Postdoctoral Researchers
Dr. Jiaming (Jamie) Duan: Jamie, originally from Henan, China, earned her Ph.D. in Biological Systems Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is dedicated to leveraging modeling and remote sensing tools to estimate soil carbon, water, and nitrogen cycling, contributing to data-driven decision-making in sustainable agricultural and environmental management. Jamie is currently co-leading the improvement of the RCTM system.
Ph.D. Students
Alexandra Crookshanks will be joining our lab in Fall 2025.
Hancheng Guo is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Zhejiang University and has joined Xia’s Lab as a visiting Ph.D. student. His research focuses on assessing the impacts of various agricultural management practices on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics using process-based models.
Huixin Li received her bachelor's and master's degrees from Nanjing University, China, and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with Illinois Distinguished Fellowship support. She is co-advised by Dr. Xia and studies the mechanisms and modeling of carbon and nitrogen cycling in agroecosystems, with a current focus on refining the representation of particulate organic matter in process-based models.
We anticipate that one or two positions will be available for Fall 2026, similar to the 2025 position described here.
Research Assistants and Interns
Margot Ann Grøtland: Margot is from Indianapolis, Indiana. She is a junior at Columbia University pursuing a degree in Environmental Science and Sociology. She is driven by a dedication to and passion for protecting our ecosystem to create a more sustainable and equitable society. She is currently the lab manager and an undergraduate research assistant in Xia’s Lab. She can be reached at margot.grotland@columbia.edu.
Jake Cohen: Jake is from Ridgewood, New Jersey, and is a rising junior at the University of Toronto. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Statistics and Conservation Biology, seeking to apply statistical practice to assess biodiversity, understand how human activities impact ecosystems, and develop strategies for conservation and restoration. This summer, Jake is a research intern in Xia’s lab, where he is exploring environmental drivers of forest soil health.
Emely Mendez is from The Bronx, New York. She is a senior at Columbia University majoring in Environmental Science. She is passionate about understanding ecosystem dynamics and how conservation efforts can benefit urban and rural environments. She is currently a summer undergraduate research assistant in Xia's Lab focusing on designing strategic sampling plans. Her email is em3739@columbia.edu.
Tierna Oxenreider is a rising senior at Columbia University. She is majoring in Sustainable Development and minoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology. She is also on the Division 1 Women's Fencing Team. She is passionate about Conservation Biology and finding solutions focused on restoring and adapting to climate change. She is currently an undergraduate research assistant in Xia’s Lab.
Gary Leschinsky: Gary is a high school junior at Davidson Academy Online. He is highly passionate about using soil science, modeling, and statistics to better understand biological and environmental systems. Gary designed a project on modeling N2O production and consumption in different organic farming treatments. The goal of his project is to determine the key drivers of N2O emissions in organic farms and how different practices alter GHG outcomes.
Lab Alumni
Cailen Alice Tougher: Cailen conducted her Columbia senior thesis study (2024-2025) in Xia’s Lab, where she collaborated closely with the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture . Her thesis topic is “How Rotational grazing intensity affects long-term soil organic carbon”.
Danielle Kim: Danielle studied in Xia’s Lab (2024-2025) through the Bergen County Academies Senior Experience Program. She developed a web tool about the Lamont Sanctuary Forest experimental site and is now a freshman at Cornell University.
