialization in Teaching

I have extensive experience teaching across the curriculum, ranging from large-enrollment foundational courses to specialized graduate courses. My teaching portfolio includes: Natural Disasters (100-Level), Global Climate Change, Quantitative Methods in Earth Sciences, and Weather Remote Sensing (Graduate Level).

Research Interests

Satellite Precipitation Algorithm Development
Satellite Precipitation Climate Data Records (CDR)
Deep Learning for Precipitation Image Super-Resolution

Professional Service

I provide editorial leadership and federal program evaluation for the atmospheric and hydrological sciences. Since 2017, I have served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Hydrometeorology, following a five-year term with the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology. My service includes NASA and NSF panel reviews, chairing AGU sessions, and contributing to EUMETSAT’s H-SAF international review board for satellite product validation.

Honors & Awards

UNCW College of Science and Engineering Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award (2026)
IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society Transactions Prize Paper Award (2021 )