Hydrogeology Research Group
Principal Investigator, Professor

Jiu Jimmy JIAO
Department of Earth Sciences
The University of Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2857 8246; Fax +852 2517 6912; Email: jjiao@hku.hk
Professor Jiao obtained his BEng and MEng from China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), China, and PhD from the University of Birmingham, UK. He has been working as an Editor of Hydrogeology Journal since 2008 and also worked as Associated Editor for Ground Water from 2002 to 2010. His research interests include: dynamic interaction between seawater and groundwater, subsurface airflow induced by sea tides and pumping tests, confined groundwater zone and slope instability in weathered igneous rocks, regional hydrogeology and hydro-geo-chemistry in aquifer-aquitard systems in river basins, and impact of human activities on coastal groundwater regimes.
Research Assistant Professor

Xin LUO
Department of Earth Sciences
The University of Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2219 4695; Fax +852 2517 6912; Email: xinluo@hku.hk
Dr. LUO received his Ph.D degree in HKU-DES in 2015, and his research interest includes hydrogeology, hydrology, limnology, oceanography, and biogeochemistry. He works on multiple isotopes e.g., stable isotopes, radioactive isotopes and non-traditional isotopes, and their deployments in understanding local and global hydrogeological, hydrological, biogeochemical and ecological dynamics. His study areas cover South China Sea, large river deltaic systems such as Pearl River delta and Red River delta, embayment such as Tolo Harbor, headwaters in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) such as Yellow River Source Regions, and Yarlung Tsangpo River, etc., lakes in QTP and desert environments such as Badain Jaran Desert and in high urbanized areas such as Taihu lake, and North China Plain.
Post-Doctoral Researcher

Rong MAO
The University of Hong Kong
Email: maorong@connect.hku.hk
Mao’s research interests involve developing travel time distribution theory and understanding how the external forces and physical structures control the water and solute transport and the time variability of storage release preference of water in hillslope and lake systems. The results are further linked to the biological effect in the lake and the chemical weathering process of the hillslope.

Manhua LUO
The University of Hong Kong
Email: luomh@hku.hk
Luo’s research focuses on using radium and radon isotopes as tracers to investigate submarine groundwater discharge and its environmental effects. Based on field observation data, he applies numerical simulation methods to model the influence of various factors-such as tides, break slope, and evaporation-on groundwater flow and solute transport in coastal areas. Additionally, his work evaluates the diffusive flux of nutrients and metal elements at the sediment-water interface. His research spans several key areas, including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Liaodong Bay, Jiaozhou Bay, Daya Bay, Shenzhen Bay.

Chuanjun ZHAN
The University of Hong Kong
Email: zhancj@hku.hk
Zhan obtained his B.Eng., M.Eng., and Ph.D. degrees from Jilin University. His research focuses on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with groundwater science, particularly in the identification of heterogeneous aquifer structures and numerical simulation of groundwater systems. His work involves intelligent identification of aquifer heterogeneity in both porous and fractured media, AI-driven groundwater pollution prediction, and uncertainty analysis in numerical modeling. Currently, he is primarily engaged in studying the heterogeneity of coastal aquifers and developing numerical models for coastal groundwater dynamics.
Graduate Students

Yanqiong HUANG (huangyq1@connect.hku.hk)
PhD candidate (2020 – )
MS (2016 – 2019) University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
BS (2012 – 2016) Shandong University of Science and Technology
Yanqiong is interested in water-rock interaction revealed by geochemical tools, particularly by non-traditional isotopes such as Lithium, in different settings, including arid desert (Badain Jaran Desert), hydrothermal systems (Heyuan, Guangdong), river basin and delta (Pearl River Basin and Estuary), and the contribution of groundwater (both cold groundwater and hydrothermal groundwater) in chemical weathering of Dongjiang river basin.
Publications:
1. Huang, Y.Q., Jiang, Y.D., Collet, S., Wang, S., Xu, K., Shu, T., Li, P.F., Yuan, C. (2020). Magmatic recycling of accretionary wedge: A new perspective on Silurian-Devonian I-type granitoids generation in the Chinese Altai. Gondwana Research, 78: 291-307.
2. Huang, Y.Q., Jiang, Y.D., Yu, Y., Collet, S., Wang, S., Shu, T., Xu, K. (2019). Nd-Hf Isotopic Decoupling of the Silurian—Devonian Granitoids in the Chinese Altai: A Consequence of Crustal Recycling of the Ordovician Accretionary Wedge? Journal of Earth Science, 31: 102–114.
Wenli HU (wenlihu@connect.hku.hk)
PhD candidate (2020 – )
RA (2018 – 2020) – Southern University of Science and Technology
BEng (2014 – 2018) – China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
Hu is interested in the influence of submarine groundwater discharge and macrobenthic activities on biogeochemical carbon cycling in coastal wetlands. The methods mainly involve analysis of hydro-chemistry and sedimentary biogeochemistry analysis, investigation of macrobenthos, isotopic techniques, and numerical modeling. The relevant fieldwork is currently at Mai Po Nature Reserve, Hong Kong, China.


Tianwei WANG (u3008634@connect.hku.hk)
PhD candidate (2021 – ) (Joint PhD program of HKU & SUSTech)
RA (2020 – 2021) – Southern University of Science and Technology
BS (2016 – 2020) – Southern University of Science and Technology
Wang focuses on the migration and fate of microplastics in groundwater water system, numerical simulation.
Jintao SU (sudosu@connect.hku.hk)
PhD candidate (2021 – )
BS (2017 – 2021) University of Science and Technology of China, Geochemistry and Environmental Sciences
Su’s work focuses on climate and geomorphology control of groundwater discharge and geochemistry to indicate the patterns of surface water-groundwater interactions and climatic responses of groundwater.


