Fangni Lei

Fangni Lei is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn). She holds a Ph.D. from Wuhan University (2016). Her research focuses on watershed-scale hydrologic modeling, microwave remote sensing of soil moisture, land surface water and energy balance modeling, and agricultural water management with remote sensing applications. Dr. Lei’s work bridges theoretical advancements with practical applications in environmental monitoring and climate science.

Her research interests include integrating remote sensing technologies like CYGNSS and SMAP data to enhance soil moisture monitoring, improving hydrological models through data assimilation, and advancing precision agriculture practices using satellite-derived insights. Recent efforts emphasize machine learning applications in environmental data analysis, flood inundation mapping, and climate change impacts on ecosystems.

Key contributions include developing blended soil moisture products, assessing vineyard water use via data assimilation systems, and evaluating global soil moisture estimates using multi-source satellite data. Dr. Lei collaborates with institutions like the Connecticut Manufacturing Simulation Center and the Connecticut Transportation Institute, contributing to interdisciplinary environmental research initiatives.