TEACHING INTERESTS
Dr. Li teaches GEOL 1580 Natural Disasters, GEOG 2680 Introduction to Geospatial Sciences, GEOG 2820 Spatial Measurement and Elementary Statistics, GEOG 3690 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems, GEOG 4660 Remote Sensing, GEOG 4690 Spatial Analysis and GIS Modeling, GEOG 4820 Multivariate Statistics in Geospatial Sciences, GEOG/GEOL 5210 Advanced Watershed Modeling, and GEOG/GEOL 5220 Hydrologic Remote Sensing. She teaches various softwares and technical computing languages including ArcGIS, MATLAB, R and Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS) in different classes.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Dr. Li's research interests focus on bridging Water Resources/Hydrology and Remote Sensing to improve the understanding of hydrologic variables. She is interested in the application of satellite data, Geographic Information System(GIS), and information technologies in hydrology and water resources. Her research activities focus on the utilization of remote sensing data to study the hydrologic responses of watersheds and soil moisture-precipitation interaction, and to evaluate the spatial variability of precipitation using geostatistical and image processing techniques. She has been collaborating with faculty and scientists from University of California Irvine, University of Michigan, Chapman University, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
**Graduate students or Undergraduate students that are interested in working with Dr. Li please contact through emails**
PUBLICATIONS
| Title | Date |
|---|---|
| Alamillo, A., Li, J., Farahmand, A., Pascolini-Campbell, M., and Lee, C., 2025, Post-Fire Vegetation Recovery Response: A Case Study of the 2020 Bobcat Fire in Los Angeles, California, Remote Sensing, 17, 4023, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs17244023 | 2025 |
| Chavda, D., Li, J., Farahmand, A., 2024, Assessing the Influence of El Niño on the California Precipitation Regime During the Satellite Precipitation Era, Hydrological Processes, 38(5), e15160. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15160 | 2024 |
| Johnson, S., Ye, H., Fetzer, E., Li, J., 2024, Satellite-observed Precipitation and Total Column Water Vapor, Frontiers in Environmental Science, 12:1338678. doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1338678 | 2024 |
| Ayad, M., Li, J., Holt, B., Lee, C., 2020, Analysis and Classification of Stormwater and Wastewater Runoff From the Tijuana River Using Remote Sensing Imagery, Frontiers in Environmental Science, 8:599030, doi: 10.3389/fenvs.2020.599030 (PDF) | 2020 |
| Salguero, J., Li, J., Farahmand, A., Reager, J.T., 2020, Wildfire Trend Analysis over the Contiguous United States Using Remote Sensing Observations, Remote Sensing, 12(16), 2565, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12162565 (PDF) | 2020 |
| Scott-Johnson, P., Ye, H., Owens, P., Shah, R., Mills, P., Vellanoweth, R. L., Seals, D., Nuno, L. F., Li, J., Bodoh-Creed, J., 2020, Empower Community to Use LA City’s Data Portal and GeoHub for Public Good: The Perfect Marriages of GIS and Big Data, Education and the Urban Community, Public University and Nonprofits, CSU Geospatial Review, 17. (PDF) | 2020 |
| Sehler, R., Li, J., Reager, JT, Ye, H., 2019, Investigating the Relationships Between Soil Moisture and Precipitation using the Remote Sensing Products, Journal for Contemporary Water Research and Education, 168, 106-118. (PDF) | 2019 |
| Li, J., Zhang, X., 2019, Beach Pollution Effects on Health and Productivity in California, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(11), 1987, doi:10.3390/ijerph16111987 (PDF) | 2019 |
| Yang, T., Liu, X., Wang, L., Bai, P., Li, J., 2019, Simulating Hydropower Discharge using Multiple Decision Tree Methods and a Dynamical Model Merging Technique, Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 146 (2). (PDF) | 2019 |
