Introducing Our New Ph.D. Students

A 3-by-4 photo grid featuring headshots of eleven diverse individuals and a University of Maryland Testudo mascot graphic in the bottom right corner.

We’re excited to welcome the newest cohort of Ph.D. students to our program! 

They bring diverse perspectives, experiences and expertise from around the world, along with a shared passion for advancing geographical sciences.

Our Incoming Scholars

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Eniola Awowale

Call me: Eni

I'm from: D.C. area

My research topic: I am interested in better understanding the effects of biodiversity loss on ecosystem services.

My advisor: George Hurtt

My educational background: B.S. Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland

What attracted me to geographical sciences: I studied GIS here at UMD and really enjoyed all of my course work. I have always had a desire to better understand the natural world and paired with my background in GIS pursuing a Ph.D. felt like the next step.

What I like to do when I am not studying: I love being in the outdoors! Birding, rock climbing, skiing, I like doing it all.

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Shipu Debnath

Call me: Shipu

I'm from: Kishoreganj, Bangladesh

My research topic: Climate change impacts, community resilience and adaptation using geospatial approaches, including GIS, remote sensing and spatial analysis

My advisor: Sinéad L. Farrell

My educational background: M.S. Geography and Environment, Texas Tech University; Bachelor’s Degree Urban and Regional Planning, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh

What attracted me to geographical sciences: I chose geographical sciences because it provides the knowledge and tools to address global challenges and help shape a better world for generations to come.

What I like to do when I am not studying: I enjoy cooking, exploring different cuisines, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and learning about new places and cultures.

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Elizabeth Guzman

Call me: Elizabeth

I'm from: Baltimore, Maryland

My research topic: Natural disaster relief in Latin America

My advisor: Meredith Gore

My educational background: B.S. Environment and Sustainability, Cornell University

What attracted me to geographical sciences: Wanting to build my skills in mapping and remote sensing work

What I like to do when I am not studying: Read books (especially thrillers), run, watch Gilmore Girls

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Jordan Laughlin

Call me: Jordan

I'm from: Alaska

My research topic: High altitude lidar analysis and applications

My advisor: Ralph Dubayah

My educational background: B.S. Geospatial Science, United States Military Academy; M.S. Geosensing Systems Engineering, University of Houston

What attracted me to geographical sciences: Earth is the basis of our (humans) existance. I am passionate about improving how we collect, process, and exploit information about the area around us. 

What I like to do when I am not studying: I enjoy being outdoors. This includes doing orienteering, trail running, hiking, camping, and other similar outdoor activities.

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Jinge Li

Call me: Jinge

I'm from: Hebei, China

My research topic: Geospatial Information Science, spatial data science, and their applications in urban mobility and transportation systems

My advisor: Taylor Oshan

My educational background: M.Sc. Geographic Data Science, London School of Economics and Political Science; B.E. Urban and Rural Planning, Tongji University 

What attracted me to geographical sciences: I was drawn to geographical sciences because it allows us to understand the world across different spatial scales. We can look at large-scale changes on Earth through remote sensing, but we can also zoom in to understand how people move and interact with their environment. I was first introduced to this field during my undergraduate studies, and I was fascinated by how geographical sciences connects these different scales to address real-world problems. That experience made me realize that this is the field I want to pursue further.

What I like to do when I am not studying: I enjoy sci-fi books and movies, drawing and traveling, especially to the seaside.

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Sarah Liu

Call me: Sarah

I'm from: Yorktown, Virginia

My research topic: Changes in land cover and land use

My advisor: George Hurtt

My educational background: B.A. Computer Science and English, University of Virginia

What attracted me to geographical sciences: How interdisciplinary it is and the attention it pays to the way people and the natural world are connected. I'm also drawn to the opportunity to better understand environmental issues and what can be done to mitigate them. 

What I like to do when I am not studying: Reading, seeing live music, dabbling in writing and video games. I'm currently learning to play tennis.

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Shengheng Liu

Call me: Tom or Shengheng

I'm from: Fujian, China

My research topic: GeoAI, including Geo-Foundation Models and VLM agents

My advisor: Yiqun Xie

My educational background: M.S. Forestry Remote Sensing, Northeast Forestry University; B.S. Forestry, Northeast Forestry University

What attracted me to geographical sciences: I really love nature and truly appreciate having the chance to know more about our Earth by using frontier technologies like 3S and AI. 

What I like to do when I am not studying: I enjoy early-morning jogging outdoors and chatting with friends.

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Julie Price

Call me: Julie or Jules

I'm from: Kenya: The land of the "Big Five" — the lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant 

My research topic: Unregulated small-scale gold mining in farming regions and its impacts on vulnerable communities lives and livelihoods

My advisor: Meredith Gore

My educational background: M.S. Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology, University of Maryland; B.A. Economics, University of Maryland

What attracted me to geographical sciences: Its inherent integrative approach, i.e., bringing together perspectives from the natural and social sciences, and technical fields to better understand complex real-world problems. Having benefited from interdisciplinary academic and professional experiences, I've come to value research and problem-solving that connects systems. Geographical sciences is especially compelling to me because it provides the framework for the holistic inquiry I seek to pursue.

What I like to do when I am not studying: I love reading, listening to music, and attempting to dance. :)

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Weilun Shi

Call me: Weilun

I'm from: Jiaxing, China

My research topic: GeoAI/agricultural production in geographical context

My advisor: Yiqun Xie

My educational background: M.S. Agricultural Economics, Cornell University; M.A. Economics, University of Washington

What attracted me to geographical sciences: Collaboration with geoscience people on work 

What I like to do when I am not studying: Watching movies & shows, playing video games

A young East Asian man sits cross-legged on a wooden deck high in the mountains, making a peace sign with one hand. He is wearing a dark hoodie, sunglasses, and grey pants. Behind him is a wooden railing painted with red accents and inscribed with Chinese characters, with dramatic, rocky mountain peaks filling the background under bright sunlight.

Aohua Tian

Call me: Aohua

I'm from: Shandong, China

My research topic: GeoAI and urban spatial intelligence, with a focus on multimodal learning, urban perception and transportation/mobility

My advisor: Yiqun Xie

My educational background: M.S. Geospatial Data Science, University of Michigan; B.E. Software Engineering, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications

What attracted me to geographical sciences: I was originally trained in software engineering, but I became interested in geographical sciences when I realized that many of the questions I found most exciting were not just about building better AI models, but about using them to understand real places and human experiences. I am particularly interested in how spatial context can help us study how people perceive, experience, and move through cities. Geography gives me the opportunity to connect AI with these real-world urban questions.

What I like to do when I am not studying: I enjoy working out, playing badminton, traveling and exploring new places, and anything related to cars and technology.

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Miaojing Wei

Call me: Miaojing/Mina

I'm from: Guangzhou, China

My research topic: Human Dimensions of Global Change - Coupled Human and Natural Systems

My advisor: Kathleen Stewart and Taylor Oshan

My educational background: B.A. Geography, Clark University; M.S. Urban Planning, Columbia University

What attracted me to geographical sciences: I am drawn to geographical sciences because it allows me to start from real-world urban and human-environment questions and use different spatial and data-driven approaches to understand them.

What I like to do when I am not studying: I Iove musicals, cooking and baking, and watch TV series.

Published on Wed, 08/19/2026 - 15:46