Chenliang Wu
Join us for a virtual coffee hour with Chen on Thursday, April 17 at 3:00 PM Eastern (register here)
Tell us about yourself:
I am a sedimentologist and fluvial geomorphologist. I grew up in China and spent nine years in Houston, Texas, earning graduate degrees from the University of Houston and Rice University. I then completed two years of postdoctoral research at Yonsei University in South Korea before beginning my current postdoctoral position at Tulane University.
I am also a husband and father of two boys.
What is your research about?
My research explores how rivers evolve over time and how their movement shapes landscapes, leaves imprints in sedimentary records, and impacts the communities that rely on them. My current work focuses on uncovering the physical mechanisms driving channel cutoffs and the lateral migration of meandering rivers.
What excites you about your research?
My background in both sedimentology and geomorphology provides me with a unique perspective to identify and tackle fundamental questions at the intersection of these fields — questions that are often overlooked despite representing low-hanging fruit for advancing our understanding of river systems. What excites me most about my research is bridging the gap between fluvial sedimentology and geomorphology: connecting the processes that shape modern rivers with the sedimentary records they leave behind to better predict future river behavior.
What broader importance does your research have for society?
My research develops tools to advance quantitative stratigraphy while generating knowledge necessary for improving river management strategies and flood hazard assessments.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Earth Science?
There is a Chinese saying, “如鱼得水”, which means “like a fish in water”. I feel truly blessed to have found my own water—Earth science. So, what inspired me to pursue this career? I’m not entirely sure. Maybe it’s because I always choose the window seat on flights, captivated by the natural beauty of the landscape below, or perhaps because the best-tasting beer I’ve ever had is the ice-cold pints I enjoyed after a hot summer day of fieldwork.
What are you looking to do after you complete your PhD or postdoc?
I am currently seeking faculty and research scientist positions to continue conducting research and mentoring students.
Given unlimited funding and access to resources, what is your dream project that you would pursue?
Time is a fundamental aspect of geoscience. Understanding the timing of ancient events is crucial for developing a quantitative understanding of Earth systems. My dream project is to develop a high-spatial-resolution age model for the Holocene deposits of the Lower Mississippi River Valley (LMRV). Covering more than 26 million acres, the LMRV holds significant socio-economic importance. A high-resolution age model would be essential for reconstructing the evolution of fluvial landscapes, providing a foundation to address a wide range of questions not only in geoscience but also in social science, anthropology, archaeology, and ecology.
What else do you do? Any hobbies or interests outside of work?
I like running, photography, watching movies and musicals with my wife, reading books for my kids and cooking.
Check out Chenliang's google scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TOpUC_MAAAAJ&hl=en