Erik N. H. Chan

Geophysicist

Astrophysicist

Data scientist

Scientific programmer

Artificial-Intelligence Engineer

About me

I am the Science Lead and AI Engineer at Mapular, overseeing the research and scientific aspects, as well as the machine-learning development work, in the geospatial solutions of our firm.

Holding a doctorate degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from Harvard University, my background is rooted in academic research. Prior to joining Mapular, I was a research scientist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences and the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), where I worked on Arctic and permafrost-related projects funded by GFZ, the Helmholtz AI Cooperation Unit , and the Helmholtz Information and Data Science Academy (HIDA) .

Prior to that, I worked on research projects covering topics ranging from astrophysics to geophysics, developing new theories and applying numerical and statistical methods to address cutting-edge scientific questions.

Originally from Hong Kong, I immigrated to Toronto, Canada before I turned 15. Since then, I have lived in three other cities across the United States and Canada before settling down in beautiful Potsdam, Germany, in 2019.

Outside of work, I am also a classically trained pianist who almost chose a professional path in music instead of becoming a scientist. Despite the lack of practice time these days, I am always on the lookout for musical collaborations, whether for recitals or for fun.

Research

Explainer: What is AI?

Since I work a lot with what is colloquially called “AI”, I thought I would give a simple overview of how AI works. What is “AI”? The term “AI” has been misused and abused by the media and general public alike. Let us first set the record straight. In the strictest sense, artificial intelligence means some tasks performed by human-made machines that are based on some logic. READ MORE...

Arctic Landscapes

Arctic river deltas are crucial links between the vast Arctic land and the Arctic Ocean, transporting sediments, nutrients, and organic carbon. Their source regions, namely the Arctic and the sub-Arctic, contain a huge amount of soil-organic carbon locked within the permafrost. As the climate warms and permafrost thaws, the carbon will be liberated and potentially exacerbate the warming through positive feedback. On the other side of the deltas, the Arctic Ocean is also becoming increasingly free of ice READ MORE...

Lunar Interior

The interior structure of the Moon is a result of (1) how it’s formed and (2) how it evolved ever since. There are competing theories on both of these questions, with different implications on the composition and properties of the lunar interior.

READ MORE...
Martian Ocean

Observations have long shown that Mars had significant quantities of liquid surface water early in its history. However, whether or not it had a global-scale ocean remained controversial. In the 90s, ocean-scale shoreline features have been observed on the surface of the planet, but the great differences in elevations along them led some to dismiss them as ancient shorelines.

READ MORE...
True Polar Wander

True polar wander (TPW) is the reorientation of a planet’s rotation pole from the perspective of the planet itself. This process is different from precession, in which the rotation pole changes its orientations in space, pointing towards different “North Stars” over time. Using the Earth as an example, TPW occurs if the North Pole of the Earth drifts away from its original location towards, let’s say, North America. It is important to also not confuse the rotation pole with the magnetic pole; TPW concerns the rotation pole. READ MORE...

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Curriculum Vitae

Programming languages: Julia, Python, MATLAB, Fortran, C, SQL, HTML/CSS.

Tools & environments: Unix; Git; LaTeX; Photoshop, Illustrator, and similar.

Mathematical & statistical modelling: e.g. time series, spectral, Bayesian inference, spatial statistics, Monte Carlo approaches, generative adversarial networks (GAN).

Languages:

• Fluent in English, Cantonese, Hokkien & Mandarin
• Basic German & French
• чуть-чуть по русски

Fast learner of new computing languages and domain knowledges.

Research projects ranging from astrophysics to geophysics.

Extensive experience communicating complex mathematical concepts to non-scientific audiences.

Passionate about writing well-designed and well-documented code.

Ph.D., Planetary Sciences
Harvard University; Cambridge, U.S.A.
2014
A.M., Planetary Sciences
Harvard University; Cambridge, U.S.A.
2012
M.Sc., Geophysics
University of Toronto; Toronto, Canada
2008
Hon. B.Sc., Astronomy and Physics
University of Toronto; Toronto, Canada
2007
Science Lead and AI Engineer, Mapular
04.2024–present

Oversee the scientific and research aspects of our firm's geospatial solutions.

Plan and incorporate artificial-intelligence methods in our analytics products.

Software engineering and development.

Scientist, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences and
Post-doctoral Scientist, Alfred Wegener Institute
09.2019–09.2024

Develop a numerical model to investigate Arctic sediment transport, using remote-sensing and field data for tuning and calibration.

Utilise artificial intelligence to improve data resolution.

Utilise physics-informed machine learning to improve simulations of permaforst.

McGill Space Institute Postdoctoral Fellow, McGill University
01.2017–08.2019

Adapted a parallelised, finite-volume numerical software to investigate planetary deformation due to mass loading such as ice sheets, sea level, and tidal effects.

Constructed dynamic and statistical models using Monte Carlo approaches on Martian satellite data, and inferred the existence of ancient oceans.

