WENYING LIAO

PhD Candidate
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Princeton University

I am curious about the patterns and mechanistic underpinnings of nature, and passionate about policy reforms that improve environmental condition and social development. My current research focuses on the global nitrogen cycle by investigating symbiotic nitrogen fixation in natural forest ecosystems and nitrogen fertilizer use in human-interfered agricultural systems.

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I am currently pursuing my PhD at Princeton University. I am advised by Profs. Simon Levin and Lars Hedin at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Prof. Michael Oppenheimer at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Policy (more on thesis work). Before my PhD, I completed a master's degree with Prof. Duncan Menge at Columbia University, investigating dynamics of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing plants in forest community.

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(photo credit: Sameer A. Khan)