Lixin Wang

Lixin Wang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), part of the School of Science. His research focuses on ecohydrology, exploring interactions between water and vegetation in dryland ecosystems and their responses to climate change. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia (2008), and has held postdoctoral positions at Princeton University (2008–2011) and the University of New South Wales (2011–2012).

Research interests include ecohydrological processes in water-stressed environments, stable isotope applications, and drought characterization. His work combines field observations, remote sensing, and modeling, with a focus on fog, dew, and non-rainfall water sources in arid regions. Key contributions address dryland greening, vegetation resilience under climate change, and the impact of atmospheric demand on ecosystem functions.

Notable awards include the 2020 Research Frontiers Trailblazer Award and the 2016 NSF Career Award. He serves on editorial boards for journals such as Hydrology and Earth System Sciences and Journal of Arid Environments, and actively contributes to international conferences.

Current research includes advising 9 graduate students and postdocs, with projects on dryland resilience, agricultural adaptation, and isotopic tracing of water sources. His work has been published in high-impact journals like Nature, Science, and Nature Climate Change.