Yuting Zhou

My research career is motivated by the desire to understand the impacts of climate and human activities on ecosystem structure, processes, and dynamics. Specifically, I aim to use multisource data (e.g., remote sensing, eddy covariance, field sampling etc.), state-of-the art models (e.g., ecological and hydrological models), and advanced analytical approaches (e.g., spatial analysis and machine learning) to investigate the impacts of climate and human activities on Earth systems and their possible interactions.

Specific research interests include land use and land cover change, drought, and food-energy-water nexus. My current projects include: 1) evaluating the impacts of drought on socio-economic sections in the Great Plains using satellite remote sensing and statistical data with the aid from NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program; 2) using machine learning and images from UAS to detect germination rates of peanuts with the aid for the OklahomaView, which is the StateView program of the AmericaView for Oklahoma; 3) using UAS to develop timely and cost-effective ways to detect alfalfa yield and quality.

I often collaborate with researchers from other departments/institutes within the university and institutes outside the university (e.g., University of Oklahoma and USDA ARS labs) to conduct multidisciplinary research. Through teaching, I strive to provide students with an opportunity to broaden their understanding of how to use GIS and remote sensing knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems and cultivate active learning habits that will prepare them for the future.

Research Interests:

Applications of remote sensing and spatial analysis to food-water-energy nexus
Monitoring, early warning, and impact assessment of agricultural drought
Land use and land cover change
Sustainable development of coupled human and natural systems
Integrating satellite and in-situ remote sensing with flux measurements