Guodong CHEN (u3008598@connect.hku.hk)
PhD candidate (2021 – )
MS (2018 – 2021) – China University of Petroleum (East China)
BEng (2014 – 2018) – China University of Petroleum (East China)
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8iu7AHYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
Chen’s research focuses on new integrated AI algorithms (data-driven evolutionary algorithms, multi-objective optimization algorithms, and deep learning algorithms)to solve inversion, optimization, diagnosis and prediction problems in Earth & Environment from Hydrogeological perspectives.
Tao YANG (taoy@connect.hku.hk)
PhD Candidate (2023 – )
Assistant Engineer (2021 – 2023) – CCCC Comprehensive Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd
MEng (2018 – 2021) – China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
BEng (2014 – 2018) – China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
Yang’s main research areas are the spatiotemporal distribution of groundwater and groundwater chemistry under the influence of climate change and anthropogenic factors. She is currently interested in hydrogeochemistry processes in the critical zone, time-frequency characteristics of groundwater and vegetation ecophysiological performance to groundwater drawdown.
Publication:
Yang, Tao, Wang, Guangcai. Periodic variations of rainfall, groundwater level and dissolved radon from the perspective of wavelet analysis: a case study in Tengchong, southwest China. Environmental Earth Sciences, 2021,80.


Jinchao ZUO (jczuo@connect.hku.hk)
PhD student (2023 – )
Visiting Scholar (2021 – 2023) – Southern University of Science and Technology
RA (2020 – 2023) – ZIRI & SIRI, The University of Hong Kong
BS (2016 – 2020) – Southern University of Science and Technology
Zuo focuses on how deep hydrogeothermal systems hydraulically and chemically connected to the surface hydrosphere from local to global scales. Zuo also interests in some related topics in hydrogeology and hydrology.
Jiawei LIANG (jiawei66@connect.hku.hk)
PhD student (2024 – )
Engineer (2021 – 2024) – Poly Developments and Holdings Group Co., Ltd.
MEng (2018 – 2021) – China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)
LIANG’s work focuses on geological engineering. His main research areas are numerical modeling of impact of groundwater on slope stability.


Hui ZHOU (u30116712@connect.hku.hk)
PhD candidate (2024-)
RA (2022-2024) – Southern University of Science and Technology
MS (2019-2022) – Southern University of Science and Technology
BS (2015-2019) – Chang’an University
Hui’s research focuses on the mechanisms of biogeochemical cycling and their environmental effects in offshore groundwater systems. The methods primarily include hydrochemistry and sedimentary biogeochemistry analysis, multi-isotope methods, and numerical modeling. Currently, the research area is concentrated on the South China Sea.
Zhangbo Liu (zbliu@connect.hku.hk)
PhD student (2024 -)
Game Developer (2022-2023) – NetEase
MS (2019-2022) – Information and Communication Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
BS (2015-2019) – Network Engineering, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)
Liu’s research mainly focuses on hydrogeology, groundwater, deep learning and early warning of harmful algal bloom.

APCAMM was successfully held in Malaysia
The 7th Asia Pacific Coastal Aquifer Management Meeting (APCAM) was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from August 21 to 24, 2023. This conference is hosted by the Institute of Geology Malaysia (IGM) and The National Energy University (UNITEN), and co hosted by multiple local institutions. This meeting was mainly held in the form of seminars and reports, while conducting a field trip to the famous Putrajaya Wetland Park in the local area.






Join us
Post-doc/Ph.D position in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Hong Kong
1) Development of a 3D Coupled Groundwater-Seawater Model for Simulating Reactive Transport of Chemicals in Aquifers and Oceans
2) Numerical modeling of impact of confined groundwater on slope stability
1) Discover the Missing Link in Coastal Aquifer Research
Coastal aquifers play a crucial role in the chemical composition of our oceans. While existing numerical models analyze the transport and migration of chemicals within aquifers and the ocean separately, there is a significant gap in understanding the exchange and chemical migrations between groundwater and seawater. That’s where our groundbreaking research comes in.
Join the hydrogeology group at the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Earth Sciences, and be part of a team dedicated to developing a comprehensive groundwater-seawater model. This cutting-edge model will couple the physical processes of groundwater and seawater, shedding light on the chemical interactions and migrations that occur between these two crucial water bodies. Gain invaluable knowledge and expertise in both groundwater flow and ocean physical modeling, as we bridge the gap and unlock new insights into the delicate solute transporting processes between land and sea.
2) Unveiling the Hidden Triggers of Landslides: Confined Groundwater’s Impact on Slope Stability
Groundwater has long been recognized as a key factor in landslides, but previous studies have predominantly focused on unconfined groundwater. Our hydrogeology group at the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Earth Sciences is embarking on a groundbreaking journey to investigate the often-overlooked role of confined groundwater in deep-seated landslides.
We are searching for motivated Ph.D. students or post-doctoral candidates to pioneer the development of a comprehensive groundwater flow and slope stability model. By delving into the impact of confined groundwater on slope stability, you will uncover vital insights that have been largely overlooked in the past. Join our dedicated team and contribute to groundbreaking research that has the potential to significantly improve our understanding of landslides and their triggers.
For further details, please contact Prof. Jimmy Jiao at jjiao@hku.hk.
