Yaping Xu

When people ask me why I chose science, my answer has always been that science is not only fun but also a powerful tool to address environmental change. With the increasing impact of anthropogenic activities on ecosystems, it has become crucial to develop indicators that reflect these impacts and capture the complex cause-and-effect relationships in human-environmental systems. To ensure the sustainable use and management of natural resources, my research focuses on examining the sustainability of agriculture, the ecosystem health in the water, and the interaction between human and our environment. This investigation spans not only land-based ecosystems but also extends to the vast realms of the ocean.

My research, therefore, is to combine remote sensing, spatial analytics, big data analytics, high-performance computing (HPC), and cloud computing to examine agroecosystem at multi scales (macro/meso/micro) using a multisource data science and multi-level modeling (or, hierarchical modeling) approach. Through integrated spatial scales and modeling approaches, we will not only be able to provide detailed information, but also answer big picture questions, therefore leading to solutions and actionable science for environmental health issues - droughts, floods, surface runoff, and non-point source pollution to water bodies. I have a keen interest in soil moisture mapping, plant/crop phenotyping, coupled human-environment systems and health, agro-ecosystem modeling, as well as the spatio-temporal representation of geospatial data. These interests have been nurtured through my education and training from Guiyang and Beijing (bachelor's and master's degrees) to Louisiana (Ph.D. in geography), among other places such as Tennessee (postdoctoral research).

I am a strong advocate for scientific communication. I have actively participated in events such as the Louisiana Sea Grant Coastal Connection Thesis Presentation, a modified version of the 'Three Minute Thesis,' where I secured the 2nd place. I also facilitate students engagement in scientific communication and recently organized the “elevator talk” presentation competition for the Center of Bioenergy Innovation at Oak Ridge National Lab. Furthermore, I co-founded and served as president of the GIScience Club, an official student association at Louisiana State University.

Beyond my academic pursuits, I have a range of non-academic interests, including photography, singing, hiking, and producing YouTube videos. You are welcome to check my YouTube channel, which focuses on UAV tutorials for real-world applications.