Bio

Chen Zhang, Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor at George Mason University

Fairfax, VA, USA

Contact Me

Hi, I am Dr. Chen Zhang, currently a research assistant professor of GIS at Center for Spatial Information Science and Systems, George Mason University. As a geographer and computer scientist, I am specializing in applying state-of-the-art methods, technologies, and tools across multidisciplinary fields to discover, understand, and share geoinformation. My research areas encompass but are not limited to:

  • Geographic Information Science and Systems, Remote Sensing, Earth System Science
  • Agro-Geoinformatics, Land Use and Land Cover Change, Environmental Modeling
  • Geospatial Information Interoperability and Standards, Cyberinfrastructure, Digital Twin
  • AI/Machine Learning, Image Processing and Analysis, Pattern Recognition

Throughout my career, I have contributed to over 10 research projects funded by U.S. federal agencies, published more than 60 peer-reviewed research articles, and served as a reviewer and editor for more than 30 journals and conferences.

I am also a full-stack software engineer with expertise in developing and enhancing a variety of geospatial data systems and applications. Some of my notable contributions include Crop-CASMA, AgKit4EE, iCrop, CropScape, VegScape, and GEOSS Information Exchange DataHub.


News:

Education

Ph.D. in Earth Systems and Geoinformation Sciences

George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

2021

M.S. in Computer Science

China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing, China

2014

B.S. in Computer Science

China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, Beijing, China

2011

Selected Publication

* Here is a list of my latest publication as the first author. Please see Publication Page for abstract and full-text access.
* Full publication list and citations can be found on my Google Scholar Profile.

Zhang, C., Di, L., Lin, L., Zhao, H., Li, H., Yang, A., Guo, Li., and Yang, Z., 2023. Cyberinformatics tool for in-season crop-specific land cover monitoring: Design, implementation, and applications of iCrop. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 213, 108199. doi: 10.1016/j.compag.2023.108199.

Zhang, C., Marfatia, P., Farhan, H., Di, L., Lin, L., Zhao, H., Li, H., Islam, M.D. and Yang, Z., 2023. Enhancing USDA NASS Cropland Data Layer with Segment Anything Model. The 11th International Conference on Agro-Geoinformatics. doi: 10.1109/Agro-Geoinformatics59224.2023.10233404.

Zhang, C., Yang, Z., Di, L., Yu, E.G., Zhang, B., Han, W, Lin, L., and Guo, L., 2022. Near-real-time MODIS-derived vegetation index data products and online services for CONUS based on NASA LANCE. Scientific Data, 9, 477. doi: 10.1038/s41597-022-01565-2.

Zhang, C., Di, L., Lin, L., Li, H., Guo, L., Yang, Z., Yu, E.G., Di, Y. and Yang, A., 2022. Towards automation of in-season crop type mapping using spatiotemporal crop information and remote sensing data. Agricultural Systems, 201, 103462. doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103462.

Zhang, C., Yang, Z., Zhao, H., Sun, Z., Di, L., Bindlish, R., Liu, P.W., Colliander, A., Mueller, R., Crow, W. and Reichle, R.H., 2022. Crop-CASMA: A web geoprocessing and map service based architecture and implementation for serving soil moisture and crop vegetation condition data over US Cropland. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 112, 102902. doi: 10.1016/j.jag.2022.102902.

Zhang, C., Di, L., Hao, P., Yang, Z., Lin, L., Zhao, H. and Guo, L., 2021. Rapid in-season mapping of corn and soybeans using machine-learned trusted pixels from Cropland Data Layer. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 102, 102374. doi: 10.1016/j.jag.2021.102374.

Zhang, C., Di, L., Yang, Z., Lin, L., Zhao, H. and Yu, E.G., 2021. An Overview of Agriculture Cyberinformatics Tools to Support USDA NASS Decision Making. The 9th International Conference on Agro-Geoinformatics. doi: 10.1109/Agro-Geoinformatics50104.2021.9530327.

Zhang, C., Yang, Z., Di, L., Lin, L., Hao, P. and Guo, L, 2021. Applying Machine Learning to Cropland Data Layer for Agro-Geoinformation Discovery. 2021 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS). doi: 10.1109/IGARSS47720.2021.9554628.

Research

* Here is a list of my ongoing research. Please see R&D Page for all research and development projects.

