Qingguang (Bright) Zhu

Coastal environments are critical land-sea interfaces that are experiencing rapid change driven by human activities and climate change. Understanding how these drivers alter coastal landscapes is essential for improved management and strategic planning. My research focuses on the processes that govern water and material transport across various coastal landscape units, using a combination of field observations, environmental data analysis, and numerical modeling. My research goal is to develop a predictive understanding of coastal landscapes and their response to disturbances and climate change.

My current research includes topics such as tidal channel design in restored coastal wetlands, sediment and larval connectivity in back-barrier bays, sediment transport in human-impacted environments, and the dynamics of storm surge and coastal flooding.