Ke Archives

Meet Ziming Ke

By Elyse DeFranco | Jan 20, 2026 | Featured researchers

Ziming Ke is an atmospheric scientist who joined DRI in March 2025. He has extensive expertise in earth system modeling and is producing groundbreaking research that integrates wildfire science into global and regional models, including a recent publication that is the first to successfully replicate wildfire-induced thunderstorms in earth system models. He joined DRI as a postdoctoral researcher working with Hans Moosmuller. Ke completed an undergraduate degree in China, a master’s in oceanography at the University of South Carolina, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric physics and chemistry at Georgia Tech. In the following interview, Ke shares his enthusiasm for wildfire science, spending time in Reno’s wetlands, and watching soccer games.

Scientists Successfully Recreate Wildfire-Induced Thunderstorms in Earth System Models for the First Time

The breakthrough enhances scientific understanding of the dangerous storms and their long-term impacts on the climate. The research, published September 25th in Geophysical Research Letters, represents the first successful simulation of these wildfire-induced storms, known as pyrocumulonimbus clouds, within an Earth system model. Led by DRI scientist Ziming Ke, the study successfully reproduced the observed timing, height, and strength of the Creek Fire’s thunderhead – one of the largest known pyrocumulonimbus clouds seen in the U.S., according to NASA.