Zhenlong Li

Zhenlong Li is an Associate Professor of Geography in the Department of Geography at Pennsylvania State University's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. He leads the Geoinformation and Big Data Research Laboratory (GIBD) and holds multiple affiliations including Faculty Associate of the Penn State Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS), Faculty Affiliate of Earth and Environmental Systems Institute (EESI), Faculty Affiliate of Larson Transportation Institute, and member of Penn State Cancer Institute.

Dr. Li earned his B.S. in GIScience from Wuhan University in 2006 and Ph.D. (with Distinction) in Geography and Geoinformation Sciences from George Mason University in 2015. Prior to Penn State, he was Associate Professor at University of South Carolina where he founded the Center for GIScience and Geospatial Big Data (CeGIS).

As a GIScientist, Dr. Li's research focuses on geospatial big data analytics, spatial computing, and geospatial AI to address geographic questions about hazards, public health, population mobility, environment, and climate change. He combines traditional GIS methods with advanced computing approaches to analyze patterns in social media data during disasters, enabling rapid mapping and real-time decision making.

Dr. Li has published over 120 peer-reviewed journal articles and secured more than $2.3 million in research funding from NIH, NSF, NASA, and Taylor Geospatial Institute. His current NIH R21 project develops a nationwide obesogenic environment measurement tool using cellphone-based place visitation data and electronic health records.

• Fellow of American Association of Geographers (AAG)
• Breakthrough Star by University of South Carolina (2020)
• Geospatial World 50 Rising Stars (2021)
• Raskin Scholarship from Earth Science Information Partners
• Recipient of NIH R21 award

Dr. Li serves as Associate Editor for International Journal of Digital Earth and International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, and sits on the editorial board of Cartography and Geographic Information Science. Previously, he chaired the AAG Cyberinfrastructure Specialty Group and co-chaired ESIP Cloud Computing Group.

Through the Geoinformation and Big Data Research Laboratory (GIBD), Dr. Li advances applications in disaster management, climate analysis, human dynamics, and public health. His research aligns with four key clusters: Environmental Change and Prediction, Food Security and Human Health, Geospatial Big Data Analytics, and Spatial Modeling and Remote Sensing. He actively seeks graduate students interested in GIScience, GeoAI, and spatial computing applications.