Hi, I'm Manhal Alhilali,

About Me

I'm a computational atmospheric scientist with an engineering background, specializing in HPCI-scale numerical cloud modeling-especially LES with the Super-Droplet Method (SDM)-to improve severe-weather prediction and climate-relevant understanding of cloud processes. I'm a Specially Appointed Assistant Professor at the University of Hyogo in the Shima Research Group, contributing to a Moonshot project goal 8 focused on advancing severe-weather control. I primarily run SDM-LES on Fugaku, typically executing 24+ hour CPU jobs that scale to tens of thousands of nodes, while using systems like GRAND, SQUID, and Rokko for development and testing. I've worked with regional-scale domains, grid spacing down to 20 m, over 300 super-droplets per cell, balancing microphysical fidelity, computational throughput, and operational readiness. I also explore data-driven/AI-assisted approaches to accelerate workflows and model development.

Lab: Shima Research Group (University of Hyogo)

Outside the lab: drip coffee (My current favorite is Yemen Ghalib Anaerobic, and I've tested 100+ varieties), technology, cultural traditions, and photography.

Education & Experience

For more information, have a look at my curriculum vitae .

University of Hyogo May 2023 - Present

Specially Appointed Assistant Professor
Moonshot Goal 8 Super-Droplet Method Numerical Cloud Modeling Severe Weather Prediction High-Performance Computing Remote Sensing
Omar Al-Mukhtar University Feb 2022 - Apr 2023

Senior Lecturer
Database Systems Computer Networks IoT Machine Learning Quality Assurance
Botho University Nov 2022 - Mar 2023

Adjunct Lecturer (Part-time, Remote)
Infrastructure Management Advanced Database Systems Online Teaching
Universiti Kuala Lumpur Sep 2019 - Sep 2021

Contract Researcher (Postdoctoral)
Multicast Satellite Systems 5G Communications Research Grant Course Leadership
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Aug 2015 - Jul 2019

Part-time Researcher
Ka-band SatCom ESA Collaboration Tropical Propagation
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Jun 2016 - Nov 2017

Part-time Research Assistant
mmWave for 5G DSD Measurements HICoE Research Grant
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Sep 2014 - Oct 2018

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering
Rain Attenuation Tropical Meteorology Wireless Communication
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Sep 2012 - Aug 2014

M.Eng. in Electrical Engineering
Ultra Wide-Band Antenna On-Body Communication Biomedical Application
Omar Al-Mukhtar University Sep 2006 - Aug 2010

B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering
Telecommunications Signal Processing

Coffee

Coming soon.

Projects

HPCI Fugaku General Access Project

From Validation to Application: Advancing the Super-Droplet Method and Evaluating Weather Intervention Strategies for Extreme Rainfall Controllability in Japan

FY26 (Period-A)

Project Page

Project ID hp260140 Fugaku 4,325,000 node hours Super-Droplet Method

HPCI Fugaku General Access Project

Verification of Scale-SDM outputs and examination of weather intervention effects on heavy rainfall in Japan

FY25 (Period-A)

Project Page

Project ID hp250099 Fugaku 3,382,500 node hours Scale-SDM

MS8 T2 Development of a Lagrangian particle-based scheme of cloud microphysics

Highly accurate simulation of cumulonimbus clouds and precipitation by properly representing the diverse morphologies of ice particles and water droplets

FY23 - FY24

Project Page

Scale-SDM Fortran Fugaku Tropical

MS8 R&D Project - Heavy Rainfall Control for Living Together with Isolated-Convective Rainstorms and Line-Shaped Rainbands

MS8 R&D initiative focused on severe convective rainfall control.

