Dr. Liang is interested in using a combination of observations, numerical models and theory to understand how the ocean works and how the ocean is affected by and responds to the changing climate. In particular, Dr. Liang is interested in deep ocean changes and how the heat, salt, carbon, and other biogeochemical tracers are transported vertically in the global ocean. Dr. Liang is also interested in the dynamical processes that contribute to the vertical transport of ocean properties and materials, such as vertical velocity and ocean mixing. Another of Dr. Liang’s current research interests is mesoscale eddies, particularly how they can connect different regions as well as layers of the global ocean.
Dr. Liang has extensive seagoing experience, primarily in acquiring and processing data from Lowered/Vessel-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). Furthermore, he is familiar with the system of ocean state estimation (e.g., ECCO), which is powerful and has huge potential in addressing fundamental oceanographic questions, and various ocean reanalyses and simulation datasets.
Li Pan – Graduate Student
Li is interested in changes in oceanic physical properties and their links with primary productivity and global climate change. Currently, Li is exploring the changes and dynamics of the global ocean stratification using ECCO version 4 and Argo products.
Yang Zhang – Graduate Student
Yang is interested in the dynamics of the Southern Ocean. Currently, Yang is working on understanding regional trends of the southern ocean eddy kinetic energy and assessing the uncertainties of deep and abyssal ocean heat content changes.
Maya Feinstein – Undergraduate Student
Maya is an Honors Environmental Science student concentrating in climate & societal interactions. Since freshman year, she has been in the UD Climate Scholars program. Maya is interested in how climate change affects physical ocean dynamics. She is currently working with Dr. Liang in studying how climate modes modulate the oceanic vertical motions in the Southern Ocean.
Cora Beswick – Undergraduate Student
Previous Members:
Minghai Huang, Ph.D Student, Now Postdoc Texas A&M University
Chao Liu, Ph.D. Student, Now Postdoc at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Yingli Zhu, Postdoc, Now Postdoc at University of Colorado Boulder
Fanglou Liao, Postdoc, Now Professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University