Experience

• Planetary Exploration Missions: Science team member of Deep Impact, Dawn, Deep Impact eXtended Investigation (DIXI), and Stardust-NExT, participating in science opportunity planning, sequence design and exposure time determination, ground-based observation campaign, and lead photometric analysis of the comet and asteroid targets and the data processing effort.
• Photometry of Cometary Nuclei and Asteroids: Photometric modeling to all cometary nuclei closely imaged by spacecraft and several asteroids from high-resolution spacecraft flyby data, as well as Hubble Space Telescope data and ground data.
• Albedo and Photometric Mapping: Surface albedo mapping of asteroids and cometary nuclei to study their composition and mineralogy to understand their evolution history and formation scenarios.
• Thermal Modeling: Spatially resolved thermal physical modeling on small bodies.
• High-Contrast Imaging: High-contrast imaging observations with adaptive optics to search for satellites near asteroids and close companions near stars.
• Space-based Interferometry: Studies of the applications of interferometric techniques in planetary sciences, especially for outer solar system objects.

Academic Honors and Awards

• NASA Group Achievement Award, Dawn Science Team, 2013, NASA
• NASA Group Achievement Award, Dawn Science Operations Team, 2013, NASA
• NASA Group Achievement Award, EPOXI Science Team, 2011, NASA
• NASA Group Achievement Award, Stardust-NExT Science Team, 2011, NASA
• Asteroid 21496 (1998 JQ2) named Lijianyang, 2008, International Astronomical Union
• NASA Carl Sagan and Larry Haskin Early Career Fellowship, 2007. Science Mission Directorate, NASA
• COSPAR Scientific Assembly 2006 International Travel Grant, 2006. Committee on Space Research
• John Wang Academic Excellence Award, 2002. Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland

Education

• Ph. D. in Astronomy, University of Maryland College Park, Department of Astronomy, May 2005
• M. S. without thesis in Astronomy, University of Maryland College Park, Department of Astronomy, May 2002
• B. S. in Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Department of Physics, June 1999
• B. E. in Computer Science double-major, University of Science and Technology of China, Department of Computer Science, June 1999 

Positions Held

• Research Scientist – Planetary Science Institute.  Feb 2012 – present.
• Affiliated Assistant Research Scientist – University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy.  Jun 2012 – Jun 2014.
• Assistant Research Scientist – University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy.  Jan 2010 – Jun 2012.
• Senior Research Associate – Planetary Science Institute.  Supervisor: Dr. Mark V. Sykes.  Sep 2009 – Dec 2012.
• Research Associate – University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy.  Supervisor: Prof. Michael F. A’Hearn, Dr. Lucy A. McFadden.  June 2005 – Dec 2009.
• Graduate Research Assistant – Supervisor: Dr. Lucy A. McFadden, with Dawn Science Team, University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy, September 2004 – May 2005. Project title: HST high-resolution mapping of asteroid 1 Ceres.
• Graduate Research Assistant – Supervisor: Prof. Michael F. A’Hearn, with Deep Impact Science Team, University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy, January 2002 – May 2005.  Project title: Photometry of small bodies.
• Graduate Research Assistant – Supervisor: Prof. Andrew S. Wilson, University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy, May 2001 – August 2001. Project title: The radio loudness of Seyfert galactic nuclei.
• Graduate Research Assistant – Supervisor: Prof. J. Patrick Harrington, University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy, September 2000 – May 2001. Project title: The angular expansion and distance of the planetary nebula BD+30°3639.
• Graduate Research Assistant – Supervisor: Prof. Douglas P. Hamilton, University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy, May 2000 – September 2000.  Project title: Planetary migration simulation during the early stage of the solar system formation.
• Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Maryland at College Park, Department of Astronomy, September 1999-December 2001.

Grants and Telescope Times
>>Total grant as a PI: >$2.3M; all involved grants total: >$7.7M