Awarded the McGill Space Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship.

NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Toronto
01.2015–12.2016

Utilised a parallelised software to model the Earth’s magnetic field and understand its variabilities during key periods in the Earth’s history.

Awarded the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Arizona
06.2014–12.2014

Estimated deep lunar interior structure using satellite data assimilation via statistical multidimensional Monte Carlo Markov Chains.

Piano Teacher, Self-employed, Toronto, Canada
02.2001–02.2007

Taught students at all levels and prepared them for exams at the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Astronomy on Tap
Montréal, Canada
2018
“Mars and Beyond”, Museum of Science
Boston, U.S.A.
2013
International Field Trip Organiser
Harvard Geology Club
2013
Performer’s Diploma in pianoforte
Trinity College London
1996

Peer Reviewed Articles

“An Arctic delta reduced-complexity model and its reproduction of key geomorphological structures”
Chan, N.-H., Langer, M., Juhls, B., Rettelbach, T., Overduin, P., Huppert, K., Braun, J. (2023) Earth Surface Dynamics, 11, 259-285. doi:10.5194/esurf-11-259-2023

“Quantifying the Uncertainty in Ground-Based GNSS-Reflectometry Sea Level Measurements”
Purnell, D., Gomez, N., Chan, N.-H., Strandberg, J., Holland, D. M., Hobiger, T. (2020) IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing, 13, 4419-4428. doi:10.1109/JSTARS.2020.3010413

“New Evidence of an Ancient Martian Ocean from the Global Distribution of Valley Networks”
Chan, N.-H., Perron, T., Mitrovica, J. X., Gomez, N. (2018) Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 123. doi:10.1029/2018JE005536

“Time-Dependent Rotational Stability of Dynamic Planets with Viscoelastic Lithospheres”
Moore, K. M., Chan, N.-H., Daradich, A., Mitrovica, J. X. (2017) Icarus, 289: 34-41. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2017.01.036

“The Influence of True Polar Wander on Glacial Inception in North America”
Daradich, A., Huybers, P., Mitrovica, J. X., Chan, N.-H., Austermann, J. (2017) Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 461: 96-104. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2016.12.036

“GRAIL, LLR, and LOLA Constraints on the Interior Structure of the Moon”
Matsuyama, I., Nimmo, F., Keane, J. T., Chan, N. H., Taylor, G. J., Wieczorek, M. A., Kiefer, W. S., Williams, J. G. (2016) Geophysical Research Letters, 43(1): 8365-8375. doi:10.1002/2016GL069952

“Did Glacially Induced TPW End the Ice Age? A Reanalysis”
Chan, N.-H., Mitrovica, J. X., Daradich, A. (2015) Geophysical Journal International, 202: 1749-1759. doi:10.1093/gji/ggv230

“Time-Dependent Rotational Stability of Dynamic Planets with Elastic Lithospheres”
Chan, N.-H., Mitrovica, J. X., Daradich, A., Creveling, J. R., Matsuyama, I., Stanley, S. (2014) Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 119, 169–188. doi:10.1002/2013JE004466

“Mechanisms for Oscillatory True Polar Wander”
Creveling, J. R., Mitrovica, J. X., Chan, N.-H., Latychev, K. and Matsuyama, I. (2012) Nature, 491(7423): 244–248. doi:10.1038/nature11571

“The Rotational Stability of a Convecting Earth: the Earth’s Figure and TPW Over the Last 100 Myr”
Chan, N.-H., Mitrovica, J. X., Matsuyama, I., Latychev, K., Creveling, J. R., Stanley, S. and Morrow, E. (2011) Geophysical Journal International, 187: 773–782. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05174.x

“The Rotational Stability of a Convecting Earth: Assessing Inferences of Rapid TPW in the Late Cretaceous”
Chan, N.-H., Mitrovica, J.X., Matsuyama, I., Creveling, J.R. and Stanley, S. (2011) Geophysical Journal International, 187: 1319–1333. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05245.x

“Body Tides on a 3-D Elastic Earth: Toward a Tidal Tomography”
Latychev, K., Mitrovica, J.X., Ishii, M., Chan, N.H. and Davis, J.L. (2008) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2008.10.008

Conference Talks

“Arctic Delta Reduced Complexity Model and its Reproduction of Key Geomorphological Structures”
Chan, N.-H., Langer, M., Juhls, B., Rettelbach, T., Overduin, P., Huppert, K., Braun, J. (2023) European Conference on Permafrost, Puigcerdà, Catalonia, Spain, abstract #1961.

“Arctic Delta Reduced Complexity Model and its Reproduction of Key Geomorphological Structures”
Chan, N.-H., Langer, M., Juhls, B., Rettelbach, T., Overduin, P., Huppert, K., Braun, J. (2022) International Polar Conference, Potsdam, Germany, 1st-5th May, 2022.

