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Yan Cheng
Yan Cheng (程彦)
> Machine Learning Engineer,, , PhD in Computer Vision for Earth Observations
> 55 public repos · 43 followers
> 19 publications · 306 citations · h-index 5
> Based in Denmark · lived in Netherlands · USA · Kenya · Germany · Switzerland · China
> also: aspiring comedian · meme connoisseur · cat person
China Denmark ★ Netherlands Kenya USA Germany Switzerland

About Me

Machine Learning & AI Engineer with a PhD in Computer Vision for Earth Observations (UCPH, exchange at ETH Zurich), focusing on computer vision, deep learning, and geospatial data for environmental monitoring. With 3.5 years of academic research and 3+ years of professional experience across Europe, the USA, and Asia — now happily exploring AI models and toolings in an embedded software company.

Passionate about deriving insights from big data to solve real-life problems. I also enjoy sharing knowledge through presentations, teaching, blogging, and publishing.

Mastered JavaScript in a week back in 2014 by reading a 687-page guide. Aspiring standup comedian and full-time meme connoisseur.

</> programming

Programming

Python (+ years), JavaScript, SQL, Bash

⚙ ai & ml

AI & ML

PyTorch, Scikit-learn, Hugging Face, Computer Vision, Deep Learning

⊞ geospatial

Geospatial

GDAL, Rasterio, GeoPandas, Google Earth Engine, QGIS, ArcGIS

☁ cloud & devops

Cloud & DevOps

Azure, AWS, Docker, Git, CI/CD, GitHub Actions

☰ data

Data Handling

PostgreSQL/PostGIS, Pandas, NumPy, xarray, NetCDF, PySpark, Dask, Airflow

✎ viz & languages

Visualization & Languages

Plotly, Matplotlib, Seaborn · English (near-native), Chinese (native), Danish (beginner)

Open Source

Currently building danskprep — a fun side project to help with Danish language exam preparation, built with TypeScript and deployed on Vercel.

❯ recently active
★ 1 · TypeScript · updated 2026-03

danskprep

An app for Danish exam preparation.

★ 0 · HTML · updated 2026-03

yancheng-go.github.io

Dark terminal-themed personal portfolio — particle canvas, neko pet, cat/dog vote (Supabase), auto-synced GitHub & Google Scholar data, multi-language (EN/ZH/DA). Pure HTML/CSS/JS, no frameworks.

★ 0 · TypeScript · updated 2026-03

pixel-art-studio

Browser-based pixel art editor with AI generation (Gemini) and MCP server for AI agents. React + TypeScript + Vite.

★ 0 · Shell · updated 2026-03

pixel-agent-demo

No description

★ pinned on github
★ 31 · Python

easyearth

Run Vision(-language) models for earth observations at fingertips

★ 0 · TypeScript

pixel-art-studio

Browser-based pixel art editor with AI generation (Gemini) and MCP server for AI agents. React + TypeScript + Vite.

★ 1 · TypeScript

danskprep

An app for Danish exam preparation.

★ 1 · Python

Cross-Resolution-Dead-Tree-Segmentation

Cross-resolution segmentation of individual dead trees from aerial images

★ 0

DeLfoRS_TreeMortality

End-to-end framework for a customized UNet-based pipeline for large-scale individual dead tree mapping

★ 20

Awesome-Geospatial-Intelligence-Companies

A list of companies focusing on geospatial intelligence, GIS, RS, Climate risks, and more

Knowledge Sharing

Harness Engineering
talk · march 2026

Harness Engineering: The Discipline That Made It Possible

How OpenAI shipped code with zero manually-written code — and what it means for how we design environments for AI agents.

Esri internship
other · 2019

How does the global market leader in GIS look like?

5-month internship at Esri headquarters in California

Git & GitHub
programming · dec 2020

Master Git and GitHub in one hour

Learning by doing — no prior knowledge required!

Virtualenv
programming · dec 2020

Set up multiple environments for Python projects

Save yourself from endless errors while installing packages and running old scripts.

Docker
programming · 2025

Docker Best Practices

A guide to keep Docker images lean, secure, and reproducible.

CUDA
programming · 2025

Understanding NVIDIA Drivers, CUDA, and PyTorch Compatibility

Very first step to get your deep learning model up and running on GPU.