CropSmart - a digital twin for making wiser cropping decisions nationwide

NSF Convergence Accelerator Track J Phase 2, Grant #2345039 (PI: Dr. Liping Di)

Research Scientist
2023 - present

Spatiotemporal Transfer Learning for Enabling Cross-country and Cross-hemisphere In-season Crop Mapping

NSF Info Integration & Informatics Program, Grant #2228000 (PI: Dr. Liping Di)

Research Scientist
2022 - present

Machine-learning-based In-season Crop Mapping and Associated Cloud-based Bigdata Cyberinfrastructure to Support USDA NASS Decision Making

USDA NIFA FACT Program, Grant #2021-67021-34151 (PI: Dr. Liping Di)

Research Scientist/Lead Software Engineer
2021 - present

Crop-CASMA: A Web-based Geospatial Application for Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Analytics

Supported by NASA Applied Sciences Program and USDA NASS

Research Scientist/Lead Software Engineer
2019 - present

USDA NASS Online Geospatial Applications CropScape and VegScape Systems Maintaining, Hosting and Enhancement of NASS Operation

Supported by USDA NASS

Research Scientist/Senior Software Engineer
2018 - present

GEOSS Components and Services Registry

Supported by Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) and USGS

Senior Software Engineer
2018 - present

Teaching

GGS 773: Interoperability of Geographic Information Systems
Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University

Instructor
Spring 2024

2023 Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
College of Science, George Mason University

Mentor
Summer 2023

GGS 773: Interoperability of Geographic Information Systems
Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University

Instructor
Spring 2023

GGS 787: Scientific Data Mining in Geoinformatics (Lecture topic: Data Mining in Agro-Geoinformatics)
Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University

Guest Lecturer
Spring 2023

GGS 366: Spatial Computing (Lecture topic: Introductory Agro-Geoinformatics in Spatial Computing)
Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University

Guest Lecturer
Fall 2022

IEEE GRSS Washington, DC & Northern VA Chapter Virtual Seminar (Lecture topic: Exploring Agro-Geoinformation for the United States Using the FAIR Cyberinformatics Tools)
IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society

Guest Lecturer
2022

Professional Experience

George Mason University

Assistant Director, Center for Spatial Information Science and Systems

2024 - present

Research Assistant Professor, Center for Spatial Information Science and Systems

2022 - present

Graduate Research Assistant, Center for Spatial Information Science and Systems

2015 - 2021

Peking University

Research Assistant, Institute of Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems

2012 - 2014

China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing

Research Assistant, Department of Computer Science and Technology

2011 - 2014

Professional Societies and Organizations

Member, AGU

2020 - present

Member, IEEE

2020 - present

Member, IEEE GRSS

2020 - present

Member, OGC

2016 - present

Student Member, AAG

2018 - 2021

Student Member, ESIP

2016 - 2021

Journal Reviewer

* Please see all verified reviews on Web of Science.

Advances in Space Research, Elsevier

Agriculture, MDPI

Agronomy, MDPI

Alexandria Engineering Journal, Elsevier

Applied Sciences, MDPI

Atmospheric Science Letters, Wiley

Climate, MDPI

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, Elsevier

Earth System Science Data, Copernicus Publications

Ecological Informatics, Elsevier

Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, Elsevier

Environmental Challenges, Elsevier

Environmental Modelling & Software, Elsevier

European Journal of Remote Sensing, Taylor & Francis

Expert Systems with Applications, Elsevier

Field Crops Research, Elsevier

Forests, MDPI

Heliyon, Cell Press

Geocarto International, Taylor & Francis

Geo-spatial Information Science, Taylor & Francis

GIScience & Remote Sensing, Taylor & Francis

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, Elsevier

International Journal of Digital Earth, Taylor & Francis

International Journal of Remote Sensing, Taylor & Francis

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, MDPI

ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Elsevier

Journal of King Saud University - Computer and Information Sciences, Elsevier

Journal of Computational Science, Elsevier

Journal of Remote Sensing, AAAS

Local Environment, Taylor & Francis

PeerJ, PeerJ

PLOS ONE, PLOS

Remote Sensing, MDPI

Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, Elsevier

Remote Sensing Letters, Taylor & Francis

Remote Sensing of Environment, Elsevier

Science of the Total Environment, Elsevier

Scientific Data, Nature Portfolio

Sensors, MDPI

Sustainability, MDPI

Technologies, MDPI

Water, MDPI