“New Evidence of an Ancient Martian Ocean from the Global Distribution of Valley Networks”
Chan, N.-H., Perron, T., Mitrovica, J.X. and Gomez, N. (2018) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2018, Washingtong, D.C., U.S.A., abstract #EP13B-05.

“Reaccessing the Ancient Martian Ocean Hypothesis Using the Global Distribution of Valley Networks”
Chan, N.-H., Perron, T. and Mitrovica, J.X. (2015) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2015, San Francisco, CA, U.S.A., abstract #P44B-01.

Conference Abstracts

"Data-driven framework for quantifying surface processes associated with permafrost thaw across the Arctic"
Chan, N.-H., Langer, M., Ivanova, T., Aliyeva, M., Nitze, I., Tang, H., Grosse, G., Braun, J. (2023) International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, Berlin, Germany, abstract #IUGG23-4793.

“Quantifying the Uncertainty in GNSS-R Sea Level Measurements”
Purnell, D., Gomez, N.A., Chan, N.-H., Strandberg, J., Holland, D., Hobiger, T. and Larson, K.M. (2018) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2018, abstract #G52A-02.

“Modeling Short-term Ice Sheet – Sea Level – Solid Earth Interactions within a Glacial-cycle Timescale Simulation”
Han, H.K., Gomez, N.A., Chan, N.-H., Pollard, D., Deconto, R.M. and Flament, M. (2018) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2018, abstract #PP13C-1349.

“Interactions of Ice Sheet Evolution, Sea Level and GIA in a Region of Complex Earth Structure”
Gomez, N.A., Chan, N.-H., Latychev, K., Pollard, D. and Powell, E.M. (2017) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2017, abstract #G12A-04.

“Long-term Rotational Stability of Terrestrial Planets with Viscoelastic Lithospheres: Theory and Application to Martian True Polar Wander (TPW)”
Moore, K., Chan, N.-H., Daradich, A. and Mitrovica, J.X. (2017) European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2017, abstract vol. 19, EGU2017-11349.

“The Long-term Rotational Stability of Terrestrial Planets with Viscoelastic Lithospheres: A New Theory with Application to Mars”
Moore, K., Chan, N.-H., Daradich, A. and Mitrovica, J.X. (2016) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2016, abstract #G51C-06.

“The Influence of True Polar Wander on Glacial Inception in North America”
Daradich, A., Huybers, P., Mitrovica, J.X., Chan, N.-H. and Austermann, J. (2016) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2016, abstract #PP33C-07.

“GRAIL, LLR, and LOLA Constraints on the Interior Structure of the Moon”
Matsuyama, I., Nimmo, F., Keane, J.T., Taylor, G.J., Chan, N.-H., Williams, J.G., Wieczorek, M.A. and Kiefer, W.S. (2016) New Views of the Moon 2, Proceedings of the conference held May 24-26, 2016 in Houston, Texas. LPI Constribution No. 1911, id.6002.

“Reaccessing the Ancient Martian Ocean Hypothesis Using the Global Distribution of Valley Networks”
Chan, N.-H., Perron, T. and Mitrovica, J.X. (2016) European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2016, abstract vol. 18, EGU2016-11589.

“The Influence of True Polar Wander on Glacial Inception in North America”
Daradich, A., Huybers, P., Mitrovica, J.X. and Chan, N.-H. (2014) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2014, abstract #PP33C-1249.

“Reaccessing the Ancient Martian Ocean Hypothesis Using the Global Distribution of Valley Networks”
Chan, N.-H., Perron, T. and Mitrovica, J.X. (2013) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2013, abstract #P23E-1827.

“A Physical Model for Oscillatory True Polar Wander in the Neoproterozoic”
Creveling, J. R., Mitrovica, J. X., Chan, N., Latychev, K. and Morrow, E. (2011) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #B41F-0260.

“The Rotational Stability of a Convecting Earth: New Theory and Applications to Paleomagnetically-Inferred TPW Over the Past 100 Myr.”
Chan, N.-H., Mitrovica, J. X., Matsuyama, I., Creveling, J. R., Latychev, K., Stanley, S. and Morrow, E. (2011) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2011, abstract #GP11A-1030.

“The Rotational Stability of a Convecting Earth”
Chan, N.-H., Mitrovica, J. X., Matsuyama, I., Creveling, J. R., and Stanley, S. (2011) European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2011, abstract vol. 13, EGU2011-9428.

“Body Tides on a Three- Dimensional Elastic Earth: Toward a Joint Tidal and Seismological Tomography”
Ishii, M., Latychev, K., Mitrovica, J. X., Chan, N. and Davis, J. L. (2008) American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2008, abstract #DI11A-08.

“Challenging the Luminosity Function of Blue Stragglers”
Chan, N.-H., Ivanova, N. and de Angeli, F. (2006) Modelling Dense Stellar Systems, 26th meeting of the IAU, Joint Discussion 14, 22-23 August 2006, Prague, Czech Republic, JD14, #26.

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