Meet Dr. Yan!

Dr. Dong Yan is a Postdoctoral Research Associate studying the functional and structural traits of dryland ecosystems using satellite images and other remotely sensed data. After receiving his master’s degree, Dong took a six-month break to travel and then went on to receive his doctorate in Geography from the University of Oklahoma in 2014. 

Dr. Yan is passionate about ecosystems and nature, so he is happy that much of his work takes him outdoors. When he isn’t working, you can still find him taking photographs of the vast Tucson wildlife.

Dr. Yan is happy here and attributes part of his success as a postdoc to the guidance he has received at the University of Arizona. In his words:  “The University of Arizona has so many outstanding and dedicated scientists to study dryland ecosystems from a wide range of angles. Working with those scientists provides great opportunities for me to be involved in exciting and novel research projects, and those experiences will keep inspiring me in the future. In addition, the training and funding opportunities provided by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs has also helped me become a better research professional.”