Professional profile
I am an Environmental Scientist and Hydrologic & Watershed Modeler with more than 20 years of experience in watershed hydrology, soil erosion, climate-impact assessment, urban stormwater, and environmental data science.
My work integrates process-based models, machine learning, statistical analysis, and geospatial methods to understand hydrologic processes, sediment and nutrient transport, and environmental risks across watershed and urban systems. I have extensive experience in interdisciplinary collaboration across federal agencies, universities, and research institutions.
Core expertise
- Watershed Hydrology & Modeling
- Hydroinformatics & Machine Learning
- Climate & Agroecosystem Modeling
- Urban Stormwater & Contaminant Transport
- GIS & Remote Sensing
Selected professional service
- Reviewer for journals including Water Resources Research, Journal of Hydrology, Water Research, Environmental Modelling & Software, and Catena.
- EPA research-project and technical reviewer, 2021–2025.
- Expert advisor for EPA research activities related to wetlands, nutrient reduction, and contaminant transport.
Field & laboratory experience
Soil and water sampling, water-quality monitoring, rainfall-simulation experiments, erosion measurements, and land-cover field investigations in the United States and China.
Work experience
Aug 2021 — Jul 2025
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Physical Scientist · Federal Postdoctoral Research Associate
Led high-resolution Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) development for simulating the transport of biological agents under various storm scenarios and urban surfaces, supporting EPA’s mission in weather-related emergency response. Utilized field instruments (Parsivel2 disdrometer, etc.) and cloud-based technologies to monitor surface runoff in urban settings. Used High-Performance Computing (HPC) (Linux-based) and Python and R to assess stormwater contamination risks and surface material impacts, including calibration and validation of washoff coefficient on different urban surfaces and detailed simulations of contaminant transport during extreme weather conditions.
Key accomplishments
- Demonstrated that surface materials significantly affect spore transport in stormwater, providing critical data for biological decontamination strategies.
- Conducted collaborative research with federal partners (DHS and U.S. Coast Guard) on wide-area contaminant migration studies and decontamination technologies.
- Published findings in top peer-reviewed journals and presented technical papers at key conferences, contributing to the EPA’s national Homeland Security Research Program (HSRP), which enhances decision-making for federal agencies, first responders, and water utilities, thereby strengthening national emergency preparedness.
Oct 2020 — Jul 2021
USDA Agricultural Research Service
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Simulated the impacts of storm intensification and climate change on crop yield, surface runoff, and soil erosion using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model. Conceived and implemented research programs on nutrient transport and sediment yield prediction using advanced modeling techniques. Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams across federal agencies, universities, and research institutions. Integrated storm intensification into statistical downscaling methods (GPCC) for daily precipitation to improve localized climate-impact assessments.
Key accomplishments
- Led a comprehensive study evaluating the impact of climate change on surface runoff, soil erosion, and crop production by integrating multiple climate scenarios and agricultural practices into predictive models.
- Developed models for predicting the impact of climate change on soil erosion and nutrient dynamics.
- Demonstrated the effectiveness of no-till practices and crop rotations in reducing soil erosion, providing critical insights into sustainable agricultural strategies to mitigate climate-change impacts and supporting USDA-ARS probabilistic forecasting efforts.
Oct 2017 — Sep 2020
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Senior Research Associate · NRC Contractor
Integrated the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) with machine-learning technologies to improve hydrological predictions and hazard forecasts. Developed hybrid SWAT-SVR models to enhance streamflow predictions under varying weather conditions. Conducted complex data analysis using machine-learning algorithms (SVR, wavelet analysis) to enhance streamflow-prediction accuracy at 12 hydrological stations and optimize model performance.
Key accomplishments
- Conducted an in-depth review and evaluation of 14 watershed-scale nonpoint-source pollution models, resulting in a peer-reviewed Geosciences publication and a comprehensive EPA technical report to support regulatory decision-making and water-quality management.
- Developed and applied SWAT to simulate sediment yield in high-risk erosion areas, providing critical insights for targeted soil-erosion control.
- Leveraged AI technology and wavelet analysis by developing a hybrid SWAT-WSVR model. This work significantly improved streamflow-prediction accuracy, benefited watershed management, flood-risk assessment, and sediment control strategies, and supported the EPA’s Safe and Sustainable Water Resources (SSWR) national program.
Mar 2013 — Sep 2017
USDA-ARS & Purdue University
Visiting Scholar
Performed research on watershed-scale soil-erosion assessments using GIS and Remote Sensing technologies and the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE).
Key accomplishments
- Applied USLE, GIS, and Remote Sensing technologies to assess soil erosion in the Poyang Lake basin, identifying high-risk erosion areas and guiding conservation efforts.
- Provided valuable insights for targeted land-management strategies to mitigate erosion risks.
- Analyzed long-term precipitation data to identify spatio-temporal precipitation patterns, contributing to storm research and water-resource management for future climate-impact studies. This research directly addressed challenges in quantifying soil-erosion risks, assessing sediment impacts on reservoirs, and understanding long-term precipitation variability.
Jul 2006 — Feb 2013
Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Assistant Professor (2006–2009) · Associate Professor (2009–2017)
Teaching and mentoring highlights
Courses taught
- GIS Software Application and Development (ArcGIS Desktop), 64 periods, Fall 2007–2012
- Digital Elevation Model, 32 periods, Fall 2007–2012
- Urban Geographic Information System, 32 periods, Spring 2008–2009
- WebGIS (ArcGIS Server, ArcIMS), GIS Design and Visualization, 40 periods, Fall 2007–2012
Graduate Student Mentor (2010–2014)
Mentored and provided academic guidance to four graduate students in the Spatial Information System major. Successfully led all students to complete their degrees on time, resulting in a 100% graduation rate. Advised on research projects and supported professional development, leading all students to secure employment in mainland China after graduation.
Education
Ph.D. in Physical Geography
Sep 2003–Jul 2006 · Chengdu Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China
Advisors: Prof. Chenghu Zhou and Prof. Wanchun Zhou
Dissertation: A Simulation Study on Watershed Erosion and Sediment System Based on Cellular Automata (CA) and GIS
Introduction to the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment
Master’s Degree in Agriculture
Sep 2000–Jul 2003 · Major: Forest Management, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
Advisors: Prof. Yongsheng Xie and Prof. Xiaoyang Xu
Dissertation: The Design and Development of Land Resources Ecological Economic Suitability Evaluation System Based on SuperMap GIS
Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture
Sep 1996–Jul 2000 · Major: Soil & Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
Dissertation: Analysis of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Soil in the Nihegou Watershed
Introduction to Northwest A&F University
View WES verified education credential
Selected honors & recognition
- Guest Editor, LandSpecial Issue on tillage systems, soil structure, and cover crops
- NRC Research Associateship AwardNational Research Council
- National Youth Natural Science FoundationResearch funding recognition
- Young Teacher Excellence AwardNanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications
- China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Grant46th grant program
Educational Technology Development
Co-developed three registered GIS and geography educational software systems supporting interactive teaching, spatial analysis, and 3D geographic visualization.