Meet Yuhao (Bean) Lu

Yuhao Lu. Self-described as driven, thoughtful and adventurous, this alumni of Forest Resource Management has the life experiences to show for it. Moving to Canada in his third year as part of the 2+2 program, Yuhao joined our Forestry school after studying at Nanjing Forestry University. His favourite learning experiences are the ones UBC Forestry is known for – the unconventional, hands-on Fall and Spring Camps. These courses were different than anything he’d experienced in China and he liked the change in perspective.

 

Coming to Vancouver was an easy choice for him – quick access to the outdoors and a world-class research environment. It provided him with a place to be pursue his passion for academics while maintaining a good balance with his outdoor hobbies. However, the transition itself was not so simple. In his academics, he found that time and effort made all the difference but that did not work as well in his social and personal life. That, he said, is “not something you can learn … overnight”. The key, as Yuhao describes, is consistency – “make yourself smile and make others smile”.

 

Yuhao’s positive outlook and patience eventually paid off. In his final year of his FRM degree, Yuhao had the opportunity to work with Dr. Coops at the Integrated Remote Sensing Studio (IRSS) as a Work Learn student. Here, he gained connections and inspiration that led to pursuing a Ph.D. with Dr. Coops. Looking back, Yuhao appreciates that he was able to lead his own research while gaining technical skills that he might not have had the chance to somewhere else. IRSS lab, Yuhao describes, is like a ‘big family’ – in and outside of work. Despite being away from home, he found a community that helped him grow personally and scholarly.

 

Yuhao’s research focuses on remote sensing and urban planning. Since the introductory course of FRST 443, Yuhao’s enthusiasm for remote sensing has only grown. He loves being able to visualize the Earth’s surface and how our living environment has evolved over time. With urban centres, this living environment is dictated by urban planning. Combining both research interests, he focuses on predicting and meeting the needs of future cities using a solid understanding of their past. He moves to ETH Zurich’s Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore recently. Looking to the future, Yuhao hopes of one day having his own lab.

 

 

Authors/Editors: Rosalia Jaffray & Joris Jun
Photos from: Yuhao Lu