@Lai_CDC profile picture
Shengjie Lai @Lai_CDC

Principal Research Fellow @WorldPopProject. Interested in infectious disease dynamics, human behaviour and environmental drivers.

Joined January 2015
  • Tweets 451
  • Following 469
  • Followers 656
58 Photos and videos
A new study using data from one billion mobile phones has shown how wealth and age create a hidden divide in how people respond to heatwaves. The data showed whether people were able to stay at home or forced to travel for work and essentials. Read more: southampton.ac.uk/news/2026/…
The sun rising above a cityscape with high-rise buildings

ALT The sun rising above a cityscape with high-rise buildings
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
Jan 13
Early warnings save lives - but only if they reach the right people in time. 🌍📊 New research shows how WorldPop data and multi-hazard alerts reduce cyclone risk, exposure, and recovery time. Learn more: worldpop.org/blog/the-data-b… #EarlyWarningSystems #DataForGood #ClimateRisk
Street in City during Flood, Dibakar Roy, 2024 via Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/truck-and-bus-on-street-in-city-during-flood-26202109/

ALT Street in City during Flood, Dibakar Roy, 2024 via Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/truck-and-bus-on-street-in-city-during-flood-26202109/
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
17 Dec 2025
🔥 Do heat adaptation strategies really work? A study of 1.1 billion devices across 366 Chinese cities shows cooling centres matter - but impacts vary by heat, wealth & age. 🔗Read and listen:  worldpop.org/blog/when-heatw… #ClimateChange #ExtremeHeat #Cities #Adaptation
Photo of Street Vendors, Guilin, China Image by GuangWu Yang from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/china-street-street-vendors-guilin-6788187/

ALT Photo of Street Vendors, Guilin, China Image by GuangWu Yang from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/china-street-street-vendors-guilin-6788187/
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
3 Dec 2025
🦠 Pandemics don’t spread randomly - they follow the paths we create through our social lives and movements. 📖 🔊 Read listen about how networks shape outbreaks: worldpop.org/blog/how-our-so… #InfectiousDisease #NetworkScience #HealthBehaviours #Epidemics #DataScience
Graphic illustrating the potential impact of social, mobility and contact networks on infectious disease transmission.

ALT Graphic illustrating the potential impact of social, mobility and contact networks on infectious disease transmission.

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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
18 Nov 2025
🌍 New review paper by Prof Xin Lu & co-authored by WorldPop’s Dr Shengjie Lai shows how high-resolution population & #mobility data are transforming #epidemic modelling & public health. 📊#DataForGood #GlobalHealth Read and listen: worldpop.org/blog/movement-p…
Map showing example individual mobility network

ALT Map showing example individual mobility network
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
12 Nov 2025
🌍New global 1 km population projections (2025–2100) under SSP1–5, supporting climate, health & development research. Explore the #FuturePop dataset! #OpenData #Population 📊 0.2 version release, updates coming soon. 📰🔊Read and listen: worldpop.org/blog/new-global…

ALT Animation showing population distribution of Bogotá under SSP1 scenario, 2025 to 2100

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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
12 Nov 2025
📰 The November 2025 edition of the WorldPop Newsletter is out! 🌍Explore new data releases, research updates & impact stories. ✒️Don't miss out - sign up for our next edition! 🔗worldpop.org/worldpop-newsle…
Two photos showing WorldPop capacity building in action - left Dr Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi and right Dr Natalia Tejedor Garavito

ALT Two photos showing WorldPop capacity building in action - left Dr Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi and right Dr Natalia Tejedor Garavito
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
27 Oct 2025
🔬 A new #MOOD #HorizonEU study reveals how #COVID19 modelling, data use & collaboration evolved across #Europe - offering key lessons for future pandemics. 📖 🔊 Read more listen: worldpop.org/blog/lessons-fr…
Photo of man wearing mask in street by Jeyaratnam Caniceus via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/man-face-mask-covid19-road-mask-6153671/

ALT Photo of man wearing mask in street by Jeyaratnam Caniceus via Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/man-face-mask-covid19-road-mask-6153671/
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
SSRN@SSRN
23 Sep 2025
This study uses #data from over 1.1 billion devices in #China to show that multi-hazard early-warning systems boost #disaster resilience by reducing population exposure & speeding recovery after tropical cyclones. Read: spkl.io/6013ArBuL Subscribe: spkl.io/6018ArBu4
This image shows a view of a cyclone.

