Komal Kumari

Komal is a PhD student at the University of Exeter, as part of the UKRI Environmental Intelligence CDT. Her research focuses on bridging Earth observation, Artificial Intelligence, and process-based modelling to enable more accurate carbon accounting in disturbed forest landscapes. Her goal is to address the issues of tree mortality and biomass loss by leveraging recent advancements in remote sensing and improving the understanding of how disturbances affect forest health, structure, and carbon fluxes.

A key component of her work is the automation of the disturbance learning process using AI—enabling the detection of both abrupt and subtle ecosystem changes over time—and the calibration of process-based models like JULES with these insights to enhance predictions of carbon emissions and sequestration potential under future climate scenarios.

The aim of her research is to contribute to climate mitigation efforts by improving the prediction of carbon loss and informing adaptive forest management strategies.