Guowei Li

Background

About Guowei Li

I am an environmental engineer and researcher driven by curiosity, purpose, and the belief that science should move beyond publications to create tangible impact. My expertise bridges river ice hydraulics, watershed management, and air quality engineering, yet my growing mission extends further: to translate knowledge into innovation, strengthen community partnerships, and foster entrepreneurial ecosystems that build climate resilience and regional prosperity. Holding a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Environmental Studies from the University of Northern British Columbia, along with a Master’s degree from UBC, I’ve developed a cross-disciplinary approach that connects rigorous engineering analysis with systems thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Beyond research, I am deeply committed to mentorship, innovation leadership, and community engagement, helping bridge the gap between science, policy, and society. Through programs like SFU’s Invention to Innovation (i2I), I have learned to view entrepreneurship not as a departure from academia, but as an essential extension of it, a means to diversify career pathways and amplify the real-world impact of research. I aspire to contribute to an innovation-driven, inclusive, and sustainable future, one where collaboration fuels creativity, and where engineers, scientists, and communities rise together to meet the challenges of a changing world.