Welcome to Li Zhang's website.

Li Zhang

Postdoctoral Researcher | Environmental modeling & scientific software development
Developer of i-Tree Research Suite – HydroPlus

Education

• Ph.D., Environmental Science, SUNY-ESF (2019 – 2024)
  Thesis: Modeling Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Non-Point Source Pollutant Loads with Variation in Runoff, Landcover, and Green Infrastructure
• M.S., Architecture and Civil Engineering, Nanjing Tech University (2016 – 2019)
• B.S., Environmental Science, Jiangsu Normal University (2011 – 2015)

Postdoctoral Researcher (NYS DEC Urban Heat Island Project)

SUNY-ESF, Department of Environmental Resources Engineering | 2025 – Present

• Redesigned core data structures in HydroPlus to improve runtime performance and optimize memory and I/O for large-extent, high-resolution simulations
• Led Task of Building Energy & Anthropogenic Heat Integration, incorporating building energy outputs into urban heat simulations
• Implemented and validated new heat-related metrics, scenario configurations, and analysis
• Provided ongoing software development, debugging, performance testing, and maintenance, supporting statewide production runs and future tool releases

Research Project Assistant (USDA Forest Service NUCFAC)

SUNY-ESF, Department of Environmental Resources Engineering | 2019 – 2024

• Developer of i-Tree HydroPlus to simulate the effects of climate change, urban surface changes, and Green Infrastructure on the hydrological cycle, including assessing impacts on water quality and flood risk
• Built temporal models for annual variability of nonpoint-source nutrient loading and spatial models to identify pollutant loading hotspots
• Collaborated on i-Tree Cool Air development to support climate resilience and environmental justice applications

Teaching Assistant

SUNY-ESF, Department of Environmental Resources Engineering | 2019 – 2023

• ERE 340/540 Engineering Hydrology and Hydraulics
• ERE 412/612 River Form and Process
• ERE 371 Surveying for Engineers
• ERE 530 Numerical and Computing Methods

1. Li Zhang, and Theodore A. Endreny. Prediction of phosphorus loads for ungauged basins using probabilistic export coefficient model,2026, Journal of Hydrology (IF 6.708, Link)

2. Li Zhang, Emily Anna Stephan, Theodore A. Endreny, Stochastic Export Coefficient Model to Predict Annual Variation in Phosphorus Loading from Diffuse Runoff, 2022, Journal of Hydrology (IF 6.708, Link)

3. Zhaoyang You, Li Zhang, Pen-Chi Chiang, Silu Pei and Shu-Yuan Pan, 2019, Performance Evaluation of Modified Bioretention Systems using Alkaline Solid Wastes for Enhanced Nutrient Removal from Stormwater Runoff, Water Research (IF 13.4, Link)
*This research is a part of my master dissertation. I was the leading author of this article, and due to typical academic practice in China, the first author has to be my former master's thesis advisor.

4. Zhaoyang You, Li Zhang, Shujuan Zhang, Yongjun Sun, and Kinjal J. Shah, 2018, Treatment of Oil-Contaminated Water by Modified Polysilicate Aluminum Ferric Sulfate, Processes (IF 3.352, Link)

5. Zhaoyang You, Haiyang Xu, Yongjun Sun, Shujuan Zhang, Li Zhang, 2018, Effective Treatment of Emulsified Oil Wastewater by Coagulation– Flotation Process, RSC Advances (IF 4.036, Link)

6. Zhaoyang You, Haiyang Xu, Shujuan Zhang, Hyunook Kim, Pen-Chi Chiang, Wenfei Yun, Li Zhang and Miao He, 2018, Comparison of Petroleum Hydrocarbons Degradation by Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Applied Sciences (IF 2.838, Link)

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