Below you can find details about my background and experience relevant to
academia, governement and industry.
I acquired a PhD from Simon Fraser University where I specialized in climate modelling. For my PhD training, I attended a summer school on Earth system modelling held in Germany. I also visited researchers based at the University of Victoria and at Environment and Climate Change Canada. Following my PhD studies, I held research positions at Concordia University, Saint Francis Xavier University, and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
In the early 2010s, I was a graduate student at the University of Cape Town and at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (South Africa), a visiting scholar at the University of British Columbia (Canada), and a Maître assistant at Université Polytechnique de Gitega (Burundi). In the late 2000s, I worked in Burundi as an intern in data analysis for the Epidemiology Service of the Ministry of Health, and as a full-time volunteer for the scout movement, and as a consultant in data analysis for Commission Épiscopale Justice et Paix.
My initial academic education was in mathematics at the former National University of Rwanda where I earned an undergraduate degree in applied mathematics. Before entering university, I represented Burundi at the 14th Pan African Mathematics Olympiads held in Tunis (Tunisia).
I was born in Brussels (Belgium) and raised in Bujumbura (Burundi).
⦿ Axes
• Methane and future climate change. • Cumulative carbon emissions and observable climate impacts. • Carbon sequestration in the context of climate solutions.
⦿ Tools My main research tools are climate models (i.e., mathematical models of the climate system) and software programs for the analysis of climate model simulations. In particular, I contribute to the development of Earth system models which are climate models featuring biogeochemical cycles:
âś” I developed a wetland methane model for implementation in Earth system models. This wetland methane model can be used to simulate both methanogenesis and methanotrophy in wetlands, and to estimate wetland methane emissions at the regional, hemispheric and global scale.
âś” Building on the above-mentioned wetland methane model, I implemented a simplified representation of the global methane cycle into an Earth system model of intermediate complexity. Such a representation is useful for simulating the evolution of atmospheric methane levels as well as investigating climate impacts of methane emissions (sustained or mitigated) over many decades to centuries.
âś” Furthermore, I contributed to the implementation of a modern understanding of soil carbon dynamics into an Earth system model of intermediate complexity. This representation is necessary for investigating effects of enhanced carbon sequestration in the context of nature-based climate solutions while accounting for soil carbon cycling.
⦿ Publications I have (co-)authored research articles published in various peer-reviewed journals. Below is a list of key published articles that I contributed to in the past few years:
âž” Nzotungicimpaye, C-M., Matthews, H.D. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1088/2752-5295/ad3fda.
âž” Nzotungicimpaye, C-M., MacIsaac, A.J., Zickfeld, K (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00898-z.
âž” Matthews, H.D., Zickfeld, K., Dickau, M., MacIsaac, A.J., Mathesius, S., Nzotungicimpaye, C-M., Luers, A. (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00391-z.
âž” Nzotungicimpaye, C-M., Zickfeld, K., MacDougall, A.H., Melton, J.R., Treat, C.C., Eby, M., Lesack, L.F.W. (2021). https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-6215-2021.
⦿ Reviews I have served as a peer reviewer of research manuscripts submitted for publication in international journals such as: Biogeosciences; Communications Earth & Environment; Current Climate Change Reports; Environmental Research Letters; Journal of Advanced in Modeling Earth Systems; Nature Communications; Science; Science Advances; Scientific Reports.
Moreover, I have served as a research review consultant for Mitacs. In this role, I coordinated the review of grant proposals for research related to industrial and social innovation involving a collaboration between academic researchers (at universities or colleges) and industrials or entrepreneurs in Canada.
⦿ Postsecondary > Contribution to postsecondary teaching in English and French. • 3 climate science courses at Simon Fraser University (Canada). • 1 Earth science course at Simon Fraser University (Canada). • 6 mathematics and statistics courses at Université Polytechnique de Gitega (Burundi). • 1 climate science course at Université Polytechnique de Gitega (Burundi). • 2 mathematics courses at the University of Cape Town (South Africa). • 1 mathematics course at Université Nationale du Rwanda (Rwanda).
⦿ Philosophy My teaching philosophy is centered around student engagement, because I view such an engagement as the core of effective learning. My principal approach for promoting this engagement is to use course materials and activities that are relevant, structured, and contemporary as much as possible.
⦿ Academic research I co-advised an Undergraduate Research Assistant over two summer semesters at Simon Fraser University. The research assistant joined the Climate Research Lab to conduct research and analysis on climate-carbon cycle feedbacks under negative carbon emissions. Later on, she published some of her results in a scientific journal (link to the article).
While serving as a Teaching Assistant in the Department of Geography at Simon Fraser University, I co-supervised 32 students during their term research projects for GEOG 414. The term projects explored different research topics related to future climate, and my role was to guide the students in their analysis and interpretation of future climate projections produced by an Earth system model.
⦿ International mobility I served as a mentor to five international students from different Indian Institutes of Technology during their research internships at Simon Fraser University. These international interns were financially supported by Mitacs through its Globalink program. The five interns were from the following IITs: IIT Bombay (2); IIT Madras (1); IIT Hyderabad (1); IIT Kharagpur (1).
For over a decade, I have been providing pro-bono consulting services to individuals from African countries who are seeking reliable postsecondary opportunities (studies and fellowships) abroad. My services are free of charge and they include a tailored recommendation of opportunities, a review of application documents, and a guidance during the application process. I do not offer services with regards to visa applications and immigration processes. My approach has been to serve a maximum of five individuals in a calendar year. As such, I have a selection process whereby candidate profiles are evaluated based on their academic, professional and leadership achievements. Below are testimonies from selected individuals who have benefited from my services in the past.
⦿ Academia
> Curriculum design. > Learning coordination. > International education. > Research review. > Representation on committees.
⦿ Outside academia
> Grant review. > Grant writing. > Environmental impact assessment. > Energy transformation assessment. > Data analytics.
Alternatively, you can contact me using the email address below:
miklonzo.science@gmail.com