| Li, W., El-Askary, H., Qurban, M., Li, J., ManiKandan, K., Piechota, T., 2019, Using Multi-indices approach to Quantify Mangrove Changes over the Western Arabian Gulf along Saudi Arabia Coast, Ecological Indicators, 102: 734-745. (PDF) | 2019 |
| El-Askary, H., Li, J., Li, W., Piechota, T., Ta, T., Jong, A., Zhang, X., Yang, T., 2018, Impacts of Aerosols on the Retreat of the Sierra Nevada Glaciers in California, Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 18: 1317-1330. (PDF) | 2018 |
| Liu, Z., Cheng, L., Hao, Z., Li, J., Thorstensen, A., Gao, H., 2018, A Framework for Exploring Joint Effects of Conditional Factors on Compound Floods, Water Resources Research, 54. (PDF) | 2018 |
| Yang, T., Tao, Y., Li, J., Zhu, Q., Su, L., Zhang, X., 2018, Multi-criterion Model Ensemble of CMIP5 Surface Air Temperature over China, Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 132, 1057-1072. (PDF) | 2018 |
| Li, J., Hsu, K., AghaKouchak, A., Sorooshian, S., 2016, Object-Based Assessment of Satellite Precipitation Products, Remote Sensing, 8, 547. (PDF) | 2016 |
| Li, J., Hsu, K., AghaKouchak, A., Sorooshian, S., 2015, An Object-based Approach for Verification of Precipitation Estimation, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 36(2), 513-529. doi: 10.1080/01431161.2014.999170 (PDF) | 2015 |
| El-Askary, H., Abd El-Mawla, S.H., Li, J., El-Hattab, M.M., El-Raey, M., 2014, Change Detection of Coral Reef Habitat Using Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-7 ETM+ and Landsat-8 OLI Data in the Red Sea (Hurghada, Egypt), International Journal of Remote Sensing, 35(6), 2327-2346. doi: 10.1080/01431161.2014.894656 (PDF) | 2014 |
| AghaKouchak, A., Nasrollahi, N., Li, J., Imam, B., Sorooshian, S., 2011, Geometrical Characterization of Precipitation Patterns, Journal of Hydrometeorology, 12(2), 274-285, doi: 10.1175/2010JHM1298.1 (PDF) | 2011 |
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
Ph.D Civil Engineering 2012
- University of California, Irvine, CA
M.S. Environmental Engineering 2008
- University of California, Irvine, CA
B.S. Environmental Engineering 2007
- Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, China
CURRENT STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
Lauren Hartz, MS in Environmental Science (2023), currently works as a GIS Technician at City of Santa Monica
Project Topic: An Analysis of Crime Trends in Santa Monica, CA Before and After the COVID-19 Lockdown
Alex Ea, MS in Environmental Science (2023), currently works as a Civil Associate - Water Quality at Michael Baker International
Project Topic: Management and Monitoring of the Orange County Groundwater Basin
William Ramirez-Watson, MS in Environmental Science (2023), currently works as an Assistant Biologist at Bargas Environmental Consulting
Project Topic: Remote Sensed Patterns in Urban Nesting Raptors, an Ongoing Study in Los Angeles, CA
Ivan Pedraza, MS in Environmental Science (2023), currently works as a Laboratory Analyst 4 at the City of Redlands
Project Topic: Nitrate and Perchlorate Blending & Remediation for Groundwater Sources, Case Study in Redlands
Jawara Christian Alihan, MS in Environmental Science (2023), currently works as a Civil Associate - Stormwater at Michael Baker International
Project Topic: Flood Susceptiblity Mapping of the North Orange County Watershed Using Geospatial Overlay Method
Digant Chavda, MS in Environmental Science (2022), currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Penn State
Research Topic: Assessing the Influence of El Nino Southern Oscillation on the Precipitation Regime of California
Jeff-Laurent Joseph, MS in Environmental Science (2022), currently works as a Field Data Surveyor at ID Plans
Project Topic: Reconnecting Burbank: How Geographic Information Systems can Help Rehabilitate Burbank's Pedestrians and Bicyclists' Infrastructure
