People

Yanlan Liu, Associate Professor. Yanlan is interested in hydroclimate–vegetation interactions across ecosystems, particularly fast-slow and micro-macro dynamics under climate extremes. Her work seeks to understand and advance strategies for enhancing ecosystem resilience.
Google Scholar | CV
yanlan [at] geog [dot] ucla [dot] edu

Qian Zhao, Postdoctoral Scholar (2023-). Qian received her Ph.D. in Ecology from Peking University. She is interested in understanding and forecasting droughts using deep learning and model-data integration.
Yue Zhang, Ph.D. Candidate (2021-). Yue is interested in Arctic-boreal vegetation dynamics and resilience, particularly under rapid warming and fire disturbances. Yue was awarded the Presidential Fellowship at the Ohio State University in 2024.
Yidong Tong, Ph.D. Student (2023-). Yidong is interested in quantifying forest structural changes and community competition in droughts using remote sensing and dynamic vegetation modeling.
Ziyang Tan, Ph.D. Student (2024-). Ziyang’s work aims to characterize plant hydraulic traits and dynamics using model-data integration. He is interested in the spatial patterns and scaling of plant hydraulics.

Alumni


Pushpendra Raghav, Visiting Postdoc (2024). Pushpendra is an expert in ecohydrological models. He used land surface model to investigate the impacts of vertical canopy structure on ecosystem-scale evapotranspiration during his visit to the lab. He is now a postdoc at the University of Alabama.
Zhaozhe Chen, Graduate Research Assistant (2022-2024). Zhaozhe is an interdisciplinary scientist and teacher. His research in the lab quantified evapotranspiration response to soil and atmospheric moisture stress using remote sensing. He is now a postdoc at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Shengxi Gui, Graduate Research Assistant (2022-2023). Shengxi is an interdisciplinary scientist. His work in the lab investigated the multi-decadal recovery of forest landscape structure after wildfires using remote sensing. He is now a postdoc at the University of Michigan.
Sam Gill, Undergraduate Researcher (2024). Sam is interested in crop productivity and water stress. He measured and analyzed field gas exchanges at the leaf scale in northwestern Ohio. He is a senior at The Ohio State University.
Claire Sneed, Undergraduate Researcher (2023-2024). Claire is interested in post-fire recovery of forests. She analyzed post-fire productivity in North-Central Colorado. Claire graduated with honors research distinction. She works as a Hydrologic Technician for Bridger-Teton National Forest.
Briana McNeal, Undergraduate Researcher (2023-2024). Briana is interested in Arctic ecosystem dynamics. She modeled permafrost dynamics using a numerical model. She graduated with honors research distinction. Briana is now a graduate student at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.