I am currently a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, working with Professor Ning Lu. I received my Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Geotechnical Engineering) from The Pennsylvania State University in May 2025, under the supervision of Professor Ming Xiao.
My research interests focus on understanding the fundamental mechanical and physical behaviors of geomaterials, such as frozen soils, and on developing integrated tools to assess the engineering and socioeconomic impacts of permafrost degradation–induced geohazards on civil infrastructure. I conduct interdisciplinary research, and I aim to contribute to the development of resilient coastal communities. I have worked with engineers, geophysicists, and social scientists to address critical challenges related to permafrost degradation, coastal erosion, flooding, landslides, and infrastructure resilience and adaptability.
Interests
Education
- Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, 2025
- M.S. in Civil Engineering, 2020
- B.Eng. in Civil Engineering, 2019
Highlights
High-resolution, physics-based geohazards mapping.
Compound coastal hazards from permafrost thaw, erosion, and flooding.
Mechanistic modeling of freezing and thawing of porous media.
Coring, geophysics, and lab characterization of ice-rich permafrost.
News
- Jan 2026 – New paper published: High-Resolution Geomechanical Modeling Reveals Accelerating Infrastructure Risks from Permafrost Degradation in Northern Alaska, Communications Earth and Environment.
- Dec 2025 – Attended the American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2025 Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
- Oct 2025 – New paper published: comprehensive analysis of ice-rich permafrost creep behavior and the interactive effects of temperature, salinity, and soil particle fraction on long-term strength, ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering.
- Oct 2025 – New paper published: large-strain thaw consolidation model developed and validated with secondary compression and permafrost composition effects, considering both adsorptive and capillary unfrozen water, Cold Regions Science and Technology.
- Jul 2025 – Started a new role as Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines.
- May 2025 – Passed Ph.D. dissertation defense, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University.
- Mar 2025 – Attended Geotechnical Frontiers 2025, Louisville, KY.
- Dec 2024 – Awarded the Mark E. and Claire L. Alpert Fellowship, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University.
- Oct 2024 – Selected as an Outstanding Reviewer, ASCE Journal of Cold Regions Engineering.
- Sep 2024 – Awarded the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) Francis Gularte Scholarship.
- May 2024 – Awarded the Thomas Krzewinski Best Student Presentation of Merit, 20th ASCE International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering.
- May 2024 – Attended the ASCE International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering, Anchorage, AK; delivered an oral presentation on experimental testing of retrieved permafrost samples.
- Mar 2024 – New paper published: Mapping Permafrost Variability and Degradation Using Seismic Surface Waves, Electrical Resistivity, and Temperature Sensing: A Case Study in Arctic Alaska, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface.
- Oct 2023 – Attended the Arctic Coasts Workshop, Boulder, CO: “Changes, Impacts, and Solutions—Working Towards a Resilient Future.”
- Sep 2023 – New paper published: proposed the holistic Arctic Coastal Hazard Index (ACHI) to assess Arctic coastal vulnerability to permafrost thaw, coastal erosion, and coastal flooding, Environmental Research Letters.
- Jul 2023 – New paper published: systematic review of geohazard mapping tools and an integrated framework to support science-based decision-making and policymaking under rapid environmental change, Cold Regions Science and Technology.
- Jan 2023 – Attended the NSF Navigating the New Arctic project meeting, Pittsburgh, PA: resilience and adaptation to permafrost-degradation–induced coastal erosion.
- Sep 2022 – Awarded the Leo P. Russell Graduate Fellowship in Civil Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University.
- Aug 2022 – Conducted fieldwork near Utqiaġvik, AK: undisturbed permafrost coring, geophysical testing, and laboratory testing.