Hello! I’m Zhihui Li, an Assistant Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University.

My research focuses on how galaxies evolve through their gaseous “atmospheres,” known as the circumgalactic medium (CGM). This diffuse halo of gas surrounds galaxies beyond their stellar bodies and interstellar medium and plays a central role in regulating star formation, chemical enrichment, and feedback. I study the physical structure, kinematics, and energetics of this multiphase gas by combining high-resolution simulations, numerical modeling, and detailed comparisons with spatially resolved observations from some of the world’s largest telescopes.

A major focus of my work is Lyα radiative transfer and multi-ion UV diagnostics of galactic winds. To interpret the complex signatures of multiphase outflows, I develop physically motivated radiative-transfer (RT) models that connect realistic CGM structures to observed emission and absorption lines. In recent work, I developed PEACOCK, a 3D Monte Carlo RT framework accelerated by deep learning and Bayesian inference, which jointly models Lyα and multiple metal lines in a unified multiphase outflow model. These tools enable robust constraints on ion column densities and both bulk and turbulent gas motions, helping reveal how multiphase gas flows regulate galaxy growth across cosmic time.

Before joining Johns Hopkins, I received my PhD from Caltech, where my research focused on modeling the multiphase environments of galaxies and interpreting emission- and absorption-line observations of high-redshift systems. Outside of research, I enjoy playing and watching basketball, reading, listening to music, and spending time with my family. Feel free to reach out if you are interested in my research, or astronomy in general!