Zhilong Liu

Dr. Zhilong Liu is a Research Assistant Professor in Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama, affiliated with the Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Maine (2021), specializing in Coastal Physics and Biogeochemistry. His research focuses on estuarine/coastal resilience to climate change and human activities, numerical modeling advancements, and Earth system modeling integration.

Education: Ph.D. in Coastal Physics and Biogeochemistry, University of Maine (2021).

Research emphasizes numerical modeling to study physical/biogeochemical responses in the northern Gulf of Mexico, including climate change impacts, human-induced changes (e.g., land use shifts, dredging), and ecosystem evolution. He develops coupled models for sediment transport, aquaculture, and engineering applications while improving regional-scale model performance through small-scale mechanism parameterization (e.g., air-sea interactions, sediment resuspension).

Publications highlight studies on hypoxia dynamics in Mobile Bay, hurricane-induced thermal shifts (Hurricane Sally), and aquaculture hydrodynamics. His work bridges coastal engineering and environmental science, informing restoration design and policy decisions.