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. As part of my PhD training, I attended a summer school on Earth system modelling that took place 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, a volunteer for the scout movement, and 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 (now part of the 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. • Climate impacts of cumulative carbon emissions. • Carbon sequestration in the context of climate solutions.
⦿ 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:
➔ Linking cumulative carbon emissions to observable climate impacts. Nzotungicimpaye, C-M. & Matthews, H.D. (2024).
➔ Delaying methane mitigation increases the risk of breaching the 2°C warming limit. Nzotungicimpaye, C-M., MacIsaac, A.J. & Zickfeld, K (2023).
➔ Quantifying land carbon cycle feedbacks under negative CO2 emissions. Chimuka, V.R., Nzotungicimpaye, C-M. & Zickfeld, K. (2023).
➔ Temporary nature-based carbon removal can lower peak warming in a well-below 2°C scenario. Matthews, H.D., Zickfeld, K., Dickau, M., MacIsaac, A.J., Mathesius, S., Nzotungicimpaye, C-M. & Luers, A. (2022).
➔ WETMETH 1.0: a new wetland methane model for implementation in Earth system models. Nzotungicimpaye, C-M., Zickfeld, K., MacDougall, A.H., Melton, J.R., Treat, C.C., Eby, M. & Lesack, L.F.W. (2021).
➔ The contribution from methane to the permafrost carbon feedback. Nzotungicimpaye, C-M. & Zickfeld, K. (2017).
⦿ Reviews I regularly serve 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 an expert reviewer for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 2019.
Furthermore, I have served as a research review consultant for Mitacs for 2 years. In this role, I coordinated the review of 70+ research grant proposals related to industrial and social innovation involving a collaboration between academic researchers (at universities or colleges) and industrials or entrepreneurs in Canada.
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 physical, biological and chemical processes as well as their interactions.
⦿ Model for wetland methane emissions
I developed WETMETH: 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.
⦿ Model for the global methane cycle
Building on WETMETH, I implemented a simplified representation of the global methane cycle into an Earth system model of intermediate complexity. Such a representation is essential for performing emission-driven climate model simulations and investigating climate impacts of methane emissions (sustained or mitigated) over many decades to centuries while accounting for Earth system feedbacks.
⦿ Model for soil carbon dynamics
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 the role of microbial activity and mineral chemistry in soil carbon dynamics.
⦿ 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-supervised an Undergraduate Research Assistant over two summer internships 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 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 projects (group projects) for the GEOG 414 course. The term projects explored different research topics related to future climate, and my primary 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 in Canada. 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 advising 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.
Alternatively, you can contact me using the email address below:
miklonzo.science@gmail.com