1. Principal Investigator, “Smooth Areas on the Nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko”, NASA Early Career Fellowship Program 2014, $100k (2yr).
2. Principal Investigator, “The First Polarimetric Mapping of Ceres”, NOAO Gemini Observatory 2015A semester, 9.5 hrs.
3. Co-Investigator, “First Optical Polarimetric Imaging of Ceres”, ESO VLT 95A, 9.5 hrs.
4. Principal Investigator, “Probing Subsurface Water Ice Reservoirs on Ceres”, NASA Solar System Observations Program, 2013, $636k (5 yr).
5. Subcontractor, “Study the Photometry and Water Sublimation of Ceres to Support Dawn Mission”, UCLA Dawn Mission, 2014, $146k (3 yrs).
6. Subcontractor, “Contributing to OSIRIS-REx Mission Photometry Working”, Ithaca College, 2014, $3k (1yr).
7. Subcontractor, “Comet ISON Observing Campaign (CIOC)”, USRA/LPI, 2014, $15k (1 yr).
8. Co-Investigator, “Restoring Dawn Framing Camera Multi-Band Data of Vesta to Full Spatial and Photometric Accuracy”, PI: Lucille Le Corre (PSI), NASA Planetary Data Analysis Program 2013, $1,060k (4 yr).
9. Principal Investigator, “Comet Siding Spring at Mars: Using MRO to Interpret HST Imaging of Comets”, HST Cycle 22 GO, 2014, $114k (1 yr).
10. Co-Investigator, “Imaging Polarimetry of the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with ACS: Supporting the Rosetta Mission”, PI: Dean Hines (STScI), HST Cycle 22 GO, 2014, $77k (2 yr).
11. Co-Investigator, “The Ultraviolet Spectrum of Ceres”, PI: Amanda Hendrix (PSI), HST Cycle 22 GO, 2014, $78k (2 yr).
12. Co-Investigator, “Ground-based characterization of Ceres ahead of Dawn’s arrival”, PI: Vishnu Reddy (PSI), NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program 2013, $264k (3 yrs).
13. Principal Investigator, “Imaging Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) to support risk assessment for Mars orbiters during the close Mars encounter”, HST Cycle 21 GO/DD, 2013, $122k (1 yr).
14. Principal Investigator, “A comparative study of geological features on cometary nuclei using relative photometric techniques”, NASA Planetary Mission Data Analysis Program, 2012, $300k (3 yrs).
15. Principal Investigator, “The first pre-perihelion nucleus size measurement of a sungrazing comet, C/2012 S1 (ISON)”, HST Cycle 20 GO/DD, 2013, $73 (1 yr).
16. Co-Investigator, “Hubble imaging of the nucleus of Comet ISON”, PI: Philippe Lamy (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique Marseille), HST Cycle 21 GO, 2013, $TBD (2 yr).
17. Co-Investigator, “Searching for satellites of Ceres: Support for the Dawn Mission”, PI: Britney Schmidt (UT-Austin), HST Cycle 21 GO, 2013, $75 (1 yr).
18. Co-Investigator, “Mineralogical mapping of Asteroid Itokawa using Hayabusa AMICA camera multi-spectral and NIRS spectrometer data”, NASA Planetary Mission Data Analysis Program 2012, $900k (4 yrs).
19. Co-Investigator, “Spitzer characterization of coma and nucleus of Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)”, Spitzer Cycle 9 DDT, 2013.  PI: Lisse, C.M. (JHU-APL).
20. Co-Investigator, “Search for H₂O outgassing and near-UV spectral characterization of main belt asteroids (1) Ceres and (24) Themis”, Apache Point Observatory, PI: McKay, A. (New Mexico State University).
21. Co-Investigator, “Characterizing space weathering on Asteroid (596) Scheila”, NASA IRTF 2012b.  PI: Kelley, M.S. (University of Maryland at College Park).
22. Co-Investigator, “Analysis of the coma of comet Hartley 2 and its interaction with the nucleus”, NASA Planetary Mission Data Analysis Program, 2011.  PI: Farnham, T.L. (University of Maryland at College Park), $575k (3 yr).
