I think ecohydrology is an interdisciplinary science to understand water and ecosystem interactions, and how those interactions will affect human society under climate change.
What are your undergraduate and graduate degrees in?
My undergraduate degree is in Geodesy and Cartography (North China Institute of Science and Technology) and my graduate degrees are in Geodesy and Cartography (China University of Mining and Technology) and Geographic Information System (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences).
How did you arrive at working in/thinking about ecohydrology?
I have the opportunity and passion to pursue a career in ecohydrology in large part thanks to my advisor Dr. Lixin Wang. Before joining his group, I did not know much about ecohydrology. When working with Dr. Wang, I was not only introduced to this field but the importance of ecohydrology and how I can use advanced techniques to explore important ecohydrological research questions.
What do you see as an important emerging area of ecohydrology?
I think the impacts of extreme drought events (compound with heatwave) and wildfire on ecosystem and their predictions are urgent area of ecohydrology.
Do you have a favorite ecohydrology paper? Describe/explain.
I really admire the publication “Palmer, W. C. (1965). Meteorological drought (Vol. 30). US Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau.”. It was written more than half century ago, but the ideas and conceptions still keep inspire many people including me. The Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) is still one of the most widely used drought indicators today.
What do you do for fun (apart from ecohydrology)?
I enjoy outdoor sports, such as running, tennis, and fishing. Traveling to all the small and big towns is always fun too.