Zifei Liu

Zifei Liu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Kansas State University's College of Engineering. He joined K-State in 2012 after completing his Ph.D. at North Carolina State University and a postdoc at Michigan State University. His research and extension program focuses on agricultural air quality with three primary emphases: emissions from livestock facilities, smoke from Flint Hills pasture burning, and climate change adaptation in agriculture.

• Ph.D., Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University (2009)
• M.S., Environmental Engineering, University of Cincinnati (2005)
• B.S., Atmospheric Science, Nanjing University (1992)

Liu's research program addresses critical air quality issues affecting Kansas agriculture and sustainability of local communities. His work combines field measurements, modeling, and meta-analysis to understand emissions processes and develop mitigation strategies. Key research areas include livestock air emissions (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, particulate matter), prescribed burning impacts, and climate change adaptation strategies for agricultural producers. His group has conducted meta-analyses of emissions from cattle and swine operations and field evaluations of mitigation technologies like vegetative environmental buffers and photocatalytic systems using UV/TiO$_2$.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on integrating multiple data sources (satellite, drone, ground measurements) for air quality assessment, refining emission factors through meta-analysis, and developing practical tools like the National Air Quality Site Assessment Tool (NAQSAT). The research spans from fundamental understanding of emission processes to practical extension tools for producers.

• Scarpino Thesis Award (2005)
• Boyd-Scott Graduate Research Award at ASABE meeting (2009)
• Outstanding Reviewer for ASABE (2016)

Liu has authored 28 peer-reviewed journal papers, 23 conference papers, and 14 extension publications or book chapters, totaling 436 citations. He serves as an associate editor for ASABE's Plant, Animal, and Facility Systems Division and has held leadership roles including chair of the division's Paper Awards Committee (2015-2016) and chair of the multi-state project 'Improving the Sustainability of Livestock and Poultry Production in the United States.' His extension work helps translate research findings into practical guidance for producers facing air quality regulations and sustainability challenges.

Liu leads the Air Quality Research and Extension Program at K-State, which collaborates with state agencies, producers, and other researchers to address air quality concerns through integrated research and extension activities. The program works closely with Kansas regulators to develop science-based approaches to air quality management in agricultural settings.