As an Earth System Scientist, I study the interactions between the physical world and life and explore the co-evolution of life and climate and what it means for sustainability. Data analysis, Regional Earth System Modeling and Predictions are combined to advance process and predictive understanding of the Earth System, especially at regional scales. All global warming is local and the impacts are manifest in the food, water, energy and health nexus. Producing region-specific predictive information at daily to seasonal timescale that is useful and usable and what-if scenarios for years to decades are my main interests. Process understanding is focused on the role of oceans in tropical climate variability at diurnal to decadal timescales and extremes. My personal interest also includes agroforestry as a sustainable agriculture and watershed management approach and its ability to sequester additional carbon in soils while enhancing drought resilience and soil moisture persistence.