Montiel Ayala, MS in Environmental Science (2022), currently works as a GIS Specialist in City Planning Department at City of Los Angeles
Project Topic: Accounting for Emerging Wildfire Trends in Wildfire Risk Assessments, a Case Study in Kern County
Luis Barrios, MS in Environmental Science (2022), currently works as a GIS Assistant Specialist at UC Riverside
Research Topic: Assessing Precipitation Pattern Changes Caused by Forest Cover Dynamics of the Tropical Rainforest in San Andres and San Jose, Peten, Guatemala
Claire Villanueva-Weeks, MS in Environmental Science (2021), currently works at JPL
Research Topic: Seasonal Assessment of SMAP Level 3 and Level 4 Data Products Using Ground-based Measurements at Agricultural Sites
Jonathan Vellanoweth, MS in Environmental Science (2021), currently works as a GIS Analyst at City of Corona
Research Topic: Application of Remoste Sensing for Monitoring Thermal Plumes from Power Plants
Ladan Abbaszadeh Fard, MS in Environmental Science (2021), currently works as a Student Worker at Los Angeles County
Project Topic: Investigating the Water Quality in Malibu (District No.29) and Marina Del Rey Water Systems with a focus on the Nitrification Processing
Sophana Sak, MS in Environmental Science (2020)
Project Topic: Providing Healthy Food for Los Angeles, California with Community Gardens Through Seeds of Hope
Angelica Enriquez, MS in Environmental Science (2020)
Research Topic: Impact of Deforestation and Peatland Drainage on Borneo on Water Resources using Remote Sensing Products
Research Topic: Remote Sensing Analysis and Classification of Stormwater and Sewage Runoff in the Tijuana River
John Salguero, MS in Environmental Science (2020), currently works as an Environmental Scientist at Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board
Research Topic: Disentanglement of Wildfire Trends over the Contiguous U.S. using Remote Sensing Observations and Geopolitical Boundaries
Jose Diego, MS in Geology (2020), currently works as an Environmental Scientist at California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Sara Johnson, MA in Geography (2020), currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Ohio State University
Research Topic: Evaluating the Relationship between AIRS Water Vapor and TRMM Precipitation (Co-adivising with Dr. Hengchun Ye)
Jessica Fernandez, MS in Environmental Science (2019), currently works at Public Health I at County of Orange
Project Topic: The Effects of Small-scale Gold Mining and Excessive Recreation on the East Fork River in the Angeles National Forest
Ana Nguyen, MS in Environmental Science (2019), currently works as a Teacher at PUC Excel Charter Academy, Los Angeles
Project Topic: A Microbial Water Quality Analysis of the Recreational Zones in the Los Angeles River of Elysian Valley, CA
Marilyn Zepeda, B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2019), currently works as a Data Entry Clerk at Eravant
Beatriz Molina Aguilar, MA in Geogarphy (2018).
Research Topic: Evaluating Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: A Case Study in Central Canada
Brady Ross, MA in Geogarphy (2018), currently works as a Solution Engineer at Placer. ai
Research Topic: validating AIRS satellite data with ground-based stations in Arctic regions
Robin Sehler, MS in Environmental Science (2018), currently enrolled in a PhD program in University of Minnesota
Research Topic: Validation of SMAP Soil Moisture Data with TRMM Precipitation Data
Jinny Lee, MS in Geology (2016), currently works as an Assistant Professor at Chaffey College, CA
Research Topic: Seasonal Evaluation of TRMM and GPM Products Over the Continental United States
Peixin Xu, MS in Geology (2016), currently works as a Data Analysis Engineer at I-Talent LLC, CA
Reserach Topic: Hydrologic Evaluation of Two Satellite-based Precipitation Data, PERSIANN and TMPA, Using Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting Model