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.
Qiaoyu He – Graduate Student
Qiaoyu is interested in the impact of mesoscale eddies on deep ocean dynamics. Currently, Qiaoyu is analyzing how deep ocean currents and other physical processes over mid-ocean ridges are modulated by eddies and exploring their influence on deep ocean ecosystems using high-resolution numerical simulations.
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.
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:
Graduate Students:
Yang Zhang, PhD 2025, Understanding Deep Ocean State Changes with an Ocean State Estimate and Observations, Now Postdoc at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Minghai Huang, PhD 2024, Mean currents, eddies, and their interactions in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean and its marginal seas, Now Postdoc at Texas A&M University
Chao Liu, PhD 2023, Patterns & mechanisms of ocean salinity changes and their connection to the climate system, Now Postdoc at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Postdocs:
Yingli Zhu, Now Postdoc at the University of Colorado Boulder
Fanglou Liao, Now Professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University