ALT This image shows a view of a cyclone.
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
17 Sep 2025
📹 Dr Natalia Tejedor Garavito presents WorldPop’s cutting-edge work at CrisisReady’s Café Catastrófico ☕ 🌍 From mapping war-torn Ukraine to guiding flood relief, this data saves lives. Watch her talk (🇪🇸 w/ 🇬🇧 subs): worldpop.org/blog/mapping-pe… #DataForGood @crisisreadiness

Mapping People, Powering Response: WorldPop’s Work in Focus

Last month, Principal Enterprise Fellow Dr Natalia Tejedor Garavito showcased WorldPop’s innovative work at CrisisReady’s Café Catastrófico webinar series.

worldpop.org
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
9 Sep 2025
Missed The Power of Population Data webinar? 🎥 The recording & presentation slides are now available! Dive into the latest on WorldPop’s Global 2 dataset and how it's shaping smarter decisions worldwide. 🌍📊 🔗 worldpop.org/blog/new-global…
Screen capture of The Power of Population Data webinar, showing Dr Maksym Bondarenko, Dr Jessica Espey and Professor Andy Tatem.

ALT Screen capture of The Power of Population Data webinar, showing Dr Maksym Bondarenko, Dr Jessica Espey and Professor Andy Tatem.
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
3 Sep 2025
🌍 Tomorrow we launch WorldPop Global 2: A new era of global high-resolution #populationdata (2015–2030)! Built with AI & satellite imagery, it's open, powerful & ready for use in health, planning & disaster response. 🔗worldpop.org/blog/worldpop-g… #Geospatial #DataForGood
An image of WorldPop Global2 population estimates overlaid on satellite imagery for Northern Europe showing high population numbers in white and lower numbers in red. 2025

ALT An image of WorldPop Global2 population estimates overlaid on satellite imagery for Northern Europe showing high population numbers in white and lower numbers in red. 2025

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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
1 Sep 2025
WorldPop & #UNICEF team up to map zero‑dose children using #AI, satellite data & #geospatial analytics so we can locate and vaccinate those who've never received routine immunisations. Turning high‑resolution data into lifesaving action. #vaccination worldpop.org/blog/teaming-up…
Photo of an Adhoc Registrar, supports a mother during a digital birth registration drive in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, part of a nationwide effort to ensure every child has a legal identity. © UNICEF 2024

ALT Photo of an Adhoc Registrar, supports a mother during a digital birth registration drive in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, part of a nationwide effort to ensure every child has a legal identity. © UNICEF 2024

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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
13 Aug 2025
🌍 Big data, big impact! Join us on 4 Sep for the launch of WorldPop Global 2015–2030 - a new open-access, high-res, age & sex-disaggregated population estimate dataset covering 242 countries 📅 4 Sep | 🕒 3 pm BST 🔗 Register: eventbrite.co.uk/e/137459086… #PopulationData #OpenData
Graphic showing the WorldPop logo and the title of a webinar: The Power of Population Data: Introducing WorldPop Global 2015-2030, 3pm BST, 4 September 2025.

ALT Graphic showing the WorldPop logo and the title of a webinar: The Power of Population Data: Introducing WorldPop Global 2015-2030, 3pm BST, 4 September 2025.

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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
12 Aug 2025
🔥 As extreme heat & aging populations collide #Europe faces a deadly future. A new study using WorldPop data warns heat-related deaths could soar - especially among the elderly - unless bold measures are taken. #ClimateCrisis #HeatRisk #PublicHealth worldpop.org/blog/new-study-…
Maps of Europe showing heat-related excess mortality projected annual average heat-related excess deaths per million population at a 1.5 °C, b 2.0 °C, c 3.0 °C, and (d) 4.0 °C.