23. Collaborator, “Deep Impact HRI-IR temporal characterization of Hartley 2’s surface and coma heterogeneity”, NASA Planetary Mission Data Analysis Program, 2011.  PI: Feaga, L.M. (University of Maryland at College Park), $548k (3 yrs).
24. Co-Investigator, “A Swift spectroscopic survey of asteroid families in the UV.  NASA Swift Guest Investigator, Cycle 8, 2011.  PI: Bodewits, D. (University of Maryland at College Park).
25. Co-Investigator, “Swift/UVOT observations of the outburst of 596 Scheila”.  NASA Swift Guest Investigator, Cycle 7/DD, 2010.  PI: Bodewits, D. (University of Maryland at College Park).
26. Co-Investigator, “A Swift spectroscopic survey of asteroids in the UV: Compositional and weathering effects”, NASA Swift Guest Investigator, Cycle 7, 2010.  PI: Bodewits, D. (University of Maryland at College Park).
27. Principal Investigator, “Study the photometry of Vesta to support Dawn”, NASA Dawn at Vesta Participating Scientist Program, 2010, $255k (3yr).
28. Principal Investigator, “Improve the measurement of Vesta’s pole orientation to support Dawn mission”, HST Cycle 17 GO/DD, 2009, $99.4k (2yr).
29. Co-Investigator, “High-contrast imaging of asteroids: A search for companions and debris in support of NASA’s Dawn space mission”.  Palomar Observatory, 2010a.  PI: Justin Crepp (Caltech).
30. Co-Investigator, “High contrast imaging of dusty white dwarfs”, HST Cycle 16 GO, 2008, PI: Debes, J.H. (STScI), $124k (3 yr).
31. Principal Investigator, “Satellite search for Dawn mission targets, Vesta and Ceres”, HST Cycle 16 GO/DD, 2008, $120.1k (2yr).
32. NASA Early Career Fellowship, 2007, $100k
33. Principal Investigator, “Characterization of the UV absorption feature in asteroid (1) Ceres”, HST Cycle 16 GO, 2007, $56k (1 yr)
34. Co-Investigator, “Photometric Imaging of Asteroid 2 Pallas”, HST Cycle 16 GO, 2007, PI: Russell, C. T. (University of California at Los Angeles), $35k (2 yrs)
35. Science Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator, “Photometric Studies of Cometary Nuclei”, NASA Discovery Data Analysis Program 2006. PI: A’Hearn, M. F. (UMD), $293k (3 yrs), with additional 1-year funding for Early Career Fellowship $100k.
36. Co-Investigator, “Photometric Mapping of Vesta’s Southern Hemisphere”, HST Cycle 15 GO, 2006. PI: McFadden, L. A. (UMD), $105.2k (2 yrs)+$40.9k suppliment (1 yr)
37. Co-Investigator, “Gas and Dust Imaging: Filter Photometry of Comet Tempel 1’s Coma Pre- and Post- Impact”, NASA Discovery Data Analysis Program 2006, PI: McFadden, L. A. (UMD), $361.8k (3 yrs)
38. Co-Investigator, “Studies of the Near-Nucleus Dust Jets and Coma Morphology in Comets 9P/Tempel 1, 81P/Wild 2 and 19P/Borrelly”, NASA Discovery Data Analysis Program 2006, PI: Farnham, T. L. (University of Maryland at College Park) $233.6k (3 yrs)
39. Collaborator, “Outbursts by comet Tempel 1”, NASA Discovery Data Analysis Program 2006, PI: A’Hearn, M. F. (University of Maryland at College Park), $464.6k (3 yrs)
40. Collaborator, “Analysis of Coordinated Ground-Based Deep Impact Imaging Data”, NASA Discovery Data Analysis Program 2006, PI: Meech, K. J. (IfA, UH), $292.9k (3 yrs)
41. Collaborator, “Extended Spectrum Study of Eros”, NASA Discovery Data Analysis Program 2004, PI: Izenberg, N. R. (JHU-APL)
42. Graduate Researcher, “Spectroscopy and Photometry of Asteroids and Comets Proposal”, NASA Discovery Data Analysis Program 2004, PI: McFadden, L. A. (University of Maryland at College Park), $392k (2 yrs)

