Dr. Peilei Fan is the Interim Director of the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations. She is also a professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the School of Planning, Design, and Construction, Michigan State University (MSU). She has a Ph.D. in Economic Development and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, both from MIT. Dr. Fan has served as a consultant/economist for United Nations University–World Institute of Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) and the Asian Development Bank. Dr. Fan’s research focuses on the urban environment and sustainability, public health, innovation and economic development, and planning and policy. Her research projects have been funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). She is the Secretary-General of the International Association of Landscape Ecology (2019-2024). She also serves in the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) as a member of the Finance & Investment Committee and as the Track Co-Chair for Food Systems (Track 9), Community Health and Safety. She is an associate editor for the journal Landscape and Urban Planning and is on the editorial board of Sustainability.