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 how the heat, salt, carbon, and other biogeochemical tracers are transported in the global ocean. Another of Dr. Liang’s current research interests is the dynamic processes that can supply energy to ocean mixing, and these processes mainly include internal tides, near-inertial oscillations, and mesoscale eddies. 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.
Minghai Huang – Graduate Student
Minghai is interested in mesoscale eddies, particularly how the eddies connect different regions of the global ocean. Minghai is currently working on the long-distance propagation and transport of mesoscale eddies in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the tropical Atlantic Ocean.
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
![](https://sites.udel.edu/xfliang/files/2024/03/climatemaya-dff865e0b0258ebc-297x300.jpeg)
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.
Cora Beswick – Undergraduate Student
![](https://sites.udel.edu/xfliang/files/2024/03/IMG_0294-63104bc8a981b628-225x300.jpg)
Previous Members:
Chao Liu, Ph.D. Student, Now Postdoc at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Fanglou Liao, Postdoc, Now Associate Professor at the Northwestern Polytechnical University
Yingli Zhu, Postdoc, Now Postdoc at the University of Colorado Boulder