Invited talks and seminars

1. Hubble Space Telescope View of Comet C/Siding Spring during its Close Encounter with Mars. American Geophysical Union 2014 Fall Meeting, December 18, 2014.
2. The Water Regime of Ceres and its Potential Habitability, American Geophysical Union 2014 Fall Meeting, December 18, 2014.
3. The Mysterious Water Regime of Ceres. Institute of Remote Sensing and GIS, Peking University, Beijing, China, August 15, 2014.
4. The Mysterious Water Regime of Ceres. Planetary Science Institute, China University of Geoscience (Wuhan), Wuhan, China, August 14, 2014.
5. The Mysterious Water Regime of Ceres. Institute of Space Science, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China, August 11, 2014.
6. The Mysterious Water Regime of Ceres. Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, National Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, August 7, 2014.
7. HST Imaging of Comets C/2012 S1 (ISON) and C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring). Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) 11th Annual Meeting, Sapporo, Japan. July 29, 2014.
8. Dawn @ Vesta: Full of Surprises. Institute of Space Science, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China, January 22, 2014.
9. Dawn @ Vesta: Full of Surprises. Department of Earth Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China, January 20, 2014.
10. Comet ISON: An interesting comet from the beginning to the end. Purple Mountain Observatory, Nanjing, China, January 17, 2014.
11. Comet ISON: An interesting comet from the beginning to the end. Beijing Planetarium, Beijing, China, January 16, 2014.
12. Dawn @ Vesta: Full of Surprises. National Astronomical Observatory of China, Beijing, China, January 16, 2014
13. What do we want to know about the nucleus of Comet ISON?  Comet ISON Observer’s Workshop.  Aug 1, 2013.
14. Hubble Observations of Comet C/ISON.  Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD.  May 22, 2013.
15. Photometry of Cometary Nuclei and the Implications.  Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD.  Dec 14, 2012.
16. Photometry of Cometary Nuclei and the Implications.  Carnegie Institution of Washington, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Washington, DC.  Nov 30, 2012.
17. Dawn at Vesta: A Whole New World.  Purple Mountain Observatory, Nanjing, China.  May 10, 2012.
18. Dawn at Vesta: A Whole New World.  Nanjing University, School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing, China.  May 11, 2012.
19. Dawn at Vesta: A Whole New World.  University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.  May 14, 2012.
20. Dawn at Vesta: A Whole New World.  Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Shanghai, China.  May 15, 2012.
21. Vesta Fiesta!  Department of Astronomy Observatory Open House, College Park, MD. Aug 5, 2011.
22. Colorful Surface of Vesta.  California Institute of Technology, Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC), Pasadena, CA. Apr 30, 2010.
23. Colorful Surface of Vesta.  Carnegie Observatory, Pasadena, CA.  May 3, 2010.
24. Mapping the Dwarf World – Ceres and Vesta – Preparing for Dawn Mission.  University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.  Apr 20, 2009.
25. Mapping the Dwarf World – Ceres and Vesta – Preparing for Dawn Mission.  Purple Mountain Observatory, Nanjing, China.  Apr 13, 2009.
26. Photometric Variations on Cometary Nuclei -Implications from Comets 19P/Borrelly, 9P/Tempel 1, and 81P/Wild 2.  Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.  Oct 20, 2008.
27. Mapping the Dwarf Worlds – Ceres and Vesta.  Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC.  Nov 2, 2007.
28. Deep Impact.  University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China., July 25, 2006.
29. Photometry and surface mapping of asteroid (1) Ceres from HST observations.  36th COSPAR Scientific Assembly Beijing, China.  July 20, 2006.
30. Photometric Analysis and Mapping for Small Bodies and their Applications on Space Exploration Missions.  National Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China.  July 18, 2006.
31. Deep Impact Photometry of Comet 9P/Tempel 1.  Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) 3rd Annual Meeting, Singapore.  July 11, 2006.
32. Deep Impact and an Overview of its Scientific Results.  Naval Research Lab, Washington DC.  May 5, 2006.

Professional Activities

• Review Panelist, NASA Planetary Data System, Small Bodies Node, March 2014, March 2013, April 2012, December and August 2011, September and March 2010, October, 2009
• Proposal Review Panelist, NASA Cassini Data Analysis Program, August, 2006, San Diego, CA.
• External Reviewer, NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics (2010, 2009), Planetary Mission Data Analysis (2008), Cassini Data Analysis (2007, 2013), Origin of Solar System (2013), Outer Planets Research (2014).
• External Reviewer for NSF, 2014
• Reviewer for Subaru Telescope, 2015
• Lecturer, COSPAR Capacity Building Workshop on Planetary Science, Montevideo, Uruguay, July 23 – Aug 3, 2007.
• Reviewer for Icarus, Space Science Reviews, Planetary and Space Science, Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, Astronomical Journal, Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics and Space Science, Geophysical Research Letters, Astronomy and Astrophysics Journals
• Guest Editor for Icarus, Special Issue on Dark and Bright Materials on Vesta.
• Scientific Organizing Committee, Vesta in the Light of Dawn Workshop, Feb 3-4, 2014, Houston, TX

Mentoring

• Shantanu Naidu, Research Assistant, University of Maryland College Park, 2009-2010.  Current graduate student at University of California at Los Angeles
• Carolyn Crow, Research Assistant, University of Maryland College Park, 2009-2010.  Current graduate student at University of California at Los Angeles
• Jade Williams, Faculty Research Assistant, University of Maryland at College Park, 2010-2012
• Holly Wu, Research Assistant, University of Maryland at College Park, 2011-2012
• Karen Xia, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, VA, 2013-2014.

Professional Societies

• American Astronomical Society – Division of Planetary Sciences (AAS/DPS)
• International Astronomical Union – Division F
• American Geophysical Union – Planetary Sciences

Computer skills:

• Programming languages: Python, C, C++, Fortran,
• Data processing and plotting: IDL, DS9, Photoshop, IRAF, Matlab, Origin, Excel
• All popular operating systems: Macintosh, UNIX, Linux, Windows, iOS
• Text processing: Latex, Word, PowerPoint, Keynote

Language skills:

• Chinese, native proficiency.
• English, full professional proficiency.