Subproject: Development of Lagrangian Particle-Based Cloud Microphysics Scheme Using the Super-Droplet Method

FY25 -

Project Page

Super-Droplet Method Cloud Microphysics Lagrangian

Selected Publications & Conferences

Cumulonimbus Associated with "Guerrilla Heavy Rain" under Varying Background Aerosol Loading: Super-Droplet Method Simulations

7th International Workshop on Nonhydrostatic Models (NHM-WS 2025)

Morioka, Japan | November 2025

Manhal Alhilali, Yutaro Nirasawa, Shin-ichiro Shima, Wojciech W. Grabowski

Evaluating Cloud Seeding Effectiveness in Convective Clouds with the Advanced Super-Droplet Method

11th WMO Scientific Conference on Weather Modification

Pune, India | November 2025

Manhal Alhilali, Anu Gupta, Shin-ichiro Shima, Seiya Nishizawa, Soumya Samanta, Sachin Patade, Neelam Malap, Kulkarni Gayatri, Thara Prabhakaran

Advancing the Super-Droplet Method for Severe Convective Clouds: Evaluating Cloud Seeding under Varying Aerosol Conditions

IAMAS-IACS-IAPSO Joint Assembly 2025

Busan, South Korea | July 2025

Manhal Alhilali, Shin-ichiro Shima, Seiya Nishizawa, Soumya Samanta, Sachin Patade, Neelam Malap, Kulkarni Gayatri, Thara Prabhakaran

Development and Comparative Study of the Super-Droplet Method for Analyzing Microphysical Characteristics of Deep Convective Clouds During the Indian Summer Monsoon

International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation

Jeju, South Korea | July 2024

Manhal Alhilali, Shin-ichiro Shima, Soumya Samanta, Thara Prabhakaran

Evaluation of the Super-Droplet Method for Enhanced Cloud Microphysics Simulations of Deep Convective Clouds

104th AMS Annual Meeting

Baltimore, USA | January 2024

Manhal Alhilali, Shin-ichiro Shima, Soumya Samanta, Thara Prabhakaran

Unraveling the Microphysics of Isolated Cumulonimbus Clouds: Advances in Simulation with the Super-Droplet Method (SDM)

6th International Workshop on Nonhydrostatic Models (NHM-WS 2023)

Sapporo, Japan | August 2023

Manhal Alhilali, Shin-ichiro Shima, Soumya Samanta, Thara Prabhakaran

News

Manhal Feb 3, 2026

Website v3 Started 2

Initial v3 structure is now in progress with a dedicated News tab.

Read Article

Manhal Feb 18, 2026

Second consecutive year of HPCI/Fugaku allocation (FY2026)

My project was selected for Fugaku General Access (FY2026 Period-A), marking a second consecutive year of HPCI/Fugaku allocation.

Read Article

Shima Lab News Feb 16, 2026

Prof. Shima featured in JST media interview

Shin-ichiro Shima, “Why go so far as to simulate the shapes of ice particles inside cumulonimbus clouds? Taking on the challenge of […]

Hi, I'm Manhal Alhilali,

About Me

Education & Experience

Coffee

Projects

HPCI Fugaku General Access Project

HPCI Fugaku General Access Project

MS8 T2 Development of a Lagrangian particle-based scheme of cloud microphysics

MS8 R&D Project - Heavy Rainfall Control for Living Together with Isolated-Convective Rainstorms and Line-Shaped Rainbands

Selected Publications & Conferences

Cumulonimbus Associated with "Guerrilla Heavy Rain" under Varying Background Aerosol Loading: Super-Droplet Method Simulations

Evaluating Cloud Seeding Effectiveness in Convective Clouds with the Advanced Super-Droplet Method

Advancing the Super-Droplet Method for Severe Convective Clouds: Evaluating Cloud Seeding under Varying Aerosol Conditions

Development and Comparative Study of the Super-Droplet Method for Analyzing Microphysical Characteristics of Deep Convective Clouds During the Indian Summer Monsoon

Evaluation of the Super-Droplet Method for Enhanced Cloud Microphysics Simulations of Deep Convective Clouds

Unraveling the Microphysics of Isolated Cumulonimbus Clouds: Advances in Simulation with the Super-Droplet Method (SDM)

News

Website v3 Started 2

Second consecutive year of HPCI/Fugaku allocation (FY2026)

Prof. Shima featured in JST media interview

We are hiring an administrative assistant!