ALT Maps of Europe showing heat-related excess mortality projected annual average heat-related excess deaths per million population at a 1.5 °C, b 2.0 °C, c 3.0 °C, and (d) 4.0 °C.

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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
5 Aug 2025
🚨 New preprint: 73 high-res, global, multi-temporal geospatial datasets! Covering 2015–2023 at ~100m resolution, these open data power better population modelling for health, policy & more. worldpop.org/blog/new-open-a…
Graphic image showing comparison of population count estimates modelled from new covariates (year 2024) and population count estimates modelled from 2020 covariates for Luanda (Angola)

ALT Graphic image showing comparison of population count estimates modelled from new covariates (year 2024) and population count estimates modelled from 2020 covariates for Luanda (Angola)
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
DSN - Data Science Nigeria
@dsn_ai_network
24 Jul 2025
We are excited to be co-creating the future of AI-powered geospatial intelligence through a transformational knowledge partnership with @WorldPopProject and geospatial research hub at @unisouthampton. Over the last 3 days, we explored how the fusion of AI, human geography, and location-informed intelligence can power inclusive economies, especially in underserved communities across the Global South. By integrating population dynamics, spatial mobility, and settlement characterization with real-time, contextual AI models, this collaboration aims to bring global research to local relevance and impact. This is what it means to truly localize AI for good. Our delegation, represented by @bayoadekanmbi of @EqualyzAI and @rKyrian of @dsn_ai_network engaged in high-impact ideation and applied solution-building sessions with some of the UK’s brightest minds. The trip also presented a great opportunity to engage with the legendary @DameWendyDBE, Regius Professor of Computer Science at @unisouthampton, and are deeply grateful to our host @andytatem, Director of @WorldPopProject and leading expert in spatial demography and epidemiology. Special thanks to other brilliant contributors including Sada Saxton, Ian Coady, Dr. Jessica Espey, @Lai_CDC, @SarchilQ, Dr. Edson Utazi, @ChibuzorNnanatu, @NatuTejedor, @yankeyortis, Alexandra Frosch, Dr. Somnath Chaudhuri, Dr. Winfred Dotse-Gborgbortsi, Dr. Krishnaveni K.S, Dr. Mohamed Megheib, Safia Siddiqi-Hibbert and many others. Together, we are building a future where AI is not just intelligent, but location-aware, context-sensitive, and impact-driven. Indeed, emerging markets deserve tailored solutions and this collaboration is a step forward. #AIforGood #GeospatialAI #EqualyzAI #WorldPop #UniversityOfSouthampton #DataScienceNigeria #SpatialDemography
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
23 Jul 2025
🚀 A true honour to welcome Professor Dame Wendy Hall to WorldPop! We had an inspiring & wide-ranging conversation on using AI to fill global demographic data gaps🌍- plus insights into UK data sharing initiatives & the power of interdisciplinary collaboration 💡🔬 #AIforGood
Photo of Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Professor Andy Tatem and teams from WorldPop and Data Science Nigeria

ALT Photo of Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Professor Andy Tatem and teams from WorldPop and Data Science Nigeria
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
1 Jul 2025
🌍 Introducing the new WorldPop #QGIS Plugin for Population Disaggregation ✅ Disaggregate population data top-down using spatial covariates ✅ Generate gridded pop estimates at 100m res ✅ Disaggregate population by age/sex ✅ No need to program! youtu.be/WPStOdqE8xE
Screen capture of the WorldPop QGIS plugin

ALT Screen capture of the WorldPop QGIS plugin
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Shengjie Lai retweeted
WorldPopProject@WorldPopProject
24 Jun 2025
🚨 New preprint led by Dorothea Woods describing 🌍 global gridded multi-temporal datasets to support human population distribution #modelling 🔗 verixiv.org/articles/2-149/v… 💻 Data: hub.worldpop.org/project/cat… 🧮 Code: github.com/wpgp/global2_scri…
Image showing global visualisation of selected covariates.

ALT Image showing global visualisation of selected covariates.
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