Dr Di Li has worked on developing new observational techniques to study star formation. For example, using HI Narrow Self Absorption (HINSA) as an atomic tracer of molecular clouds to measure ages of clouds and the strength of magnetic fields. He also developed numerical inversion method for better understanding dust emission.

Li is currently focusing on early phases and initial conditions of massive star formation. In particular, he is developing a program to construct a comprehensive picture of massive cores in Orion, including spectral line and continnum data from both ground and space instruments, such as the VLA, FCRAO, CSO, SMA, CARMA, Spitzer, and Herschel.

Li is the PI or CoI of several Spitzer and SWAS projects. He also serves as the project scientist for the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) project (National Astronomical Observatory, China).

• B.S. in Nuclear Physics and a Graduation Certificate in Computer Software, Beijing University, Beijing, China (1995)
• Ph.D. in Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics - Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (2002)

• HI Narrow Self Absorption (HINSA): A New Atomic Tracer of the Molecular Clouds
• Massive Molecular Cores in Orion: The Initial Conditions of Massive Star Formation
• The Fourier Analysis of Dust Grain Temperature
• Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite Projects: Discovery of Interstellar O2
• The Ring around the Star r Ophiuchi

• Distinguished Visiting Scholar, National Science Foundation of China, 2003

1. Krco, M., Goldsmith, P.F., Brown, R.L., & Li, D. 2008, ApJ, “An Improved Technique for Measurement of Cold H I in Molecular Cloud Cores”, 689, 276
2. Velusamy, T., Peng, R., Li, D., Goldsmith, P.F., & Langer, W.D. 2008, “Dichotomy in the Dynamical Status of Massive Cores in Orion”, ApJL, 688, L87
3. Goldsmith, P., Heyer, M., Narayanan, G., Snell, R., Li, D. & Brunt, C., 2008, “LargeScale Structure of the Molecular Gas in Taurus Revealed by High Spatial Dynamic Range Spectral Line Mapping”, 2008, ApJ 689, 276
4. Narayanan, G., Heyer, M., Brunt, C., Goldsmith, P., Snell, R. & Li, D. 2008, “The Five College Radio Astronomy Observatory CO Mapping Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud”, 2008, ApJS, 177, 341
5. Li, D., Velusamy, T., Goldsmith, P.F. & Langer, W., Massive Quiescent Cores in Orion part II Core Mass Function, ApJ, 655, 351, 2006.
6. Goldsmith, P.F., Li, D. & Krco, M. , 2006, The transition from Atomic to Molecular Hydrogen in Interstellar Clouds: the 21cm Signature of the Evolution of Cold Atomic Hydrogen in Dense Clouds, ApJ, 654, 273, 2006.
7. Ridge, N., Di Francesco, J., Kirk, H., Li, D., Goodman, A., Alves, J., Arce, H., Borkin, M., Caselli, P., Foster, J., Heyer, M., D. Johnstone, D. Kosslyn, M. Lombardi, J. Pineda, S. Schnee, M. Tafalla , The COMPLETE Survey of Star-Forming Regions: Phase I Data, AJ, 131, 2921, 2006.
8. Goldsmith, P.F & Li, D., "HI Narrow Self-Absorption in Dark Clouds: Correlations with Molecular Gas and Implications for Cloud Evolution and Star Formation," Goldsmith, P. F. and Li, D., ApJ, 622, 983, 2005.
9. Li, D., E. González -Alfonso & G. Melnick, "The Inverse P-Cygni Water Profile of G333.1: Parsec-Scale Infalling Envelope," American Astronomical Society Meeting, 204, 9903, 2004.
10. Zubko, V., Li, D., Harwit, M & Lim, T., "Observations of Water Vapor Outflow from NML Cygnus," ApJ, 610, 427, 2004.
11. Li, D. and Goldsmith, P. F., "HI Narrow Self Absorption in Dark Clouds," ApJ, 585, 823, 2003.
12. Li D., Goldsmith, P.F. & Menten, K., "Massive Quiescent Cores in Orion I. Temperature Structure," ApJ, 587, 262, 2003.
13. Darling, J., Goldsmith, P. F., Li, D. and Giovanelli, R., "A Search for 6.7 GHz Methanol Masers in OH Megamaser Galaxies at 0.11 < z < 0.27," AJ, 125, 1177, 2003.
14. Goldsmith, P. F., Li, D., Melnick, G. J., Bergin, E. A., Howe, J. E., Snell, R. L., Neufeld, D. A. and Harwit, M., "Tentative Detection of Molecular Oxygen in the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud," ApJ, 576, 814, 2002.
15. Li, D. and Goldsmith, P.F., "HI Self-absorption and OH Observations of Dark Clouds," NAIC Arecibo Newsletter, No. 29, 2002.
16. Li, D., Goldsmith, P.F. and Xie, T., "A New Method For Determining the Dust Temperature Distribution," ApJ, 522, 897 , 1999.