GeoServer
programming · 2025

Create a raster timeseries layer on GeoServer

Better managing raster timeseries using GeoServer

ETL
programming · 2025

Two Best Practices in ETL Pipelines

Make your ETL pipelines robust to changes and scalable for big data processing.

Geospatial Intelligence
business & tech · 2025

Geospatial Intelligence Companies Overview

Leading companies harnessing geospatial intelligence and AI for decision-making across industries.

Research Archive

Publications and projects from my academic years — currently happily exploring AI models and tooling in the embedded software industry.

Dead trees database

An Interactive Database of Aerial Images for Deep Learning-based Tree Assessment

read more
Nature Communications 2024

Nature Communications: AI reveals millions of dead trees hidden among the living before California's 2020 wildfires

read more
EGU 2023

Mapping and characterising tree mortality in California at individual tree level using deep learning

read more
EBRD Climate Risk

Assessing Physical Climate Risks for EBRD's Power Generation Project Investment Portfolio

read more
RSE 2020

Fine-resolution vegetation phenology of tropical grasslands in Eastern Africa

First globally to use PlanetScope for phenological analysis over semi-arid grasslands

read more
TRAILS

Esri's TRAILS project in collaboration with USGS

Tested and documented the functionalities of the TRAILS platform

read more
Green Infrastructure

Esri's Green Infrastructure Initiative

Research, GIS analyses, new indicators/layers, and Esri Story Maps demonstrations

read more
BIGMAP

Esri's BIGMAP project in collaboration with USFS

Python packages for cloud-based preprocessing and time series analysis of Landsat data

read more

306 citations · h-index 5 · 19 publications

2020
Phenology of short vegetation cycles in a Kenyan rangeland from PlanetScope and Sentinel-2remote-sensingtime-seriesPlanetScopeSentinel-2
192
2024
Scattered tree death contributes to substantial forest loss in Californiadeep-learningcomputer-visiontree-mortality
49
2023
A framework to assess multi-hazard physical climate risk for power generation projects from publicly-accessible sourcesclimate-riskgeospatialbig-data
18
2026
deadtrees.earth — An open-access and interactive database for centimeter-scale aerial imagery to uncover global tree mortality dynamicsdeep-learningdatabaseaerial-imagery
14
2022
Identification of temporary livestock enclosures in Kenya from multi-temporal PlanetScope imageryremote-sensingPlanetScopeobject-detection
11
2021
Assessing Physical Climate Risks for the EBRD's Power Generation Project Investment Portfolioclimate-riskgeospatialbig-data
5
2025
Global, multi-scale standing deadwood segmentation in centimeter-scale aerial imagesdeep-learningsegmentationaerial-imagery
4
2023
Seasonal-Trend Time Series Decomposition on Graphics Processing UnitsGPUtime-serieshigh-performance
4
2017
Effectiveness and efficiency of using different types of rectangular treemap as diagrams in cartographycartographyvisualization
3
2025
Quantifying the drivers of tree mortality: A case study from urban recreational boreal forestremote-sensingtree-mortality
2
2024
deadtrees.earth — an open, dynamic database for accessing, contributing, analyzing, and visualizing remote sensing-based tree mortality datadatabaseremote-sensingtree-mortality
2
2019
Retrieving vegetation phenology with PlanetScope images for a semi-arid rangeland in Kenyaremote-sensingPlanetScopetime-series
2
2024
Mapping Tree Mortality at Global Scale Using Sentinel-2deep-learningSentinel-2global-scale
2024
DRYTIP – understanding drought-induced changes in ecosystem functioning across Europeremote-sensingclimatedrought
2024
Delineating Standing Deadwood in High-Resolution RGB Drone Imagerydeep-learningdronesegmentation
2024
High-resolution mapping of tree mortality in European forestsdeep-learningremote-sensingtree-mortality
2023
Quantifying Tree Mortality Drivers — a Case Study in a Boreal Forestremote-sensingtree-mortality
2023
Mapping tree mortality in California from very high resolution imagery using deep learningdeep-learningcomputer-visionaerial-imagery
2023
Mapping and characterising tree mortality in California at individual tree level using deep learningdeep-learningcomputer-visiontree-mortality

Let's Connect

Yan Cheng