Resolving Entrainment–Mixing in Marine Stratocumulus: The Role of LES Grid Resolution and Super-Droplet Number

SDM KibanA 3rd General Meeting

The 2025 Autumn Meeting of the Meteorological Society of Japan

Bifurcation and Stability of the Co-Condensation Dynamics of H2SO4-H2O Droplets in Venusian Clouds

We are hiring two project researchers!

Mini-Workshop on Particle-Based Cloud Modeling 2025

hpc4climate Summer School 2025

Nonlocally Coupled Moisture Model for Convective Self-Aggregation

Busan IAMAS–IACS–IAPSO Joint Assembly 2025 (BACO25)

A model intercomparison study of aerosol-cloud-turbulence interactions in a cloud chamber: 1. Model results

KOBE HPC Summer School, Aug 25 – 29, 2025

New members

Graduation

Dr Shima presented a seminar at NCAR

Development of radar simulator for SDM

Dr Shima presented an invited talk at ISEE Symposium

Invited Talk at the Workshop on Science and Technology in High Reynolds Number Turbulence

Workshop on Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interaction

Dr Shima presented a talk at HANAMI High-Level Symposium

Dr Shima presented an invited talk at AGU24

The 2024 fall Meeting of Meteorological Society of Japan

Turbulence Modulation by Suspended Finite-Size Solid Particles

Quantum computing for cloud droplet collision-coalescence growth process

Preliminary evaluation of the effect of electro-coalescence with conducting sphere approximation on the formation of warm cumulus clouds using SCALE-SDM version 0.2.5–2.3.0

Particle filter data assimilation for ubiquitous unstable trajectories of two-dimensional three-state cellular automata

International Conference on Clouds and Precipitation

11th International Cloud Modeling Workshop (ICMW) 2024

Simulation of marine stratocumulus using the super-droplet method: numerical convergence and comparison to a double-moment bulk scheme using SCALE-SDM 5.2.6-2.3.1

KOBE HPC Summer School, Aug 26 – 30, 2024

Impacts of stochastic coalescence variability on warm rain initiation using Lagrangian microphysics in box and large-eddy simulations

Prof. Toda released a press statement about his collaborative study

New member

We are hiring a research assistant!

High-speed particle measurement using holography and its application to the research of cloud microphysical processes

Graduation

5th International Workshop on Cloud Turbulence

Daytime convective development over land: The role of surface forcing

Workshop on Aerosol-Cloud-Precipitation Interaction

Session at the AMS Annual Meeting in Baltimore

Overcoming computational challenges to realize meter- to submeter-scale resolution in cloud simulations using the super-droplet method, Matsushima et al., Geosci. Model Dev.

Unraveling the Impact of Aerosols on Hail Storms with Professor Alexander Khain

Insights on Arctic Clouds from Professor Alexander Khain

Response of high-altitude clouds to the galactic cosmic ray cycles in tropical regions, Miyahara et al., Front. Earth Sci.

KOBE HPC Summer School, Sep 18 – 22, 2023

Dr. Anu Gupta joined as a specially appointed assistant professor

We are hiring an administrative assistant!

Dr. Manhal Alhilali joined as a specially appointed assistant professor

Parameterization and Explicit Modeling of Cloud Microphysics: Approaches, Challenges, and Future Directions, Liu et al., AAS

New member

KAKENHI Kiban A “From Particles to Precipitation: Toward a Deeper Understanding of Cloud Systems with the Super-Droplet Method” started

Graduation

Simulation of marine stratocumulus using the super-droplet method: Numerical convergence and comparison to a double-moment bulk scheme using SCALE-SDM 5.2.6-2.3.0 [preprint], Yin et al., EGUsphere

Optimization and sophistication of the super-droplet method for ultrahigh resolution cloud simulations [preprint], Matsushima et al., GMDD

Website of the Moonshot #8 Nishizawa Project

New Long-term Internship Student

KOBE HPC Summer School, Aug 29 – Sep 2, 2022

We are hiring! (Postdoc of the Moonshot Program)

Dr. Shima presented an online lecture at IITM

New Research Student